The Subaru BRZ is a compact car built from 2013 to 2026. Most were assembled in Japan — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl. Worth buying? It scores near the top of what we track at 5.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the BRZ is
The Subaru BRZ is a compact car that Subaru built from 2013 to 2026 — 14 model years. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Subaru range: Outback, Crosstrek, Forester.
Where the BRZ is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 94 BRZs on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JF1 | 2013-2024 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Subaru VIN decide which of these 1 lines your BRZ belongs to. What every character in a BRZ VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Subaru BRZ adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Subaru BRZ tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment BRZ owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Subaru BRZ have? Power & range
The Subaru BRZ is offered with 1 powertrain — 2.4L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Subaru BRZ, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 2.4L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | RWD | Premium |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The BRZ by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Subaru BRZ. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | BRZ | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 12 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 101 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 5.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $1,537/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 113 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Subaru BRZ?
The BRZ is a compact car, built from 2013 to 2026. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Subaru BRZ made?
Across 94 cars in our records the split is: Japan (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Subaru BRZ warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the BRZ reliable?
It scores 5.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific BRZ?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Subaru
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Outback | 2005–2026 | 159 | 30 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 2016–2026 | 25 | 36 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Subaru Forester | 1998–2026 | 120 | 35 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Subaru Impreza | 1993–2026 | 183 | 32 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Subaru WRX | 2015–2026 | 12 | 24 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Subaru Legacy | 1990–2026 | 222 | 30 mpg | 4.0/5 |