Who remembers the Huffy Green Machine? Around 22 years ago, Huffy bought the rights to manufacture a three-wheeled tricycle which was designed just for drifting. It wasn’t your average pushbike in terms of cruising or mountain hopping, but manipulate the levers the right way and the tail would come swinging around – which was the whole fun of it.
Well this might be the four-wheeled equivalent of that contraption, the 2024 Subaru BRZ tS, tuned by STI. Designed for playfulness, agility and driving pleasure, the tS is the penultimate version of the Toyota-Subaru joint-venture coupe.
While it shares its bones and stock drivetrain with the standard BRZ, the tS variant brings a host of upgrades, including STI-tuned dampers, Brembo brakes, and unique design elements that set it apart. These include an STI logo on the instrument cluster, dark 18-inch alloy wheels, unique black and red trim and black mirror caps. Is it worth the extra expenditure over the regular variant? Let’s find out.
2024 Subaru BRZ tS: Specifications
Engine: 2.4-litre flat four-cylinder
Output: 174kW@7000rpm / 250Nm@3700rpm
Gearbox: Six-speed manual
Drive type: Rear-wheel drive
Wheels: F & R: 18×7.5, 215/40
ANCAP: Not tested
Tare weight: 1235kg
Power-to-weight: 7.09:1 (kg:kW)
Official consumption: 9.5L/100km
Our consumption: 9.5L/100km
Fuel tank/Fuel type: 50L/98 RONPower efficiency: 18.31kW:L/100km
0-60km/h: 3.43 seconds*
0-100km/h: 6.54 seconds*
60-110km/h: 4.12 seconds*
1/4 mile: 14.62 seconds at 162.4km/h*
Max acceleration: 0.919g*
100-0km/h braking: 37.05m in 2.96 seconds*
Max deceleration: -1.385g*
Decibel at idle: 46*
Peak decibel at 60-100km/h: 93*
Starting price: $48,690
*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different
2024 Subaru BRZ tS: How much does it cost?
At $48,690 for the manual (excluding on-roads), the BRZ tS is the most expensive configuration of any Toyota GR86 or Subaru BRZ offered locally. Defying a global trend, the Subaru has outsold the GR86 by more than double in Australia. Perhaps Australians know that the car is built by Subaru?
The aesthetic goodies that come with the tS go a long way to warranting the price and certainly enhance visual appeal – it’s a very pretty car. Compared with its twin brother, the BRZ tS justifies its slightly higher price with better-equipped safety features as well, including Subaru’s EyeSight ADAS technology – now available on manual variants . A $3930.79 Styling Pack adds a boot spoiler, silver rear diffuser, rear canardss, front spoiler and a garnish for the side vent.
Subaru’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and roadside assistance is on par with what Toyota offers. Servicing is required every 15,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first, with capped prices ranging from $364 to $824 per visit. A three-year service plan is available for $1409,52, while a five-year plan is available for a reasonable $2528.48.
Unfortunately for the more cost-conscious buyer, the BRZ – like its immediate relative – requires 98RON fuel. With a relatively low current median price of $1.92 for 98RON, it would cost $96 to fill the small 50-litre tank.
Consumption is quoted at 9.5L/100km, with 3000rpm required in sixth gear for 110km/h. The taller-geared automatic for $49,690 sips less, at 8.8L/100km on the ADR81/02 cycle. We achieved an average of 9.5L/100km, which is commensurate with the official figure.
2024 Subaru BRZ tS: Interior & packaging
With plenty of STI-specific appointments, the interior definitely feels a tad more special than more affordable versions of any BRZ/GR86 variant. The STI-embossed front seats offer excellent lateral support, ensuring you stay firmly in place during hard cornering, but there is little in the way of adjustment for long trips.
Combined with STI-specific dials, it feels a bit special – even if elements of the centre stack seem a bit dated. Climate control, thankfully, works with three rotary knobs for distraction-free operation, and the tuning and volume knobs for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto enabled touch-screen are also refreshing in this day and age.
In terms of dimensions, the BRZ tS measures 4265mm in length, 1775mm in width, and stands just 1310mm tall. Its low, wide stance contributes to its sporty character, while the 2575 mm wheelbase helps to ensure stable handling.
