While many people know Subaru for their all-wheel drive security, for car enthusiasts like us, they’ve also been a source of affordable sporty cars.

Now they’re adding a bigger dose of track day finesse to the 2018 Subaru BRZ tS and 2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA. That’s “RA”, for Record Attempt. Engineers added 5-more horses and beefier pistons to the 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four so it now rates 310 horsepower. The steering is still pretty light and feels similar to us. We did like the fact that we could push it harder around the track. 

As for the BRZ tS… tS stands for tuned by STI. That includes the front and rear dampers along with the coil springs. 

ZACH MASKELL: “The tS wears 18 inch TSI wheels and now it has Michelin Pilot Sports which I think was a much needed addition to the car. You can really feel the difference when we were carving on the mountain roads and we’ve got Brembo brakes which really really make a difference.”

JOHN DAVIS: Output remains the same at 205 from the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder…but this lightweight rear driver is still a blast. The 2018 Subaru BRZ tS and 2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA are in dealers now, but only 500 of each are coming to North America. The BRZ tS starts at a bit over $33,000, and the WRX STI Type RA starts under $49,000.

Specifications

  • Engine: 2.5 liter (WRX STI) / 2.0 liter (BRZ ts)
  • Horsepower: 310 (WRX STI) / 205 (BRZ ts)
  • Price: Starts a bit over $33,000 for BRZ tS / Under $49,000 for WRX STI Type RA