What Transmission Does the Subaru BRZ Use?
3 Answers
Subaru BRZ uses a 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission. Currently, cars in China only offer manual and automatic transmission options. Manual transmissions typically come in 5-speed or 6-speed configurations, while automatic transmissions have more varieties, including AT, AMT, CVT, and dual-clutch. The Subaru BRZ is a two-door hardtop sports car with dimensions of 4240mm in length, 1775mm in width, and 1285mm in height, and a wheelbase of 2570mm. The Subaru BRZ features a horizontally opposed engine with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. The front suspension is a MacPherson strut independent suspension, and the rear suspension is a double-wishbone setup.
I've been driving my BRZ for three years, and that 6MT manual transmission is truly the heart of pure driving pleasure. The shifter throw is as short as a hot knife through butter, with each gear engagement delivering a crisp metallic click. The clutch weight is perfectly calibrated—easy for city traffic yet responsive enough for heel-toe downshifts on track with just a flick of the ankle. The close-ratio gearbox is brilliantly spaced; hitting the 6,500rpm redline in 2nd gear lands you right at 100km/h, keeping you in the torque sweet spot through every mountain pass corner. The aftermarket potential is huge too—my competition clutch upgrade made it even more precise. If you spot a BRZ coasting in-gear on rainy roads, chances are it's a manual enthusiast savoring the rear-drive platform's sublime balance.
During a weekend track test drive of the new BRZ, I focused on experiencing the automatic transmission. The 6AT's paddle shift speed was surprisingly quick. The official claim about its AI-learning Sport mode proved accurate—it's genuinely intelligent. Under heavy braking into corners, it downshifts two gears to maintain revs, and the upshift timing when flooring the throttle out of corners is precisely calculated. Though 0.4 seconds slower than the manual in 0-100km/h sprints, it delivers more consistent lap times on track. The torque converter's cushioning provides better rear-end stability during cornering, while the VSC Sport mode offers higher drift tolerance in wet conditions. Launch control allows 5,000rpm starts with perfectly-timed transmission protection. In daily commute Normal mode, it shifts into 6th gear at just 80km/h, cruising as quietly as an EV.
