It was just a little over a decade ago that automobiles like the Subaru BRZ and its Toyota cousin, the GR86 (formerly the Scion FR-S/GT86), were just pipe dreams. Despite the industry focusing more on commuter culture with an emphasis on improving safety and efficiency, both automakers successfully proved affordable sports cars are still in demand. After getting overhauled for its second generation, both the BRZ and GR86 went from being great to even better, specifically with the BRZ tS.The Subaru BRZ tS is the flagship variant. It may look like every other BRZ, aside from some extra badges inside and out and other aesthetic updates. But it sports beefier brakes, an upgraded suspension, and other tweaks from the masters at Subaru’s in-house tuning firm, Subaru Technica International, better known as STI.
Paired exclusively with a slick-shifting six-speed manual, Its rev-happy 228-horsepower 2.4-liter BOXER four-cylinder remains unchanged. But it still nets a 0-60 MPH sprint in around 5.5 seconds. Factor in telepathic handling, usable trunk space, and surprising comfort, and the BRZ tS makes a compelling case for practical four-wheeled fun. Especially with its relatively modest price tag of $37,415 (including Subaru’s $1,170 shipping charge).
“On a tight, winding back road, I’m not interested in an overpowered supercar. What I want is nimble, responsive and entertaining. I want to feel like a hero while obeying the speed limit. The BRZ is the back-to-basics sports car that does all that.”
– William Clavey, TopSpeed Editor-At-Large
That may seem like a lot of dough. But then again, you also get a lot of car. Because the BRZ is also a 2+2 coupe, it’s practical for everyday use. The same cannot be said for its direct rival, the Mazda MX-5 Miata. The BRZ is also in a bit of a class of its own as the only other two-door sports coupe options are the larger and pricier Nissan Z, Ford Mustang, and Toyota Supra.
In order to determine the best vehicle in this category for 2025, our in-house experts have voted on a number of factors, including but not limited to value for the money, performance, and expected reliability and safety. The aggregate review score you see in the display card below is indicative of the average score (rated 1-10) between these factors and is based on real-world experience. Further information regarding our methodology of rating vehicles can be found on TopSpeed’s methodology page.
About Winning Vehicle
Like the first-gen models, Subaru’s second-gen BRZ isn’t that different to Toyota’s GR86. But STI’s upgrades with the BRZ tS significantly improve upon the formula without compromise, making for a sharper, more sophisticated, and overall superior experience.
A picture-perfect example of what the modern affordable sports car should be, the Subaru BRZ tS summons your inner teenage hoonigan without sacrificing everyday usability.
– Lyndon Conrad Bell, TopSpeed Automotive Journalist
Although the BRZ tS’s primary focus is high fun factor, it also excels as a comfortable compact grand tourer. But instead, it rewards with surprisingly compliant suspension and subdued noise, vibration, and harshness levels. Because it exquisitely balances practicality, comfort, and fun at such an affordable price point, it earns TopSpeed’s Best Sports Car of 2025.
|
Model |
Subaru BRZ tS |
|---|---|
|
Engine |
2.5-Liter Turbocharged Boxer-Four |
|
Transmission |
Six-Speed Manual (Six-Speed Automatic Optional) |
|
Horsepower |
228 HP @ 7,000 RPM |
|
Torque |
184 LB-FT @ 3,700 RPM |
|
Driveline |
Rearl-Wheel Drive |
|
Fuel Economy (Combined) |
22 MPG |
The Runner-Up: 2025 Lamborghini Revuelto
This year, Lamborghini rewrote the books of what’s physically and technologically possible with its latest V-12 flagship, the Revuelto. It replaces the aging Aventador and succeeds the Italian Raging Bull’s decades-long bloodline of producing some of history’s most iconic exotic sports cars. It’s the same lineage that’s given us the Murciélago, Diablo, Countach, and the Miura.
A new V-12 flagship Lamborghini is always a celebratory occasion. But what makes the Revuelto unique this time around is the fact that it’s Lamborghini’s first-ever gas-electric hybrid-powered V-12. It represents the automaker’s incremental move towards electrification while simultaneously bucking the trend as Lambo hopes to preserve all that made them famous in the first place: the fantastical epitomization of automotive theatrics and internal combustion power.
As a V-12 Lamborghini, it almost doesn’t get any higher in the automotive echelon, which is expected since it’s a Lamborghini. It’s a car that’s a very worthy runner-up for TopSpeed’s Best Sports Car of the Year. But because it costs more than the average price of a house in the U.S., it’s reserved for only the very select few who can afford to buy and own one.
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