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As crazy as it seems this was our first chance to drive the newly refreshed Subaru BRZ for a week, we’ve had a couple of opportunities to drive its cousin, on the Toyota side that being the Scion FR-S and is now called a Toyota 86 since the demise of Scion. The two companies teamed up to deliver a true driving enthusiasts, sports car, and in our opinion have one of the best options out there for a car of this type that can be had for under $30,000.

The real completion would be the Mazda Miata MX-5 and of course now if one wants some Italian design thrown in, Mazda and Fiat have come up with somewhat of the same type of team and you can get a Fiat 124 Spider. About the only advantage they had up to this point is that the Mazda and Fiat were both convertibles, thus adding to their driving experience.

Since the Subaru is not anticipated to be a top down coupe the engineers have had to come up with something more, that would engage drivers and keep them coming back. With the 2017 model there are some new additions to the BRZ that make it and even better sports car if you will, without taking the top off!

The BRZ and for that matter the Miata, have never been really fast cars, they both have a true sports car look and in each in their own way stand out amongst the crowd, just don’t expect ground breaking acceleration. The BRZ however is now tuned for the track and can be had with a performance package that adds some cool goodies to increase handling and trackability.

This is where we really thought that the folks at Subaru have made a huge change to keep the driver engaged with the BRZ, there is now a track mode that changes the way the stability control works and allows the vehicle to drift through a corner and will not take over unless a spin is imminent, or it can be disengaged completely. We did have to admit we took advantage of this a couple of times and drifted through some tight turns- it is really fun!

With the performance package also comes standard high performance Brembo brake rotors, 4 pistons on the front and 2 on the rear to enhance stopping power, fade resistance and pedal feel. This package can only be had with a manual transmission and also includes performance shock absorbers and one half inch wider wheels.

Add all this up along with the fact that the BRZ has one of the lowest centers of gravity in the businesses and it can be one really fun track car, especially through the curvy part of the track as it handles like no other in the price range.

It only makes sense to get the BRZ with a manual transmission as an automatic would take all the fun away, and with a manual they have managed to eek out an additional 5 horsepower to 205 and 5 ft.-lbs. of torque to 156. With the low curb weight and a naturally aspirated engine, (no turbo charger under the hood) this is a true drivers sports car. Although there is a rumor among Subaru enthusiasts that there is an STI version of the BRZ in the future, which would make a whole lot of sense with all the track modifications that they have made. Why not make it as fast as it can possibly be, just like the WRX?

We would be remiss if we did not point out that the BRZ is not made to be a super comfortable luxury type ride, in fact it is designed to really feel the road and hear the engine and the revs it is making. Yes it can be loud and somewhat uncomfortable on a long ride, but up in the canyons of Utah it was a ton of fun to drive! Oh, and the looks from those on the street alone would make owning the Subaru a joy, even if it is not loaded with horsepower, it is loaded with true sports car looks from any angle.

Speaking of looks that was one thing we were not short of during our week with the BRZ, this little guy has all the right angles and bends to get everyone entranced with it as it goes down the road. No matter where we stopped or parked there was someone there to ask what kind of car it was we were driving. Chalk one up to the designers at Subaru for getting that part right.

The front bumper has been redesigned for a wider looking stance on the sports car; this will also help with aerodynamics and keeping the vehicle grounded on the track. All of the lights front and back, have been changed out, replacing them with LED technology lamps. This is a first in a Subaru and we loved the look of the new LED lights and agreed that the change made for a great nighttime addition!

There is also a new 4.2 inch LCD display that is positioned next to the tachometer that would do all kinds of tricks, showing everything from lateral G-force to tracking lap times, along with brake force, steering angle and boring things like water and oil temperature. They truly have made this a car to be taken to the track, but it still makes its way very well on the road.

All the great features we would have expected are also standard, Bluetooth connectivity, hands free phone use, HD radio, a 6.2-inch infotainment system and doubles as a backup camera rounded out the very tight cockpit of the BRZ.

We had a great experience in our week with the new little sports coupe and would recommend it for anyone wanting to get some great driving excitement in their lives for a price that they won’t have to take out a second mortgage on the homestead for. See the new BRZ today at Doug Smith Subaru in American Fork at 523 West Main, 801-492-1110.

Base Price: $27,645

Price Driven: $29,660