Test drove the
'22 BRZ yesterday back to back with my 86. Was given an hour to play on coarse windy roads. Drove the same way in my car on the way there and on the way back. My car is a 2013 86 GTS manual with 25k kms/15k miles on it. Only mods are fresh Pilot Sport 4 tyres, a catless header and a stage 2 tune.
First impression was that it looked handsome, tho still a little anonymous in the flesh. It can sometimes appear like a decked crossover (
puma comes to mind) in pics, but it felt squat and sporty in person. Still much prefer the original FT86 design - not a fan of large black plastic vents or racer side skirts. A matter of taste.
Interior felt similar to my GTS - infotainment the obvious step up. Things I miss: frameless rearview mirror, leather that covers the entire seat bolsters, and the full panel leather knee rests (they're uncomfortable plastic protrusions in the new car for the inner man-spreaders in all of us.) Also not a fan of how the infotainment sticks out of the dash. The digital gauges are tasteful (nice fonts layout and colours), but I will always prefer a real tach in comparison to looking at a screen.
Ok the driving. Extra oomph down low - you can feel it. There's still a dip (this is still a small capacity four cylinder that needs revs and the right gear) but it feels like a solid step up despite my mods. Unfortunately my Aussie dealer only has an auto demo model prior to launch, so I wasn't feeling the full impact of the new engine due to the added weight and taller gearing.
Road noise overall is reduced slightly in the new car, but there's a distinctive coarse sound coming from over the front tyres that might get tedious. I'm guessing the aluminium front fenders allow these frequencies into the cabin.
Speaking of frequencies, the digital engine enhancement speaker is tolerable until you start hitting 5K revs regularly; it then becomes shrill and artificial sounding. Glad that it can be disconnected, but much prefer the LFA style induction tube in the 86.
As I got to the bends, I noticed that steering feel was significantly different to the 86 on the same tyres. The '22 is predictable and controlled, but the steering is notably lighter and less communicative. Over the bumps and crests, I couldn't feel what the tyres were doing in the same way that I could with the 86. Back to back it felt like electric vs hydraulic steering. "Steering feel" is one of those eye-rolling intangible things for some, but for me it's central to what the 86 platform is all about. I daily a lightly modded GTI, and the 86 is reserved for playtime, so it's all about the feel I can get through a corner. The new car doesn't deliver the same tactile feedback.
Final thoughts - better looking in the flesh, and a nice step up in a lot of ways. Still if you have a fresh, premium trimmed 86 or BRZ with some mods, the new car is very similar. You may however miss that connected, more analogue experience that's present in the first gen. Looking forward to seeing how the '23 Z pans out, but at this stage I'll be sticking with my current two car setup.