Front and rear tracks measure 1520mm and 1550mm, respectively, giving the BRZ a balanced footprint on the road. Rear seat accomodation is just passable for moderately-sized adults for short trips only, due to the paucity of rear legroom and tumbling roofline. A 201-litre boot is surprisingly handy, and you can fold the seats 60/40 for more room.
How safe is the 2024 Subaru BRZ tS? While the current version hasn’t been tested by ANCAP, it features a host of ADAS features and seven airbags.
2024 Subaru BRZ tS: Powertrain & handling
Addressing a key criticism of the first-generation model, the FA24D flat-four engine features far more torque, thanks to its 2.4-litre capacity, and direct as well as port fuel injection system. Outputs are 174kW at 7000rpm and 250Nm at 3700rpm.
This means the car feels less prone to stalling than the previous generation in traffic, which makes it less of a chore in peak hour gridlock. While the 7000rpm redline is lofty, the engine feels gruff and coarse – especially at cold start.
Focusing on what makes the tS special requires hard driving on a country back road or track, and a lot of familiarity to gain the car’s trust. Compared with lower models, the cornering stance is flatter at high speeds, which makes the car more confidence-inspiring.
When the Brembos are called into action, they pull the car up very faithfully, with a 100-0km/h stopping distance of just 37m. Steering feels a bit light and loose off-centre, but the tiller is a trusty companion for serious track or country road driving.
The thing is, the BRZ needs some time to truly get under your skin. Once you trust it, you can audaciously slip the clutch and drop a gear to induce controllable slides from any speed, with the limited-slip differential engaging at your whim. It is at this point any minor concerns about engine harshness or touring capability fade into insignificance. This is one of the great driver’s chassis of our time, available at an affordable price, with superb balance and grin-inducing grip levels.
It might be the most expensive in its range, but in the grand scheme of things the BRZ tS is good value in our opinion, especially for a special model. While the STI badge used to mean turbocharged and serious chassis revisions, now it just means visual trinkets, dampers and brakes. It must be said, however, that those minimal additions still add a lot to what is already a superb foundation.
Is it better than an MX-5? In terms of outright handling, it pips Hiroshima’s perennial roadster but to live with on a day-to-day basis, it comes up second fiddle.
Yes the automatic will offer superior touring range and might be nicer to live with on a day-to-day basis but stirring the manual shifter is such an important part of the BRZ’s appeal. It would feel diminished without that.
It features an attractive service package and warranty, which offsets its expensive taste in fuel but the true appeal of the car lies beyond what an average test drive can demonstrate. If possible, take one for an extended drive with some corners to truly get to know it – then you will be smitten.
2024 Subaru BRZ tS: Key attractions/reasons to buy
- STI-tuned suspension: The tS offers sharper handling than the regular BRZ, making it a joy to drive on twisty roads.
- Brembo brakes: The upgraded brakes provide exceptional stopping power, perfect for a track thrash or a wayward pram.
- 5-year warranty: Subaru’s extensive warranty and roadside assistance make the BRZ tS a more reliable long-term option than many of its rivals.
2024 Subaru BRZ tS: Key considerations before you buy
- Expensive tastes in drinks and crap touring range: The 9.5L/100km rating for the manual variant is a wee bite for a four-cylinder, particularly for long highway trips.
- Noisy boy: Like many engines that feature direct injection, the boxer is a noisy bugger when you kick it in the guts first thing in the morning.
- No ANCAP rating: The lack of key active safety features in the manual variant means it hasn’t received an ANCAP rating, which could be a concern for some buyers – especially Karens.
2024 Subaru BRZ tS: Video
How does it rate against its rivals?
- Price
- Quality look & feel
- Interior tech
- Powertrain performance
- Ride & handling
- X-factor (does it stand out in its class?)
Final word
It’s a lightly tweaked version of an already outstanding driver’s coupe. If you love driving, you will adore this. Although the STI tuning doesn’t add anything significant, the pack does boost exclusivity and improves dynamics enough to make you want one even more than the standard setup. Though, we still wish for a turbocharged limited edition. Just because.
