Subaru is keeping the 2027 BRZ close to its affordable sports-car roots in Canada, but the biggest talking point is not the modest price increase. The rear-wheel-drive coupe now starts at $33,695, while a new Canadian-exclusive Kagayaki Edition arrives as a 50-car celebration of the BRZ’s 15-year run in the country. The special model builds on the tS with STI hardware, distinctive Ceramic White paint and bronze wheels, yet it still stays below $40,000 before freight and fees.
For enthusiasts, the broader story is one of careful evolution rather than reinvention. The 228-horsepower boxer engine remains, but Subaru has added safety, refinement and small performance-focused changes across the lineup while preserving a six-speed manual in the models most likely to appeal to traditional sports-car buyers.
A $33,695 Starting Price Keeps the Increase Modest
The 2027 BRZ opens at $33,695 before freight, pre-delivery inspection, taxes and other applicable charges. That is only $300 more than the 2026 base model, which carried a $33,395 MSRP. Subaru Canada lists an estimated vehicle price of $36,435 for the new base car after freight, PDI, the air-conditioning charge and maximum dealer and other fees are included. Taxes, licensing, insurance and registration remain extra, so the advertised MSRP is not the final amount a buyer will see.
The modest increase matters because Subaru has also raised freight and PDI from $2,095 on the 2026 BRZ to $2,195 for 2027. Even so, the underlying sticker price has moved by less than one per cent. In a performance-car market where special editions and higher trims can quickly push prices upward, Subaru has kept the entry BRZ relatively close to last year’s number while still adding useful equipment and refinement for buyers.
Four Trims Give Buyers Clearly Different Paths
Subaru Canada is offering four BRZ versions for 2027: the base BRZ, Sport-tech, tS and the new Kagayaki Edition. The pricing ladder is unusually tight at the top. Sport-tech is $38,195, the tS is $38,295, and Kagayaki is $39,995. That leaves only a $100 gap between the comfort-oriented automatic Sport-tech and the more performance-focused manual tS, while the limited edition asks another $1,700 over the tS.
Those prices also make the transmission choices easy to understand. The base BRZ, tS and Kagayaki use a six-speed manual, while the Sport-tech is paired with a six-speed automatic and paddle shifters. Rather than offering every transmission on every trim, Subaru has separated the lineup by character. Buyers wanting the lowest price or the most driver-focused hardware stay with the manual, while the Sport-tech concentrates more on convenience, cabin upgrades and additional driver-assistance features, without muddying the purpose of each version for shoppers today.
The 228-HP Boxer Engine Carries On
Every 2027 BRZ uses the same naturally aspirated 2.4-litre Subaru Boxer four-cylinder engine, producing 228 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque at 3,700 rpm. Power goes exclusively to the rear wheels, and a Torsen limited-slip rear differential remains part of the formula. Subaru also retains fully independent suspension and a low-mounted powertrain, preserving the layout that has always made the BRZ more about balance and response than headline horsepower.
Canadian fuel-consumption ratings are 12.0 L/100 km city and 8.8 highway with the six-speed manual, while the automatic is rated at 11.1 city and 7.8 highway. Premium fuel is specified. None of those numbers signal a major mechanical reset for 2027, and that appears intentional. Subaru has concentrated its changes elsewhere, leaving the high-revving engine, rear-drive configuration and manual gearbox intact for buyers who value the BRZ’s traditional sports-car fundamentals, even as the rest of the car evolves.
Small 2027 Changes Target Everyday Weak Spots
The base BRZ receives several changes that sound modest on paper but address day-to-day usability. EyeSight Driver Assist Technology now includes a wide-angle mono camera, expanding the system’s forward view. Subaru has also added more underbody sound insulation to reduce road and tire noise, an important refinement in a low, stiff coupe where coarse pavement can easily dominate the cabin. The 8-inch infotainment screen, dual-zone climate control and 17-inch alloy wheels continue as standard equipment.
