Review: Subaru Z1 BRZ (2012-16)

Overview

Released in July 2012, the Subaru Z1 BRZ was a two door coupe with two-plus-two seating. Jointly developed with Toyota and closely related to the Toyota 86 , the rear-wheel drive Subaru BRZ was powered by a 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed (or boxer) engine that was mated to either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. The Subaru BRZ was manufactured at Subaru’s factory in Gunma, Japan.

Compared to the Toyota 86 , the Subaru BRZ could be identified by its unique front bumper with hexagonal grille, front fender vents and alloy wheel design. The BRZ was also fitted with firmer front suspension springs front suspension and a revised damper tune to limit body roll and reduce oversteer.

FA20D engine

The 2.0-litre FA20D engine had an alloy cylinder block and head, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing (intake and exhaust) and a compression ratio of 12.5:1. The engine also featured a dual injection system whereby both high-pressure direct-injection and lower-pressure indirect injection would be used at lower engine revolutions for reduced emissions. In high-load situations, however, only direct fuel injection was used.

With the manual and automatic transmissions, the Subaru BRZ could accelerate from rest to 100 km/h in 7.6 and 8.2 seconds, respectively.

Dimensions and body

The Subaru BRZ was 4240 mm long, 1775 mm wide, 1285 mm tall and had a 2570 mm long wheelbase. With the rear seats in position, the Subaru BRZ had a luggage capacity of 218 litres.

With the manual and automatic transmissions, the Subaru BRZ had a kerb mass of 1216 kg and 1238 kg, respectively.

Suspension and steering

The Subaru BRZ had MacPherson strut front suspension with reverse-positioned L-shaped lower-arms (that enabled the engine to be mounted lower and closer to the centre of the vehicle) and double wishbone rear suspension.

The Subaru BRZ had rack-and-pinion steering with electric power-assistance; its turning circle was 10.8 metres.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Subaru BRZ included dual front airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, front side airbags, curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters.

Brakes

The Subaru BRZ had ventilated front and rear disc brakes measuring 294 mm by 24 mm at the front and 290 mm by 18 mm at the rear.

ANCAP crash testing

In ANCAP crash testing , the Subaru BRZ received a five star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 34.4 out of 37. In the offset crash test, there was a slight risk of serious leg injury for both front occupants and a slight risk of serious chest injury for the front passenger. In the side impact test, there was a slight risk of serious chest injury.

Features: Subaru BRZ

Standard features for the Subaru BRZ included 7.0J x 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/45 R17 Michelin Pilot Primacy tyres, a six speaker sound system with a CD player, MP3-compatibility, auxiliary inputs (3.5 mm/USB), and Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, cruise control, front fog lights, bi-xenon headlights, daytime LED running lights, automatic headlights, flat folding rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob, remote central locking with proximity key, power windows and mirrors (with retracting function), a height and reach adjustable steering column, height adjustable front seats, two 12 volt power outlets and an immobiliser.

As standard, the Subaru BRZ was fitted with a limited slip rear differential.

Black leather and suede-like Alcantara seats with contrast stitching were available as an extra-cost option.

Subaru BRZ S

Released in July 2013, the BRZ S was fitted with a ‘Sports Pack’ which consisted of:

• 17-inch black STI alloy wheels;
• A lowered coil spring set;
• Front, side and rear under spoilers;
• A rear diffuser;
• A crystal black mica boot lip spoiler;
• A flexible tower bar;
• Push-button start; and,
• For models with manual transmissions, an STI gear shift lever assembly and Duracon shift knob.

The Sports Pack could also be retrofitted to existing BRZ vehicles.

August 2014: BRZ update

The BRZ was updated in August 2014 for the ‘2015 Model Year’. As part of the update,

• Revised suspension dampers were fitted for improved ride quality on uneven surfaces;
• Inside, a frameless rear-view mirror and silver instrument panel highlights were introduced;
• The BRZ was fitted with a ‘shark fin’ radio antenna; and,
• Available paint finishes were extended to include crystal white pearl, ice silver metallic and WR blue pearl.

