Impressions on 2022 BRZ vs. my 2018 BRZ

[Ohio Enthusiast]

While I was waiting for the dealer to fix the fuel gauge post fuel pump recall, I took a 2022 BRZ for a spin.

Conditions were slightly damp 55 degrees, short drive in a flat rural area, so no twisties, but still some curves and turns.

2018 BRZ

• Manual, base trim
• Lightly modded for feel - drivetrain, rear subframe and steering rack bushings, swapped clutch cylinder
• Stock suspension with camber bolts for -2* front camber, 0 front toe and barely any rear toe
• RPF1 wheels with Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires, all stock specs

2022 BRZ

• Manual, limited trim
• 2000 miles on the odo
• Pilot Sport 4 tires

Impressions
The new BRZ felt very familiar but also quite a bit different. Everything from the seats to the ride feel softer and plusher. The drive is more quite, the suspension a little smoother and the steering less twitchy. As a car, it is certainly better - the engine is quite noticeably more powerful, delivers the power better, and there is no fall off as you near redline that I was worried about based on the official dyno chart and peak HP rating; the ride is more comfortable; and the cabin feels more upscale and modern.
However, this is entirely missing the point. The BRZ for me is a fun raw car. I want it to be twitchy and crashy. I don't want to feel as if everything I do with the car is softened up, sharp edges rounded off. I want to feel the grit and the roughness. My 2018 delivers this in droves. The 2022? Not so much.

Ergonomics
Everything is more or less the same. My niggles are with the BMW style turn signals which were quite disconcerting to use and the gauge cluster being less readable then my 2018. Particularly annoying was having the top of the tachometer quite a bit lower in the field of view, but the overall contrast of the white-on-black digital cluster vs. the red glowing needle is also a downside. Perhaps in Track Mode with the horizontal bar tachometer it would have been better, but I personally find an analog style better.

Surprise - traction and stability control
The most interesting part of the test drive was the traction and stability controls - even though I left it fully on, the amount of slip it allowed was almost on par with Track Mode in my 2018. Redline upshifting from 1st to 2nd easily chirped the tires, while my 2018 would cut power immediately. Coming out of a stop sign a little aggressively and turning caused the rear to step out gently, without any intervention. In my 2018 you would feel the stability control engaging the brakes right away.

Summary
When I first drove my 2018 BRZ, it was love in first drive, feeling super special and fun in the first 100 feet and at the first turn. The new one didn't capture me as much - it felt too plush and isolated, quiet and refined. I don't think I'll be upgrading, but who knows.

[Code Monkey]

Gen2 is a better car but not a better BRZ, just like Miatas....

[Interceptor777]

"The BRZ for me is a fun raw car. I want it to be twitchy and crashy. I don't want to feel as if everything I do with the car is softened up, sharp edges rounded off. I want to feel the grit and the roughness. My 2018 delivers this in droves. The 2022? Not so much."

Mod your second gen to same level as the first gen before coming up with conclusions on how "raw" it is. Going from the listed mods you did to your first gen, it sounds like your first gen wasn't raw enough either and you needed to amp it up.

I will bet a million bucks your post would have been 100% different had it been a fully stock 1st gen.

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by Interceptor777

I will bet a million bucks your post would have been 100% different had it been a fully stock 1st gen.

Although you are right that it's not an apples to apples comparison, I don't think it would have been that different. The main tangible impact the mods on my 2018 have is better clutch engagement and reduced drivetrain slop. Both of these are not a part of the raw feel of the car, and I never noticed a big increase in NVH from the bushings (I will allow that perhaps the aggregate contribution from all of them is noticeable, but I have installed most of them piecemeal).

Another point of view is my original impressions between the BRZ and a Miata - the Miata felt just like a regular car, while the BRZ felt special. The new BRZ reminds quite a bit of the Miata - soft and plush (although still better than the Miata in driver feel).

It would certainly be interesting to compare my modded BRZ to a stock 2017+ to help pinpoint the differences. Any volunteers in the Dayton OH area?

[danson]

nostalgia bias maybe? I had a 18 brz and i love my new one even more. its just like my old one but with a facelift and WAY more punch. both were stock.

I think you remember your first experience fondly, and its hard to recapture that, just like old video games. But the "plush" feelinig you are describing is like 99% the suspension changes youre used to imho

[Ohio Enthusiast]

I don't think it's nostalgia or mods. The moment I read and watched the first reviews talking about refinement I was certain that the new gen would not be up to my tastes. This test drive pretty much confirmed it.

Some people compared the different generations of the Cayman in the same way - each one was progressively better in pretty much every metric, but the 987 generation would probably appeal more to me than the 981 or 982 (although I've never driven any).

It's really just a matter of personal preference.

[Liquidsnake]

I had. 2013, a 2015, and now a 2022. For me at the age of 45, I love the refinements so much, it just feels like a more adult car. There were times where I was a bit embarrassed driving the prior generations. Not anymore.

[DougNuts]

I agree with Liquidsnake. I’m in my 40s as well, and everything you said about the 2022 is what I want.

[Ernest72]

Man you guys are old men. What’s next a Buick. I am 50 and prefer a raw car and that’s what my 16 is. So much fun to drive. I am sure the 2nd Gen is good but I don’t need refinement in a Subaru. Paid off car is better than a trade in and payment for refinement. In fact I would likely spend money making it less refined, so 2nd Gen makes no sense for me. Plus I love my car, but I am sure the 2nd Gen guys love theirs. Both great cars no doubt.

[H380]

OK

[mike2100]

Originally Posted by Ohio Enthusiast

The moment I read and watched the first reviews talking about refinement I was certain that the new gen would not be up to my tastes. This test drive pretty much confirmed it.

I think that's the definition of confirmation bias.

[PulsarBeeerz]

Newer is better, the better numbers say so. A Model3 is also "better". The numbers say so.

[Krokodil]

I thought it would be nice if Subaru kept producing 1st gen and released 2nd gen as BRZ S.
But then I realized that in that case Subaru would have to charge more for S version.
So I am good with what they did:
Basically same car with more power and almost same weight and msrp.
Small nuances are up to customization which most of us going to do anyway.

[danson]

Blows my mind people are spending their time on a 2nd gen owners forum grasping for reasons to not like the 2nd gen. I mean if you want a dated interior and less power so you can feel like a hipster just go drive an ae86.

A Buick? Tesla? Jesus christ its a facelift and upgraded engine. Its 98% the same exact car.