2020 Subaru BRZ Review

Name: 2020 Subaru BRZ Review
Brand: Subaru

Price Range: $24,998 - $28,590

2020 Subaru BRZ Limited Coupe Exterior Shown

+69

The 2020 Subaru BRZ has always appealed to a small but dedicated group of driving enthusiasts. But after nearly seven years without any appreciable performance gains and somewhat lackluster infotainment, the BRZ is quickly losing its shine. Still, if you can look past its faults, almost nothing can match the pure and delicate driving experience of this lightweight and eager sports car.

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Price & Payment

33 cars

$25,015 avg. price

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Subaru BRZ model years

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2020 Subaru BRZ Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

Premium base trim discontinued
New tS trim level, with upgraded handling, debuts
Part of the first BRZ generation introduced in 2013

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Subaru BRZ Limited 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.86 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$196/mo

$158/mo

Avg. Compact Car

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3.5/5Above Average

#24 out of 27 among Subcompact Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Subaru BRZ from 2008-2022.}

$566/yr

vs. $416/yr
for Average Subcompact Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.7x/yr

vs. 1.22x/yr
for Average Subcompact Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

25.6%

vs. 10.1%
for Average Subcompact Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Subaru BRZ Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.3

28 reviews

5(57%)

4(32%)

3(0%)

2(0%)

1(11%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

The Perfect Sports Car - For the Price

Ken, 02/04/2016

2016 Subaru BRZ Series.HyperBlue 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M)

Keeping in mind that you can get the BRZ for less than $30,000 it is, in my opinion, the best sports car of the modern era. The driving position, steering feel, and ability for an amateur driver to push the BRZ to the limit is the reason that it makes every driver smile. The point of the BRZ (or the FR-S, or GT 86 since they are all essentially the same car) is to make a grown-up feel …

A fun daily driver - but with a cost

James, 02/22/2017

2016 Subaru BRZ Limited 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M)

The big thing to know about this car is that Subaru/Toyota wanted a cheap performance car that would make drivers smile. They succeeded, but the cheapness can come back to bite long-term owners. I have daily-driven the car for a year and 14,000 miles, so I have had the proper seat time to write a review. The two companies decided to put the whole budget into the drivetrain. My car in … this respect has been solid. I replaced the transmission, differential, and engine oils myself, and the engineers really put a lot of thought into how to do that easily. On the flip side, most nuts and bolts on this car are made out of very weak metal, leading to all the wheel studs being stripped in just a few changes. The interior rattles like crazy, the speakers buzz at higher volumes, which are needed because of loud road noise. I had two sets of tail lights leak, and my headlight ballasts went out and needed replacement. The list goes on. The car will continue to drive and handle beautifully, but the non-essentials will entropy around you. The maintenance bill won't be in the thousands, but I have constantly had $100 here and there to replace the cheap parts. I am 6'2" and 190 pounds and am triangle-shaped. Think broad shoulders and small waist. This car's seats are the most comfortable I have ever sat in. I want these for my office, house, and every car afterward. That being said, if I was an inch taller or 20 pounds heavier, I would hate them. All of my 'larger' friends hate riding in the car. My wife is tall and thin, and she hates hunching over to get in/out of the passenger side. Holding on to the steering wheel makes the driver's side easy. People like to say this car is slow. For muscle-car owners who love straight line speed, this car is not for you. I don't want any more power out of it, because I get to floor it during daily driving, and I don't get speeding tickets. It's exhilarating without being too dangerous. Countless journalists have raved about the balance and steering - all I know is that the car feels super secure going 30+ mph over suggested speed limits on turns. If I was looking at a BRZ and similar cars today, I personally would just save my money and buy a Mazda Miata RF. That being said, I still roll the windows down on a warm day and just go for a drive to relax. This car does this at a great price, and I would recommend it to a friend - if they are willing to deal with the mentioned issues.

Unlike anything out there

Tom, 07/11/2019

2019 Subaru BRZ Limited 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6A)

The car feels very mechanical and analog. The handling is out of this world and if you keep the RPM right it’s fast enough. I am 6 foot 3 and Have enough room in it.

BRZ

allie henry, 04/30/2019

2019 Subaru BRZ Limited 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M)

A great, speck of a sports car. Definitely not for a big person, but for the right size this car is wonderful. It handles great on corners and accelorates great from a roll. The interior is sleek with stylish accents. The back seat is small but would get someone from A to B if needed. I wouldn't recommend this to a family, but for a single person or a couple it could be the perfect fit. …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2020 Subaru BRZ, so we've included reviews for other years of the BRZ since its last redesign.

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2020 BRZ Highlights

Trim:

Limited

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$28,845
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	24 MPG
Cost to Drive	$196/month
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	6.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the BRZ models:

Side Curtain Airbags: Automatically deploy when the car has been struck from the side. Cover the windows of both rows and protect occupants' heads.
Vehicle Stability Control: Uses the brakes and reduces power to prevent accidents. A Track mode reins in this intervention to allow some sliding.
Brake Assist: Automatically applies full braking force when the car detects the driver is initiating a panic stop.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
DriverNot Rated
PassengerNot Rated
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover7.1%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Acceptable
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2020 Subaru BRZ Review

Price & Payment

2020 Subaru BRZ Review

What's new

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Subaru BRZ Limited 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.86 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Subaru BRZ Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

The Perfect Sports Car - For the Price

A fun daily driver - but with a cost

Unlike anything out there

BRZ

2020 BRZ Highlights

Safety

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2020 Subaru BRZ Review

Price & Payment

2020 Subaru BRZ Review

What's new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Subaru BRZ Limited 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.86 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Subaru BRZ Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

The Perfect Sports Car - For the Price

A fun daily driver - but with a cost

Unlike anything out there

BRZ

2020 BRZ Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2020 Subaru BRZ info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Subaru

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Subaru BRZ Limited 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.86 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}