2014 Subaru BRZ Special Edition

The BRZ Special Edition was released in September 2014. Compared to the standard BRZ, the Special Edition was distinguished by its

• 17-inch STI alloy wheels;
• GT stripes;
• STI front, side and rear side under spoilers;
• STI boot lip spoiler;
• Rear diffuser;
• STI push-button start switch; and,
• For manual models, STI short shift assembly and gear shift knob.

2015 Subaru BRZ Hyper Blue Special Edition

In October 2015, fifty (50) Subaru BRZ Hyper Blue Special Editions were released in Australia. The Subaru BRZ Hyper Blue was fitted with a flexible tower bar and could be identified by its Hyper Blue paint finish, black alloy wheels, front and rear lip spoilers, black door mirrors, black side strakes and black badges. Inside, the Subaru BRZ Hyper Blue had an ‘STI’ push-button start switch, custom floor mats and blue stitching on its Alcantara seats, steering wheel, gearshift knob, gearshift boot, instrument panel and door trim.

Brochures

• Brochure: Subaru Z1 BRZ (June 2012)
• Brochure: Subaru Z1 BRZ (July 2014)

Related links

• Subaru News: BRZ Offers Dynamic Subaru Sports Car DNA (July 2012)
• Subaru News: BRZ Sports Pack On Sale (July 2013)
• Specifications: Subaru BRZ Z1 (January 2014)

Review: Subaru Z1.II BRZ (2016-21)

Overview

Released in Australia in November 2016, the Subaru Z1 Series II (Z1.II) BRZ introduced updated styling, greater power for models with manual transmissions, a more rigid body, revised suspension and an updated interior. Compared to the Subaru Z1 BRZ, the Subaru Z1.II BRZ could be identified by its new LED head- and tail-lights, LED fog and daytime running lights, new front bumper (claimed to provide a wider and lower look), front guard garnish at the base of the A-pillar, new boot garnish and 17-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels. According to Subaru, the new alloy wheel design increases rigidity and control.

FA20D engine

For Subaru Z1.II BRZ models with automatic transmissions, the FA20D engine was unchanged. For Z1.II BRZ models with manual transmissions, however, the FA20D engine benefited from the following revisions which increased peak power and torque to 152 kW and 212 Nm:

• A more rigid cylinder block due to additional stiffening ribs at the rear wall;
• For greater durability, the piston crown surfaces and pin boss sections underwent FSR-K treatment (shot-peening small particles at high speeds to produce a stronger layer on the material surface, due to microscopic plastic deformation);
• The internal shape of rocker arm pivots was revised;
• New intake and exhaust valves with buffed and polished valve stems were introduced;
• A reduced-friction finish for the camshaft journals was applied;
• Fuel pump cam lift was reduced to optimise the fuel pump flow rate (left-hand intake only), while the operating range of the fuel pump was also reduced to minimise friction;
• A new aluminium intake manifold was introduced which optimised the length of the manifold for greater resonance. Furthermore, the air cleaner element, air cleaner box and intake system adopted more streamlined intake air channels that reduced airflow resistance by approximately 30 per cent. To reduce induction noise, the capacity of the air cleaner was increased and both the intake duct and intake boot were revised;
• The diameter of the 4-2-1 exhaust pipe was enlarged for greater exhaust pulse resonance. Specifically, the diameter of each branch was increased from 42.7 mm to 45 mm and from 45 mm to 48.6 mm;
• A new fuel pressure sensor and new fuel pump were introduced; and,
• The ECU was revised.

For the manual transmission, final gear ratio was reduced from 4.1:1 to 4.3:1 for greater acceleration (the final drive for the automatic transmission was unchanged at 4.1:1). According to Subaru, the durability of the six-speed transmission was also increased for the engine’s higher output.

Chassis

For the Subaru Z1.II BRZ, the following changes were made to the chassis:

• A thicker V-shaped strut tower bar mounting bracket (on the middle of the dashboard panel) was fitted for greater rigidity;
• A thicker reinforcing plate for the transmission cross-member was fitted and the cross-member had a revised shape; and,
• The rear wheel housings had additional reinforcement.

