The Subaru BRZ and its mechanical twin the Toyota GR86 have had a long history with the two coupes providing buyers an entry-level performance alternative that can deliver the core essentials but without going overboard in the pursuit of performance and the seemingly accompanying rise in prices. It doesn’t hurt either that the BRZ in particular looks very stylish and does a good job of delivering the goods when it comes to showing off its personality.
However, the quest for performance is never-ending, and the company is always open to finding new ways to build on its performance DNA. That includes the 2024 Subaru BRZ tS which gets a revamped suspension to sharpen its handling credentials out on the track. But does this suspension help elevate the tS high enough to make it a convincing sell for performance car buyers?
tS is the closest buyers will get to an STI model
Some Subaru buyers have been demanding that the company make an STI version of the BRZ with a few of these buyers having fond memories of old Impreza WRX STIs which once dominated Subaru’s performance identity back in the 1990s and early 2000s. The company has responded by saying it has no plans to build one but in exchange, it has also been producing performance specials that are close to the STIs of old but are always just a rung short of crossing that fabled border.
The 2024 tS is the latest student of this philosophy in action. The tS part of its badging stands for “Tuned by STI” and on the surface it doesn’t do much to visually tell you beyond the badging that you are not in just any ordinary BRZ despite the WR Blue paintwork on our tester proudly shining in the sunlight. The BRZ still looks as handsome as it does when equipped as a base Premium model but blacked-out 18-inch alloy wheels provide a visual clue that something special is lurking under the skin. As they say if it’s not broken, don’t fix it, and the BRZ’s core identity continues to exemplify that in spades.
Suspension upgrades feel half-finished
Usually, this section is where we would talk about the interior, but the performance upgrades that Subaru made to the BRZ definitely deserve their fair share of praise. The 2.4-liter flat-four is carried over unchanged with the mill still producing 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual is the lone transmission available in the tS and after you get used to the high-biting clutch, it delivers smooth and crisp shifts.
Instead, Subaru chose to focus the bulk of its upgrades on the suspension with the company adding Hitachi’s Sensitive Frequency Response Dampener technology to the front suspension. This setup is an entirely mechanical system and it does the same job as an active suspension system. When cruising around town, the suspension softens the ride for better ride comfort. However, push the car through tight corners and the dampers tighten up to help the car feel more confident in the twisties. The difference is noticeable with the nose feeling more on-center and the steering doing a better job communicating where the front tires are at all times.
However, as the headline indicates, there’s one major problem with the upgrades, they feel half-finished. That’s because while the front suspension gets the fancy Hitachi-sourced shoes, the rear suspension doesn’t and retains the standard shocks. This baffling decision creates occasions where the tS can feel unbalanced with the front suspension feeling tight and sharp while the rear shocks have a looser tune to them. This imbalance is not subtle either and there are times where you have to back off to help the rear get in sync with what the front end is trying to do. At least the Brembo front and rear brakes do a good job delivering smooth and consistent stops.
tS interior is still comfortable
With all of the changes taking place under the skin, the interior of the tS prefers to bask in the limelight with the BRZ’s core cabin design carrying over intact. The tS instead focuses on adding more depth to the finer details with an STI-designed instrument cluster being added and splashes of leather and Ultrasuede accents scattered throughout the cabin. The seats get blue contrast stitching but other than those changes, the cabin is mostly stock BRZ.
That’s not a bad thing since the rear still offers a decent amount of cargo room especially when you fold the useless rear seats down. Subaru says that the back can haul a full assortment of racing tires and gear but look for most buyers to trade the slicks for a day’s worth of groceries, small items, and even a few bags.
Value Quotient
The 2024 Subaru tS is the new -range-topper in the BRZ lineup with a base model starting at $35,345. Our tester had a minimal sprinkling of options but the price still managed to stay below the $40,000 barrier. The tS’s price makes it clear that it’s the performance-focused member of the family but it also manages to be more expensive than the comfort-focused Limited which starts at just over $32,000.
This choice of raw edge or comfort may put a few buyers in an awkward spot since they might prefer the Limited’s comfort and its fully stock suspension over the tS’s upgraded suspension which only enhances half of the car and creates some of the odd handling behavior we encountered during our time with it. However, if you’re willing to live with some of the tS’s quirks and can embrace its personality, the 2024 Subaru tS might be the right fit for your garage. Oh and here’s hoping Subaru spreads the magic to the rear suspension too if it chooses to make a tS model again.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.