Is The Subaru BRZ The Sports Car For Your Garage

August 5, 2025

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Can the Subaru BRZ be a better option over the soon to arrive Honda Prelude

Yes, the used car market is filled with used first generation Subaru BRZ’s and this is because the used/recon gray market excited the segment with below RM199k (and even as low as RM140k) units from Japan over the past 3 years.

The official importer and distributor, Motor Image launched this latest BRZ (second generation) in August 2024 in two variants, an auto and a 6-speed manual for RM268,500.

Take note that 1st generation BRZ arrived in mid 2013 with a price from RM247k and today a used unit sells from RM75k upwards.

Now, some 10 months after its official launch, we get the key to this 6-speed manual to find out if its worth its asking price as the all new Honda Prelude is set to arrive with a sticker price that is close, but only with an auto gearbox. Yes, the Prelude has been reborn and will have a 2L engine mated to an outbox that is already tried and tested in the popular Civic.

So, the BRZ with its 2.4L engine gets another rival, the first being its engineering sibling, the Toyota GR86 and soon the Honda Prelude (pictured below).

So, it’s looks!

Using the design cues of the desirable latest Supra, a true low slung dynamic sports car was created by this Subaru-Toyota partnership. The cabin continues the theme with the driver’s seat designed to ergonomic perfection through numerous circuit tests and under race conditions, to ensure you remain comfortable over long periods behind the wheel (we tested this with a drive to JB and back covering about 1000 km.

The cabin is tight (so if you are very tall and very wide don’t continue reading) and the driver gets the latest digital instrument cluster designed to ensure optimum, at-a-glance visibility and readability during fast driving. The infotainment and driver assistance systems are all new.

One good feature is the minimalist integration of all tactile controls for the air conditioning system.

The front and rear wheel arch flares have been designed to be visible both through the windscreen and rear view mirrors, helping the driver place the car accurately on the road.

The engine start button, all-black roof lining, upholstery stitching, handbrake lever (yes you can easily do a handbrake turn), aluminium pedals and the torso hugging seats add to the sporting flavour that buyers in this segment yearn for.

What about the engine

Under the curvaceous front hood is Toyota/Subaru joint developed 2387cc, four-cylinder normal aspirated engine good for 237PS from 7000 rpm and maximum torque of 250Nm from 3700 rpm, giving this sports coupe engaging performance and a top speed of over 216km/h.

The performance figures is no where near supercar territory figures and yet it is entertaining and engaging from behind the wheel because of its low 1280kg weight.

On a smooth, twisting road the BRZ is a very agile with a near perfect weight distribution and a centre of gravity that allows the driver to defy cornering ability. This makes it an entertaining handler with great grip and exceptionally sharp, communicative steering with the 18-inch wheels shod with Michelin rubbers.

The tail happy behaviour often found in sports cars that are short and low is somewhat missing in this BRZ and only when the car is pushed hard does the evenly balanced BRZ lose some its composure.

This BRZ 6-speed manual gearbox shifts are direct and precise. The engine revs climb and drop so quickly that it’s reminiscent of 3.0L engine. It is a good thing that our car had the hugging seat inserts when we found some quick sharp corners to abuse it on.

It has good grip, and it’s easy to drive hard and you will have fun doing it. You can approach a corner, feed in lots of throttle with the engine revving above 4000 rpm, and the rear-wheel drive will pull you around and save your car from damage against the curb.

This Boxer powered car needs a turbocharger and 280bhp and 350Nm of torque to be class best sports car. Will it happen? We have been waiting since 2014!