This is the 2024 Subaru BRZ tS which is the 2024 BRZ’s top trim level and brings a revamped suspension, better brakes, stickier tires, new 18-inch wheels, and some badges. But what do these upgrades add to the driving experience? We’ll find out.

The first Gen BRZ/FRS twins were lauded as the perfect sports car but that really only applied on the track, on the road they were drastically underpowered for everyday use. The second-gen came along and sorted out those problems, more power (but not enough for most people), and an improved interior.

That car was missing something quite important, good brakes, the standard ones were insufficient for the job and overheated during spirited driving. Enter this tS model which stands for “Tuned by STi”. The first you notice is the Brembo brakes, up front, you get gold-painted 4-piston front calipers, and at the rear gold-painted 2-piston rear calipers both with larger rotors.

Next up are STI-tuned Hitachi dampers. The front dampers include variable valving which allows the tS to absorb harsh impacts. The rear dampers have single-stage valves. The tS gets the upgraded Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer performance tires on 18-inch rims.

At the front, it gets a tS-specific grille a subtle red BRZ logo at the corner of the headlights, and black paint on the mirrors and roof antenna. At the rear of the car, you get tS trunk badging, dual exhausts, and an upturned ducktail rear spoiler.

No change under the hood

No increase in power here unfortunately, you get Subaru’s 2.0-liter DOHC 16-valve flat-4, with 228 hp @ 7,000 rpm and 184 lb-ft @ 3,700 rpm. The only transmission on this trim is a 6-speed manual. 0-60 MPH takes 5.8 seconds. Fuel economy for the six-speed manual tS is 20 city, 27 highway, and 22 combined.

Driving

Settle into the comfortable bucket seats; you’ll find it easy to adjust the seat perfectly despite the lack of electric motors and the view ahead is of a sloping hood that dips down below your line of site.

Despite not having any more power than the standard model all it takes is a hard push on the gas pedal to know you are about to have a lot of fun. The ts suspension mods make for a more planted car and  even though it rides hard the car never gets bounced around too much even on uneven pavement,

The BRZ tS can be flung into the turns at quite high speeds, it just grips, thanks to the excellent Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.  It’s easy to see out of so you hit your apexes perfectly, stomp on the gas on the exit, and blast to the next corner. Stupid grins come as standard with this car.

The manual transmission is your only option on the tS and even though it’s not the best one I’ve driven,  it’s precise with a slick shift action, nice clutch take-up, and perfect pedal spacing for heel-toe downshifts.

Fling it into a tight turn and there’s almost no body roll, you sit low so the sensation of speed is enhanced, so you don’t have to exceed the speed limits to feel like you are going quick.

There are no drive modes (except for Track mode), that’s your left and right foot’s job, and your right arm; get those working in harmony and this car will almost defy physics. One plus is the increased drivability means you can pass slower cars on a two-lane highway and not have to do so with white knuckles.

The upgraded brakes are fantastic with a nice pedal feel, great initial bite, and guess what they don’t overheat so you can brake late and get back on the power sooner. The front rotors are 12.8 inches up from 11.6 on the non-tS model, the rears get an extra inch to 12.4.

The only downside is it’s quite noisy inside so you have to turn up the volume to hear any music. I didn’t bother since I spent most of my time listening to the exhaust while grinning like an idiot.

Interior

Inside, the BRZ tS cabin the seats are wrapped in black upholstery with exclusive blue stitching on the front seat bolsters, a leather-wrapped steering wheel is standard and the shifter boot and parking brake boot are leather.

There’s a leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated control switches for audio, cruise control, and Bluetooth®. Subaru has thrown some Alcantara-like material on the instrument panel visor and door trim. You also get an upgraded audio system with a 2-channel amplifier and two additional speakers.

Rear Seat and Cargo

Cargo space in the rear is fairly limited (6.9 sq. feet) but you can still fold the rear seats flat if you need to carry longer items. The rear seats are fairly useless and are really only good for small children.

Safety

For the first time, Subaru’s award-winning EyeSight Driver Assist Technology is now standard across the BRZ model line, including vehicles equipped with manual transmissions.

Pricing

The new 2024 BRZ tS is priced at $35,345 with no options available.

VIDEO REVIEW

Verdict

I loved driving the BRZ, and in tS spec I like it even more. The combination of the enhanced suspension, sticky summer tires, and of course, Brembo brakes with bigger rotors make this the one to get, all for less than $36k.

2024 Subaru BRZ tS Numbers

BASE PRICE:  $35,345
PRICE AS TESTED:  $36,465
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2 door coupe
ENGINE:  2.0 liter DOHC 16-valve flat-4
POWER: 228 hp @ 7,000 rpm
TORQUE: 184 lb-ft @ 3,700 rpm
TRANSMISSION:  6-speed manual
0-60 MPH: 5.8 seconds
CURB WEIGHT:  2,815 lbs
CARGO VOLUME: 6.9 ft³
FUEL ECONOMY Combined/city/highway: 25/20/27 mpg 
OUR OBSERVED: 21.7 mpg
PROS: Terrific handling, superb fun, improved braking 
CONS: Can be noisy on the highway