Suspension

For the Subaru Z1.II BRZ, the following changes were made to the chassis:

• New front struts and rear shock absorbers with revised damping and reduced friction;
• A new spring constant for the coil springs (front and rear);
• Revised rear stabilisers; and,
• New front differential mount stoppers to reduce vibration and noise.

According to Subaru, these changes were intended to provide greater ride comfort and driving stability.

Safety equipment

While safety equipment for the Subaru Z1.II BRZ was unchanged, the electronic stability control system has a new ‘Track’ mode which, according to Subaru, provided ‘greater stability control for better handling’.

Features

Inside, the Subaru Z1.II BRZ had enhanced instrument gauges, an upgraded infotainment system with a 6.2-inch display, a smaller steering wheel with ‘premium-feel’ leather, new paddle switches, knee pads and red stitching for the instrument panel seams.

From December 2017 (‘model year 2018’), the Subaru Z1.II BRZ was equipped with a ‘third generation’ infotainment system which included a seven-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation and smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Subaru BRZ tS

The Subaru BRZ tS was released in Australia in December 2017. Visually, the BRZ tS could be identified by its 18-inch STI spin-forged aluminium wheels with fifteen spokes and a black finish, unique front bumper with tS badge on the grille, red-painted brake callipers, tS and STI exterior badging, STI side garnish, and black finishes for the rear spoiler, door mirrors and shark-fin antenna. Inside, the BRZ tS featured Alcantara seat trim with tS logo, red interior highlights, unique steering wheel with STI logo, ‘Grand Luxe’ door panel trim and dashboard highlights, red seatbelts and a push-button starter with STI logo.

For greater dynamic ability, the Subaru BRZ tS had the following attributes:

• 215/40 R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres;
• Sachs shock absorbers tuned by STI for linear response;
• Coil springs tuned by STI to reduce body roll;
• 326 mm by 30 mm ventilated front brake discs with four-piston Brembo callipers (and 75 cm²brake pads) and 316 mm by 20 mm ventilated rear discs with two-piston Brembo callipers;
• A flexible V-shaped bar between the front suspension towers; and,
• A flexible draw stiffener which linked the front suspension cross member and sub-frame at an angle and applied a pre-load to reduce the delay in chassis movement after steering.

Brochure

• Brochure: Subaru ZC6 BRZ (November 2016)

Related links

• Subaru Australia: Subaru BRZ
• Wikipedia.org: Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ

Overview

Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.

Recalls: Subaru Z1 BRZ

2012-15 Subaru BRZ: electric power steering may be lost

In August 2016, a recall was issued for 2013 to 2015 ‘model year’ Subaru BRZ vehicles because a poor electrical connection may cause the vehicle to lower power steering assistance. While the vehicle could still be driven without power steering assistance, the increased steering effort required – particularly at low speeds – could increase the risk of a collision (PRA 2016/15585). The recalled Subaru BRZ vehicles had VINs in the following ranges:

• JF1 ZC6K72 G002011 to JF1 ZC6K72 G008098; and,
• JF1 ZC6K81 G002007 to JF1 ZC6K81 G008099.

It is understood that these vehicles were manufactured from April 2012 to March 2015.

2012-13 Subaru BRZ: defective engine valve springs

In November 2018, recall campaign SI0491 was issued for Subaru BRZ vehicles that were manufactured prior to 14 May 2013. In the 2.0-litre engines of these vehicles, defective valve spring could fracture – this could cause the engine to stall and not restart. If the engine were to stall and not restart, the vehicle would pose a safety hazard to vehicle occupants and other road users. To fix, the engine valve springs were to be replaced. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/17142.

2018-19 Subaru BRZ: deformed fuel pump impeller and loss of power

In August 2021, recall campaign SRT-311 was issued for 2018-19 Subaru BRZ vehicles. The fuel pump impeller may not meet manufacturing specifications and could therefore deform. If this occurred, the fuel pump may stop working and the engine may stall, causing a loss of power; this condition increased the risk of a collision and injury to vehicle occupants and other road users.
For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-001697.

Problems and faults: Subaru Z1 BRZ

Overview

This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.

To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.

