View Photos of the 2022 Subaru BRZ Premium Automatic
Still fun to drive and budget-friendly, the 2022 Subaru BRZ Premium automatic is the gateway drug to sports cars.
The thought of an automatic sports car might be anathema to some, but the 2022 Subaru BRZ's slushbox performs well and helps broaden the car's appeal beyond drivers who know how to shift for themselves.
While the Subaru BRZ Premium comes standard with a six-speed manual, a six-speed automatic is available as a $1600 option. You'll pay $1800 more for the automatic at the Limited trim level
The automatic BRZ is measurably slower than the six-speed manual, needing 6.3 seconds to hit 60 mph versus only 5.4. But the automatic does pay dividends when it comes to passing acceleration, with a 50-to-70-mph burst of just 4.0 seconds instead of 8.2 seconds.
The quarter-mile time was slightly slower as well, but the car's spry handling and fun-loving nature have been preserved.
Steering-wheel shift paddles give some control over which gear the transmission is in, but using them results in slower shifts than when the gearbox is left to its own devices.
Throttle response is prompt, and flooring the accelerator sends enough torque to the rear wheels to break them loose for a moment, which gives the BRZ a bit of an edge.
Compared to the automatic version of the Toyota GR86 we tested, the BRZ Premium exhibited less cornering grip due to less aggressive 17-inch Michelin Primacy tires. The Toyota wore 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber, which come on the BRZ Limited, as well.
The BRZ's interior has a racy design, but materials are nothing to write home about.
The infotainment may be a disappointment for young drivers, particularly.
Subaru's Starlink software interface is intuitive but looks low-tech compared to offerings in other vehicles at similar price points.
Still, the BRZ is one of the best driving cars available to budget buyers, and we've celebrated that fact by giving it a 10Best award this year.
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
2022 Subaru BRZ Premium
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