WRX vs BRZ: which Subaru should you buy?

Buy the WRX if it has to be your only car. It has four doors, all-wheel drive, a real trunk and 271 turbocharged horsepower.

Buy the BRZ if you want a proper sports car and already have something practical, or don't need one. It's lighter, rear-wheel drive and the sharper handler, but the back seat is mostly for bags.

The short version

They're closer in price than most people expect, and the WRX is now the cheaper one. Subaru's 2026 WRX starts at $32,495 and the 2026 BRZ at $35,860, both plus $1,195 destination.

Subaru dropped the BRZ Premium for 2026, so the Limited is now the entry trim. Meanwhile it brought back a base WRX and cut the Premium's price by $3,755.

	2026 Subaru WRX	2026 Subaru BRZ
Body	4-door sedan	2-door coupe, 4 seats
Engine	2.4L turbo flat-four, 271 hp, 258 lb-ft	2.4L flat-four, 228 hp, 184 lb-ft
Drive	All-wheel drive	Rear-wheel drive, TORSEN limited-slip
Transmissions	6-speed manual; CVT on Limited and GT	6-speed manual; automatic on Limited only (+$850)
Starting MSRP	$32,495 (base)	$35,860 (Limited)
Performance trim	tS, $44,995	tS, $38,360
Trunk	12.5 cu ft	6.3 cu ft
EPA combined	22 mpg	22 mpg manual, 25 automatic
Avg insurance, 2025 MY	$2,872 a year	$2,895 a year

Prices and output come from Subaru's 2026 pricing releases. Trunk space, WRX torque and EPA figures come from Edmunds, and insurance from The Zebra (full coverage, 30-year-old male driver with a clean record).

Which is faster?

The WRX in a straight line, the BRZ on a twisty road. That's the trade.

Car and Driver ran a 2022 WRX Limited manual to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, and Motor Trend got 5.9, per 0-60specs' collection of published tests. Car and Driver's 2022 BRZ test hit 60 in 5.4 seconds, but Edmunds' manual BRZ Limited took 6.1. Treat them as roughly even to 60, with the WRX pulling harder in the wet and out of slow corners thanks to its torque and all-wheel drive.

Handling is where the BRZ wins. Car and Driver measured 0.99 g on the skidpad and a 152-foot stop from 70 mph for the 2022 BRZ. I couldn't open a matching braking or skidpad figure for the current WRX, so I'm not comparing those numbers directly.

Hagerty's review of the 2022 WRX Limited manual put it bluntly: the cheaper rear-drive BRZ is the more capable handler at about $10,000 less. That price gap has since shrunk to a few thousand dollars.

Which is easier to live with?

The WRX, easily. It seats five, has a 12.5 cubic foot trunk and all-wheel drive for snow.

The BRZ is a 2+2. Edmunds calls the rear seats cramped and the 6.3 cubic foot trunk limited, and lists highway noise and a weak audio system as weak points. It does praise the ride as comfortable for a sports car.

The WRX isn't quiet either. Edmunds lists noticeable road and wind noise. Hagerty's tester disliked the cheap interior plastics, the numb brake pedal and a clunky shifter, but liked the large trunk, the broad torque band and how planted the car felt on cold, wet roads.

Safety ratings favor the BRZ on paper. Edmunds' summary shows the BRZ rated Good in every IIHS category listed. The WRX is Good in small overlap but Poor in the IIHS's updated moderate overlap test. Both get EyeSight driver assistance as standard, including on manuals, for 2026.

Which trim to buy

For the WRX, the Premium. Edmunds calls it "the WRX to get," and Subaru cut its 2026 price to $33,995 with heated front seats standard. Edmunds also reports buyers paying about $2,400 under MSRP.

The WRX tS is the enthusiast pick at $44,995, with STI-tuned adjustable dampers and Brembo brakes, and Subaru priced it $2,710 below the 2025 car. Skip the GT unless you want the CVT, since that's the only gearbox it comes with. It adds Recaro seats, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and adjustable suspension.

For the BRZ, buy the Limited for the street and the tS if you'll autocross or track it, as Edmunds suggests. The Series.Yellow is a tS in yellow paint, limited to 350 cars.

Running costs

Close to a wash. Both are rated 22 mpg combined with a manual, and The Zebra's 2025 insurance averages are within $25 a year of each other.