2012 Subaru BRZ: AVCS Response and AVCS System Failure

In August 2012, Subaru issued Service Bulletin 02-132-12 for Subaru BRZ vehicles. According to the bulletin, these vehicles may exhibit the following diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs):

• P000A, P00B, P00C and P00D (‘AVCS Slow Response’); and,
• P0011, P0014, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021 and P0024 (‘AVCS System Failure’).

Depending on the diagnosis, rectification of these symptoms could involve:

• Replacing the oil control valve (OCV);
• Replacing the cam sprocket assembly – it is understood that its oil passages could become clogged with debris; or,
• Replacing the Engine Control Module (ECM).

2012 Subaru BRZ vehicles: malfunction indicator light and DTCs P0017 or P0019

In November 2012, Subaru issued Service Bulletin 02-137-12 for 2012 Subaru BRZ vehicles produced before 12 September 2012. For these vehicles, the malfunction indicator light (MIL) may illuminate and the engine control module (ECM) may log diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0017 and P0019. Depending on the cam angle limits obtained from the Subaru Select Monitor (SSM III) diagnostic tool, the ECM was to be reprogrammed or replaced.

The information in this service bulletin corresponded to Technical Service Bulletin S-SB-0032-12 Rev 1 which was issued for the Toyota 86/Scion FR-S.

2012 Subaru BRZ: DTC P1235 (High-Pressure Fuel Pump Abnormal)

In November 2012, Subaru issued Service Bulletin 02-138-12 for Subaru BRZ vehicles that were manufactured prior to 12 September 2012. For these vehicles, diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P1235 (‘High-Pressure Fuel Pump Abnormal’) may be logged in the engine control module (ECM). To fix, the powertrain control module was to be re-programmed.

2012-13 Subaru BRZ: hard start, rough idle, camshaft sensor or misfire DTCs

In June 2013, Subaru issued Service Bulletin 11-130-13R for 2012-13 Subaru BRZ vehicles which had the 2.0-litre FA20 engine. For these vehicles, the driver may notice illumination of the ‘check engine’ light, a rough or uneven idle, extended cranking times or an inability to start the vehicle. Furthermore, the powertrain control module (PCM) may log diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) related to the position of the intake or exhaust camshafts and/or engine misfires – these included P0340, P0341, P0345, P0346, P0365, P0366, P0390, P0391, P0301, P0302, P0303 and P0304.

According to the bulletin, these diagnostic trouble codes may be attributable to camshaft position sensor (CPS) clearance being out of specification. To fix, Subaru issued two camshaft position sensor shim kits and a camshaft position sensor O-ring that were to be used to correct camshaft position sensor clearance.

The information in this service bulletin corresponded to Technical Service Bulletin S-SB-0033-14 which was issued for the 2012-13 Toyota 86/Scion FR-S.

2012-13 Subaru BRZ: intermittent RPM drop when idling

In March 2013, Subaru issued Technical Service Bulletin 11-136-14 for Subaru BRZ vehicles that were manufactured prior to 27 September 2013; this corresponded to the following VINs –

• For automatic models, E*601924; and,
• For manual models, E*601915.

In these vehicles, the driver may experience:

• A decrease in engine idle speed when the air conditioning system cycles off; and,
• Extended engine cranking.

To fix, the engine control module was to be re-programmed.

2012-13 Subaru BRZ: tapping noise from left cylinder head

In September 2014, Subaru issued Service Bulletin 02-151-14R for 2012-13 Subaru BRZ vehicles. The service bulletin announced the availability of revised valve train components that were developed to reduce a tapping noise – sometimes described as a ‘sewing machine’ type noise – that may be emitted from the left-hand side of the engine when the engine was warm. The changes included:

• A design change to the roller portion of the valve rockers;
• Re-profiled intake and exhaust camshafts;
• 1.65 mm longer intake valve stems (increased from 103.3 mm to 104.96 mm); and,
• 2.47 mm longer exhaust valve stems (increased from 95.1 mm to 97.57 mm).

To rectify the tapping from the left cylinder head, the following parts had to be replaced:

• The intake and exhaust camshafts;
• The four intake and exhaust valves; and,
• All eight rockers and pivots.

2012-13 Subaru BRZ: abnormal chirp or squeak from high pressure fuel pump

In April 2014, Subaru issued Technical Service Bulletin 09-54-12R for Subaru BRZ vehicles manufactured prior to mid-September 2013 (i.e. before VIN E*601536). In these vehicles, the high-pressure fuel pump may emit a high-pitched “chirp”, “squeak” or “cricket” sound when the engine was idling – the bulletin attributed this to internal components of the pump in combination with fuel temperatures or fuel formulations causing aeration of the fuel within the body of the pump. According to the bulletin, however, this was not detrimental to the fuel system of the engine.

From mid-September 2013, the following production changes were made to reduce the occurrence of the sound, including:

• A change to the internal fuel passage;
• A change to the shape of the plunger stopper; and,
• A change to the pulsation dampener assembly.

To fix, the high-pressure fuel pump assembly was to be replaced.

2012 Subaru BRZ: rattle from manual gear shift lever

In July 2013, Subaru issued Service Bulletin 03-71-13 for Subaru BRZ vehicles that were manufactured prior to December 2012 (i.e. VIN D2605967). For these vehicles, Subaru made a revised transmission lever available for vehicles that had six-speed manual transmissions. The revised shifter:

• Was designed to eliminate a rattle sound from the shifter which generally occurred in third gear at engine speeds between 3500 and 6000 rpm (but may, in rear cases, be noticeable under other conditions); and,
• Had a revised reverse pull collar assembly to improve the operation of the reverse selection mechanism.

The part number for the revised shift lever was 35011CA010.

2012-16 Subaru BRZ: creaking sound when using clutch pedal

In January 2017, Subaru issued Service Bulletin 12-215-17 for 2012-16 Subaru BRZ vehicles which had manual transmissions and VINs preceding G*603051. For these vehicles, a more rigid brake/clutch pedal bracket assembly was developed to prevent a creaking noise that could occur when the clutch pedal was operated. Specifically, the revised pedal bracket design incorporated an extended flange length and additional welding. The creaking noise of the original assembly, however, did not indicate an ‘operational issue with pedal assembly, clutch hydraulic system, clutch assembly or, serve as a precursor to any future concerns.’

2013-14 model year Subaru BRZ: ignition coils, P0351, P0352, P0353 and P0354

In September 2017, Service Bulletin 07-120-17R was issued for 2013-14 model year Subaru BRZ vehicles. According to the bulletin, these vehicles were susceptible to the ignition coils disconnecting such that diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0351, P0352, P0353 and/or P0354 would be logged in the engine control unit (ECU).

To fix, the ignition coil and engine harness were to be replaced with new parts that had the following changes:

• For the ignition coils, the shape of the harness was changed; and,
• For the engine harness ignition coil connectors, A positive lock mechanism was added (to reduce the chance of the ignition coils becoming disconnected).

The new parts were introduced at the start of 2015 model year production.

Released in July 2012, the Subaru Z1 BRZ was a two door coupe with two-plus-two seating. Jointly developed with Toyota and closely related to theToyota 86, the rear-wheel drive BRZ was powered by a 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed (or boxer) engine which that was mated to either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. The BRZ was manufactured at Subaru’s factory in Gunma, Japan… Read full Subaru BRZ review

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Images: Subaru Z1.II BRZ (2016-21)

Released in Australia in November 2016, the Subaru Z1 Series II (Z1.II) BRZ introduced updated styling, greater power for models with manual transmissions, a more rigid body, revised suspension and an updated interior. Compared to the Subaru Z1 BRZ, the Subaru Z1.II BRZ could be identified by its new LED head- and tail-lights, LED fog and daytime running lights, new front bumper (claimed to provide a wider and lower look), front guard garnish at the base of the A-pillar, new boot garnish and 17-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels.

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ANCAP: Subaru BRZ crash testing

In ANCAP crash testing, the BRZ received a five star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 34.4 out of 37. For more information about this test, please see the ANCAP website.

CarBuyer: Subaru BRZ test

Note

Please note these videos are applicable to vehicles as they are supplied to their respective markets. As such, the features, prices and performance of the vehicles in these videos may differ from those which are supplied in Australia.

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