WASHINGTON — If you’re looking to stand out in the crowd, there’s nothing like HyperBlue paint to help a little car pop in the parking lot.
Subaru’s BRZ Series.HyperBlue is a limited run of the 500 BRZ. So once they’re gone, they are gone.
The BRZ is a small rear-drive coupe with a 4-cylinder, 200 hp engine equipped with a slick-shifting manual transmission. (Or, if you must, there is an optional automatic. But if you want the most fun, stick with the manual and really enjoy this as it should be.) The model that I drove was less than $30,000.
The steering is direct and light; the car really tells you what it’s doing. The rear end wants to step out, so if drifting is your thing, look at a BRZ. Driving on deserted back roads with lots of turns is where this car really shines.
As a regular commuter car, it does great on fuel economy; I beat all the numbers on the sticker. After 305 miles of mixed and spirited driving, I managed 30.5 mpg of premium, and the sticker says it should hit 25 mpg in mixed driving conditions.
While it’s easy on fuel, the ride can be a bit stiff, but what a sporty car should ride like. This type of ride isn’t for everyone. I had a blast driving the car, but don’t think I could do it every day. In my younger years, I would have been all over this car.
The Subaru BRZ with the bright blue paint and black wheels is an interesting combo. It does stick out even with its small size. I never had a problem finding it in a parking lot.
The Subaru BRZ has been around for a few years now and it still looks good, and it has a brother that looks almost the same at the Scion dealers — but you don’t get this cool paint job over there. The HyperBlue paint seems to show all the bulges and flared wheel arches. Usually I’m not a fan of black wheels with blue paint but this combo works for me.
You would think that this little coupe is just a two-seater, but it’s not. It has two seats in the back and is equipped for children and car seats. The back works best for kids. The front seats are what are really going to be used, and they are nice sporty bucket seats finished in a leather and Alcantera with blue stitching on the seats.
The steering wheel, shift knob and hand brake are also finished in leather and have the blue stitching to add to the high-end look. The rest of the materials are not bad either. There are some hard plastics in a few spots but overall it’s good for a little coupe.
This is a low-slung car so getting in and out could be challenging for some. The side windows are small and the hood seems high, which I’m sure is for some safety reason, but wearing a helmet at the track could possibly mean some reduced visibility. The controls are easy to use and driver-focused. The gear knob is in the right place for your hand. The clutch pedal is light and you can easily heel and toe the gas and brake when downshifting and blipping the throttle on the track.
The 2016 Subaru BRZ Series. HyperBlue is a strange name for a fun little car that’s thrifty to operate. It might not be the most practical daily driver for some, but it did put a smile on my face for a week of frolicking on back roads and revving up a boring commute.
If you want to stand out in a crowd, you can’t miss this one on the road or parking lot.
