• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • Get the Latest about New Cars, EVs and More with the Headlight News Podcast
  • Order Up! Tesla Opens Order Books for the Tesla Semi
  • Detroit Automakers Reinstating Mask Mandates as COVID Surges
  • BMW Offers Up Official “Spy Shots” of Plug-In XM SUV
  • Court-Appointed Monitor Sets Schedule for UAW Elections
  • The Rearview Mirror: The Car That Begat Automotive Safety Laws
  • Mercedes Issues “Do Not Drive” Recall for 292K Vehicles
  • Targeting Tesla, VW CEO Says EVs are More Profitable Than First Forecast
  • Toyota Cuts Profit Guidance as Costs Continue to Rise
  • Honda Adds a Sport Trim to Odyssey Line for New Model Year
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • First Drive: 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 300
    • First Impression: 2023 Nissan Z
    • A Week With: 2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible
    • A Week With: 2022 Ram 2500 Power Wagon Crew Cab
    • First Drive: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
    • First Drive(s): 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate and AT4X
    • A Week With: 2022 BMW i4 M50
    • A Week With: 2022 Mazda CX-5
    • First Drive: 2023 Kia Sportage
    • First Drive: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > news > Automakers > First Look: 2022 Subaru BRZ

        First Look: 2022 Subaru BRZ

        New platform, new engine, but the same “sports car purity.”

        Paul A. Eisenstein
        Paul A. Eisenstein , Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
        Nov. 18, 2020
        Subaru’s rolling out a new edition of its little sports car, the BRZ, for the 2022 model year.

        This would have been a big week for the auto industry but the annual Los Angeles International Auto Show was scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic. Nonetheless, there’s a lot happening and Subaru is one of several automakers sticking with the original schedule – in this case by unveiling its second-generation BRZ by webcast.

        As with the original sports car, the 2022 Subaru BRZ is the product of a joint development effort teaming the little automaker up with its Japanese big brother, Toyota which will follow up with the reveal of its own version, the GT86, at a later date.

        There’s been plenty of speculation about where the project would go, especially in terms of the powertrain which, skeptics have long lamented, desperately needed a bit of a boost. In the BRZ, at least, we now learn that the little two-door coupe will be motivated by a new Subaru Boxer engine that punches out 228 horsepower, a more than 20% improvement. But other key elements, such as the basic “sports car purity,” as Subaru describes it, will carry over.

        The new BRZ is born out of a partnership with Toyota, which calls its version the GT86.

        (Subaru expected to team with Toyota to bring Evoltis battery SUV to market.)

        The 2022 BRZ’s dimensions are only slightly revised, the 2+2 stretched by an inch overall and sitting 0.4 inches lower, The wheelbase is 0.2 inches longer than the outgoing model. The emphasis, the automaker stressed, has been on emphasizing the extremely low center of gravity that gave the original model such dynamic handling. At the same time, there are a pair of – usable in an emergency – rear seats. More often, owners typically fold them down when they need to expand the cargo compartment.

        The new platform for the 2022 model is now both lighter and offers 50% better torsional rigidity, Subaru reveals. At 2,815 pounds for the base trim and 2,881 for the BRZ Limited with an automatic transmission, it claims the new BRZ will be the lightest vehicle in its class, something that should further enhance the performance of that new engine.

        The overall approach to the Gen-2 Subaru BRZ is evolutionary and few would be surprised by the design which does enhance the lower-slung dimensions, with a lower, broader grille framed by large functional air intakes and “proud” fender arches that just barely contain the new suspension points, Subaru notes. The greenhouse actually has been narrowed, even as the fenders of the 2022 remake have been flared.

        The second-gen BRZ’s exterior design evolved from the look of its predecessor.

        “And the roofline features a subtle ‘double bubble’ appearance, a nod to vintage racing cars,” the automaker adds.

        There are functional side vents to reduce aerodynamic drag, meanwhile, and it directs air along side sills that enhance downforce. Aero is further improved by a small rear fin, along with a “ducktail” rear spoiler.

        The original BRZ won plenty of fans for its classic sports car design and handling – but it did leave plenty of room for improvement and, before we get to the powertrain, it’s worth a look inside where Subaru has addressed the relatively Spartan nature of the first-generation sports car.

        (Subaru CEO sees little demand for EVs in the U.S.)

        While it retains the original’s driver-focused layout, there’s a nicer level of refinement and much-needed new amenities. Material choices have been upgraded, especially on the Limited version. And the tiny touchscreen of the original now grows to 8 inches, while offering the latest version of the Subaru Starlink infotainment system. The rearview camera now displays on that screen, rather than in a small corner of the rearview mirror, and there is Bluetooth, along with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

        The new Subaru Boxer engine in the BRZ puts out 228 hp, up from the 205 in the previous model.

        Through the steering wheel, meanwhile, a driver now looks at a reconfigurable 7-inch gauge cluster that automatically changes layout when shifting to Track mode, for example.

        Engineers not only improved handling by lightening the new BRZ, they claim, but also enabled improved visibility by thinning the car’s A-, B- and C-pillars.

        Under the skin, the chassis has been stiffened but it retains its MacPherson strut front suspension and double-wishbone rear.

        For many Subaru BRZ fans, the big news will be the upgrade to the new 2.4-liter Boxer engine now making 228 hp. The old motor managed just 205 hp with a stick and 200 with the automatic transmission. Torque, meanwhile, climbs to 184 pound-feet of torque, up from 156 with the manual, 151 with the automatic.

        As before, however, Subaru will continue to offer a 6-speed manual or an optional 6-speed automatic. The latter features paddle shifters and blips the throttle for smoother downshifts. All models come with a limited-slip differential to send power to the back wheels.

        (Subaru WRX drivers more likely to get speeding tickets.)

        No word on pricing for the 2022 Subaru BRZ, though the outgoing model starts at $28,845 before delivery fees. Assembled at Subaru’s Gunma plant in Japan, look for the new model to reach U.S. showrooms during “early fall of 2021.”

        Recently Published
        Podcasts
        Headlight News Podcast Microphone

        Get the Latest about New Cars, EVs and More with the Headlight News Podcast

        Yesterday

        Order Up! Tesla Opens Order Books for the Tesla Semi

        Yesterday
        An employee in the body shop at Stellantis’ Detroit Assembly Complex – Mack plant inspects the body of a Jeep® Grand Cherokee L to ensure it is within specification before it goes to the paint shop. The Company invested $1.6 billion to repurpose two existing facilities and build a paint shop to create the first new assembly plant in Detroit in 30 years and bring 3,850 new jobs to the city.

        Detroit Automakers Reinstating Mask Mandates as COVID Surges

        Yesterday

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2022
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: