Subaru BRZ: The Ultimate Performance Guide

October 29, 2026

The BRZ is the odd one in Subaru's line: front-engine, rear-wheel drive, built around a low center of gravity and low weight instead of all-wheel drive and horsepower. It is not a drag car. It is a balanced chassis that rewards smooth inputs, and it responds well to the right parts in the right order.

Two generations exist, and they do not share parts. The first-generation car (2013–2020) runs the 2.0-liter FA20 with D-4S direct and port injection, and was sold alongside the Toyota 86 and Scion FR-S. The second-generation car (2022–present) runs a 2.4-liter FA24 making 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. That engine is identified here so you buy for the right car — nothing else in this guide is a second-generation build path. Crawford's BRZ parts fit the first-generation car.

The Platform

The boxer engine sits low and back, which keeps the center of gravity low and the handling stable. Power goes to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual or an automatic with paddle shifters, and a Torsen limited-slip differential puts it down at corner exit. The car is light, and a light car brakes later, changes direction faster, and wears its tires and brakes slower than a heavy one.

Trims run from the base car to the Limited, which adds comfort equipment, and the tS, a factory track trim with firmer suspension tuning and larger brakes. The cockpit is simple: bolstered sport seats, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, and an 8-inch touchscreen. None of that changes what the car needs underneath. The build order below applies to any first-generation BRZ.

First: Oil Control — the AOS

Before power, protect the engine. Under sustained high rpm, crankcase vapor carries oil mist into the intake. That oil lowers the effective octane of the fuel charge, leaves carbon deposits, and raises detonation risk.

Crawford developed the original closed-loop Subaru air/oil separator. The Crawford AOS separates the oil from the vapor and drains it back to the crankcase automatically — there is nothing to empty. Crawford units are aluminum and made in the USA, with BRZ fitments in the V2 and V3 line. The AOS has no CARB EO, so check the EO status for your application.

An AOS manages oil. It does not repair worn rings or fix an engine that is already using oil. If the engine is tired, that is a different conversation, and it starts with the motor sections below.

Billet Power Blocks

The first power part that belongs on a first-generation BRZ is a set of Billet Power Blocks. They fit the 2013–2021 BRZ, FR-S, and GT86, they work with the stock intake, and they are worth about 15 horsepower, with more power down low where the FA20 needs it. There is no dyno chart behind that number and Crawford does not dress it up as one — it is a modest, honest gain from a simple part, and it is the correct first step before anything more involved.

Exhaust: the Gymkhana 2

Crawford's BRZ exhaust is the Gymkhana 2 axle-back, listed for the 2013–2016 BRZ, FR-S, and GT86. An axle-back is a sound part: one or two horsepower at most, and Crawford makes no dyno claim for it. What it changes is the car's voice, and on a car built around driver feedback, that matters. Crawford-made parts carry one price, labeled MSRP.

Noise rules vary by state and city. Check your local rules before you buy.

Heads and the Built Motor

Past bolt-ons, the foundation is the motor. Crawford builds its engines on brand-new OEM blocks only — no core is required or needed — in short block and long block form. If your heads are the project, Crawford's head packages are Rebel (cleaning, damage inspection, precision valve work, resurfacing), Bandit (Rebel plus professional port and polish), and Outlaw (hand-finished race-spec porting and custom valve seats, for engines pushing over 700 horsepower). Street Spec heads use a 3-angle valve job and support builds up to 500 whp, and the machine shop also offers a 5-angle valve job.

Built engines carry a 1-year, 12,000-mile warranty. Break-in is part of that warranty: oil changes at 500 and 1,500 miles, engine speed kept between 2,000 and 4,500 RPM and varied, no sustained cruising or full-throttle pulls, and the first oil analysis is mandatory as a warranty condition.

Head work and airflow changes require a professional tune. Crawford does not sell tuning — budget for a tuner as part of the build, not as an afterthought.

What Crawford Does Not Sell for the BRZ

A full-platform guide should say this plainly. Crawford does not sell forced induction kits for the BRZ — no turbo or supercharger systems. Crawford does not sell suspension, brakes, wheels, or tires for the car either.

That matters because the honest first grip upgrade on any BRZ is tires, and the honest first stopping upgrade is pads and fluid. Buy those on specification from whoever makes the right part. Crawford's part of a BRZ build is oil control, the Power Blocks, the exhaust, and the motor. Do those in order and the car stays reliable while it gets faster.

On Track

The BRZ is one of the best cars to learn track driving in. The handling is predictable, the feedback through the steering and chassis is direct, and the power will not overwhelm a developing driver. The lightweight design is a real edge: less mass to brake, less wear on consumables, more laps per set of tires. As your pace grows, the build order above grows with you — oil control first, then the foundation, then the power the foundation can hold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the BRZ powerful enough? Power is not the car's point. The second-generation car's 228 horsepower is more than enough for the chassis to be fun, and the first-generation car responds to the path in this guide: protect it, add the Power Blocks, then build the foundation before chasing more.

What is the difference between the BRZ and the Toyota 86 or GR86? They are the same basic car with different final tuning. The BRZ is set up for a more stable, planted feel; the Toyota is tuned looser and more willing to slide. Pick the character you prefer.

Is the BRZ a good first track car? Yes. It teaches car control without overwhelming you, it rewards smooth inputs, and it can be built in stages as your skill catches up to it.

What are the first upgrades I should buy? In order: the AOS for oil control, Billet Power Blocks for power down low, and the Gymkhana 2 for sound. Tires and brake pads come first for pure lap time, but Crawford does not sell them — buy them on specification.

Is the BRZ practical as a daily driver? It can be, with the trade-offs stated plainly: a firm ride, a low seating position, narrow seats, and more road and engine noise than a sedan. For most owners those are the cost of the car's character, not flaws.

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