The Subaru BRZ made its debut back in 2012 and was a great success with driving enthusiasts. While it’s not known for having copious amounts of power, it is well-known for its tossable nature and driver-friendly drift-ability. The Subaru BRZ was redesigned for the 2022 model, but is it just as drift-friendly as its predecessor?

Subaru went for stability with the 2022 BRZ

For 2022, the Subaru BRZ still embodies the high-revving, lightweight formula that it did in its previous iteration. While many enthusiasts complained about the car not having enough horsepower, Subaru decided to stick with a non-turbo or supercharger set up in order to reduce weight and costs. Instead, under the hood of the car is a 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated Boxer engine that produces 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque.

That engine can be mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, both of which route power to the rear wheels. According to Car and Driver, the BRZ now has a lower center of gravity and a light curb weight of 2,800 pounds. The publication also noted that those specs, along with a stiffer chassis, make for a stable, but tail-happy experience. Also, its ride quality is on the firm side, but Subaru’s intention for this new model was to make it stable and precise, which seems to be a success.  

Redline Reviews was able to swing the tail out

The 2022 BRZ also comes standard with a limited-slip differential in both of its trim levels. As you can imagine, everything in the setup works well in conjunction with one another, which in turn makes for a tail-happy car on the track. Redline Reviews was able to take it out on the street and the track to get some driving impressions.

“It feels chuckable, it feels light. It feels so controllable as well,” said Sofyan Bey, the host of Redline Reviews. The BRZ didn’t fail to impress him while driving normally on the road. But when he turned up the heat in the tires while driving the car on the racetrack, the BRZ did its job well as far as getting (slightly) sideways in the corners.

It seemed like every turn he took produced a lot of tire squeal with the occasional sideways drift. “I went a little too hard and it slid out from under me, but it’s easy to catch,” Bey said. Apparently, the BRZ is controllable on the track as well. That’s a good sign considering it’s still equipped from the factory with pretty skinny tires. The base Premium model is fitted with 215/45 R17 tires while the upper-trim Limited wears 215/40 R18-sized tires.

It makes for a good daily driver

Despite the 2022 Subaru BRZ’s power-sliding nature, it makes a great daily driver just like it also has. Car and Driver noted an EPA-estimated 22 city/30 highway mpg ratings, which is efficient enough for a small sports car. Additionally, there are even two rear seats, but it doesn’t look like anyone adult-sized can fit back there.

The 2022 BRZ looks like a lot of drifting fun even in moderate driving. We have yet to drive one, but you can expect a full report when we do. Stay tuned!