I couldn't find sourced figures for fuel grade or tire costs, so check the owner's manual and a tire site for each before you buy. Edmunds reported real-world 28 mpg for the BRZ on its test route. RepairPal gives both cars 3.5 out of 5 for reliability, per Edmunds.

If you plan to tune the WRX, read our guide to whether a Stage 1 tune is safe first. A tune can turn a warranty claim into a denied one.

Engine problems to know about

Both cars use 2.4-liter FA24 engines, turbocharged in the WRX and naturally aspirated in the BRZ. Both have a known concern with oil delivery.

On the WRX, 14 of the 15 engine complaints logged on CarComplaints for the 2022 model describe excess RTV sealant clogging the oil pickup. One owner reported engine failure from oil starvation at under 4,000 miles. These are owner reports, not a confirmed defect rate, and there's no recall.

On the BRZ, failures have mostly happened on track. Hagerty reported owner data showing oil pressure falling from about 60 psi to the mid-20s in some fast right-hand corners. A class action reported by The Drive in November 2024 covers 2013-2023 BRZs and their Toyota twins, alleging excess RTV sealant can flake off and block oil passages.

What this means for you: keep every service record, use the right oil, and if you track a BRZ, fit an oil pressure gauge. Subaru says the FA24 is designed for road use, according to Hagerty.

Buying used

A used WRX can be a better deal than a new one, but the year matters a lot. Here's what to check, based on Think Tuning's generation guide, which cites Subaru's own service bulletins.

Years	Engine	What to check
2002-2007 WRX	EJ205, then EJ255	Weak 5-speed gearbox on hard-launched cars; ringland damage on 2006-2007 cars
2008-2014 WRX	EJ255 turbo	2008 turbo oil supply pipe recall (WVF-16); rod bearing warranty extension for 2012-2014 (bulletin 02-181-19)
2015-2021 WRX	FA20DIT turbo	Clutch shudder or slip on 2015-early 2018 cars, revised parts in bulletin 03-79-18; intake valve carbon (bulletin 02-193-24)
2022-on WRX	FA24 turbo	RTV debris near the oil pickup reported by some owners
2013-2020 BRZ	2.0L flat-four	Named in the 2024 class action
2022-on BRZ	FA24	Oil pressure drops on track; also named in the class action

Ringland damage shows up as oil use, smoke or a misfire. Our guide to why a car burns oil explains how to measure consumption on a test car.

Avoid heavily modified cars of either kind unless you know the tuner. And run the VIN for open recalls before you pay.

How to decide

If you need four doors, a child seat or all-wheel drive for winter, buy the WRX. That settles it.
If you already have a practical car and want the most fun per dollar on back roads or at track days, buy the BRZ.
Pick the transmission next. The WRX GT is CVT only and the BRZ automatic is only on the Limited, so manual buyers should look at the WRX Premium or tS and the BRZ Limited or tS.
Get insurance quotes on both. The averages are nearly the same, but your age, location and record will move them.
For a used WRX, favor 2018-or-later VA cars or a documented 2022-on car, and ask for clutch and service records.

Common questions

Is the WRX faster than the BRZ?

In a straight line they're close. Car and Driver measured 5.5 seconds to 60 mph for a 2022 WRX manual and 5.4 for a 2022 BRZ. The WRX has more torque and all-wheel drive, so it's quicker in bad weather. The BRZ is quicker through corners.

Is the BRZ a good daily driver?

Yes, if you rarely carry passengers. Edmunds rates its ride as comfortable for a sports car, but the trunk is 6.3 cubic feet, the back seat is cramped and the highway is noisy.

Which is more reliable, the WRX or the BRZ?

Neither has a clear edge. RepairPal rates both 3.5 out of 5, per Edmunds. The WRX has owner reports of RTV blocking the oil pickup, and the BRZ has track-related oil pressure issues and a class action.

Can you get a WRX with a manual?

Yes. For 2026 the base, Premium, Limited, tS and Series.Yellow all come with a 6-speed manual. Only the GT is CVT only.

Is the BRZ tS worth it over the Limited?

Only if you'll do autocross or track days. Subaru's tS adds STI-tuned Hitachi dampers and Brembo brakes for $2,500 more. Edmunds recommends the Limited for street driving.

Sources

Featured image: 2015 Subaru WRX STI - Rear View Wide Angle by j.stum, CC BY 2.0. Source