Subaru BRZ

Subaru should be applauded for reigniting the classic rear-wheel-drive, front-engine sports car spark with the driver-focused BRZ. Yet the cabin lets the coupe down and acceleration is brisk at best. It’s great to push hard through corners and well mannered in town, but the lack of low-rev punch means the car only really shines when you rev it to the red line and test the chassis on a twisty road.

The Subaru BRZ is the car enthusiasts have been waiting for – a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe which doesn’t cost Porsche money, and makes a fine alternative to front-wheel-drive hot hatches such as the Ford Focus ST.

We’ve already tried the BRZ on twisting roads near Nice, France, but how does it perform on more challenging roads in the UK?

The car has been co-developed with the Toyota GT 86. They’re almost identical under the skin, but the Subaru is better looking.

Inside, the centre console feels cheap, but all the plastics seem robust. Kit includes keyless entry and a push-button starter, plus a leather-trimmed steering wheel, handbrake and gearknob. Our top-spec SE Lux also had air-con, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity and heated Alcantara and hide seats.

The driving position is superb, the short-throw gearshift precise, while the aluminium pedals are well placed for heel-and-toeing.

The 197bhp 2.0-litre flat-four engine has 205Nm of torque, but the acceleration is hardly neck-snapping, with 0-62mph in a modest 7.6 seconds. The car is fairly efficient, though, delivering 36.2mpg.

At slow speeds, the lack of low-rev punch means turbo hot hatches are faster, but given plenty of revs on a B-road, the BRZ shines.

The handling is predictable and responsive, the steering meaty and well weighted, and the engine roars as you approach the red line. A limited-slip diff is standard and there’s far more grip than power – so this isn’t the tail-sliding car we were led to believe.

The ESP isn’t too intrusive if left on; turn it off and you need to really provoke the BRZ to get it to slide in the dry. The ride strikes a decent balance on UK roads: firm enough to counter body roll, but still soak up bumps.

So, should you buy a BRZ? If you’ve been used to a torquey hot hatch turbo, you might wonder what all the fuss is about. But if you’re prepared to put that little bit more effort into your driving, it will certainly reward you.