On the surface, it may not make a lot of sense to compare the 2022 Subaru BRZ and 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI, for a few reasons. The BRZ is rear-wheel drive, the GTI front-drive. The Subie runs a 228-hp, 2.4-liter naturally aspirated horizontally opposed engine tht keeps the car’s center of gravity low, the VW a more traditional (i.e., tall) 241-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 transversely mounted in the bay. The BRZ is a svelte two-door sports coupe, the GTI a five-door hatchback that’s longer, wider, and weighs 260 pounds more—an almost 10 percent increase in mass.
How do these cars even relate to one another? Easy: entry-level performance. If you fancy yourself a driving enthusiast and are shopping for a new car that’s more than a little fun but doesn’t break the bank, sport compacts like the BRZ and GTI are where you start looking.
From a price perspective, we’d also include the BRZ’s RWD Toyota cousin, the GR86, the FWD Honda Civic Si and Hyundai Veloster N, and the AWD Subaru WRX. The way our top-of-the-line Subaru and Volkswagen test cars are outfitted here, there’s a notable difference in sticker prices—something to keep in mind as we compare these two canyon carvers.
For the full story, check out this article from Motor Trend.
