--- title: "Nobody Bought the Base Subaru BRZ, So Now It’s Gone" date: "2025-09-27" modified: "2025-09-27" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/nobody-bought-the-base-subaru-brz-so-now-its-gone" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Subaru News" tags: - "BRZ" - "Coupe" - "sports car" - "Subaru" --- # Nobody Bought the Base Subaru BRZ, So Now It’s Gone ![Subaru BRZ on road]() *\Subaru\* It's almost 2026, and everything's getting pricier. Especially cars! The [Subaru BRZ](), which has historically been one of the only cheap paths to a rear-wheel-drive sports car, started at under $29,000 when the second-gen coupe hit the scene for the 2022 model year. Going forward, it'll start at $37,055. No, really. Now, this isn't merely a story of rising prices or even tariffs. What [Subaru]() has done here is axe the BRZ's base trim, which, frustratingly, was called "Premium." For 2025, a BRZ Premium started at $34,380. The other two trims—the Limited (which is higher than Premium, yes), and tS, started at $37,055 and $39,555, respectively. Those prices are *not* increasing, outside of what appears to be a $25 higher destination and delivery charge. Hey, gotta keep up with inflation, right? Reading [Subaru's press release](), the justification for deleting the entry-level trim isn't explicitly made, but it is hinted at. Subaru says that only one of every 10 BRZ buyers opted for the Premium this past year; that translates to around 210 of [the 2,107 BRZs sold through August 2025](). ![Subaru BRZ interior]() **Subaru** So, sure—the BRZ that most people tend to buy is sticking around and not going up in price. That's nice, for now. Still, the rising cost of entry is tough to swallow for what used to be a cheap ticket to fun. Now, the least expensive BRZ you can buy has suede seats. That's nice and all, but there are probably some BRZ fans out there that just want a no-frills rear-drive sports car with a six-speed. The only features they care about are mechanical. As for the BRZ's cousin, the [Toyota 86](), we don't know how much it'll cost for the coming model year, nor if Toyota will axe any trims as Subaru has done. In 2025, though, the 86 started at $31,595, while the upper-grade Premium (yeah, in Toyota speak, that word actually means what you think it does) ran $34,195. Now, if *those* numbers stay the same, then Toyota's got a clear value advantage heading into 2026. Which would be nice, particularly as the GR Corolla's price is [firmly in the $40K range]() now. *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com*[]()[]()[]()[]() ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()