Manual-transmission cars also get revised shift linkage intended to make fifth-to-fourth gear downshifts more consistent. That is a small detail, but it fits the BRZ’s audience unusually well because shift feel and repeatability matter in a car sold heavily on driver involvement. Instead of chasing a larger touchscreen or a dramatic power increase, Subaru has focused on the kinds of incremental changes owners are likely to notice during commuting, back-road driving and manual gear changes.
Sport-tech Trades the Manual for More Convenience
At $38,195, the Sport-tech is the only 2027 BRZ trim paired with the six-speed automatic transmission. It adds paddle shifters, 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires, along with heated front seats trimmed in leather and Ultrasuede. The cabin also gains a premium eight-speaker audio system and MySubaru Connected Services, making this the version aimed most clearly at drivers who want the BRZ’s chassis without giving up as much daily comfort.
Its safety and lighting equipment is broader as well. Subaru Rear/Side Vehicle Detection, Reverse Automatic Braking and LED steering-responsive headlights are included. In practical terms, that means the Sport-tech layers blind-spot, lane-change and rear cross-traffic monitoring functions over the core EyeSight package. The trade-off is straightforward: the Sport-tech costs $4,500 more than the base BRZ and gives up the manual gearbox, but it adds the richer interior, larger wheels, summer tires and extra assistance systems.
The tS Costs Just $100 More Than Sport-tech
The tS is priced at $38,295, only $100 above the Sport-tech, yet it takes a very different route. Subaru fits STI-tuned suspension with Hitachi-Astemo front dampers and retuned rear dampers, plus Brembo high-performance brakes with gold-painted calipers. It rides on 18-inch dark-finish alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires and keeps the six-speed manual transmission. Rear sonar parking sensors are also added for the 2027 model year.
Inside, the tS receives leather and Ultrasuede seating with blue accents, along with an STI-branded engine start button. The narrow price gap makes the choice less about budget than priorities. Sport-tech buyers get the automatic transmission and a comfort-and-technology emphasis, while tS buyers get chassis and braking upgrades intended to sharpen the car’s responses. For enthusiasts who were already considering a higher BRZ trim, the tS therefore remains the direct factory route toward more serious performance hardware for the money.
Kagayaki Is a 50-Car Canadian Exclusive
The headline addition for 2027 is the BRZ Kagayaki Edition, priced at $39,995 and limited to just 50 cars across Canada. Subaru says the Japanese name translates to “radiance,” and the visual treatment is built around an exclusive Ceramic White exterior. Matte-black badging, crystal-black fender-vent accents and a crystal-black rear trunk spoiler create contrast, while 18-inch matte-bronze alloy wheels give the special model its most immediately recognizable detail.
That 50-unit allocation makes Kagayaki far rarer than a normal colour-and-wheel package. It also continues a recent Canadian strategy: Subaru offered only 50 examples of the 2026 Kaminari Edition, which used Sunrise Yellow paint and was likewise based on the tS. Kagayaki changes the mood from bright yellow to a more restrained white, black and bronze combination, but the formula is similar—take the most focused BRZ trim, add STI hardware and exclusive design cues, then keep production deliberately scarce in Canada alone.
It Is More Than a Cosmetic Special Edition
Kagayaki starts with the tS hardware, so it retains the STI-tuned suspension, Brembo braking system and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires. Subaru then adds STI Flexible V-Bars under the hood, a component intended to improve dynamic response while complementing the existing suspension upgrades. The six-speed manual remains standard, which keeps the model aligned with the enthusiast character of the tS rather than turning it into a luxury-oriented appearance package.
The cabin gets its own identifiers. Blue-accented front seatbelts coordinate with the leather and Ultrasuede upholstery, and a unique “ZC15” animation appears in the 7-inch digital instrument cluster when the car starts. The price premium is contained: at $39,995, Kagayaki costs $1,700 more than the tS. For that increase, buyers are mainly paying for scarcity, the STI bracing, exclusive details and anniversary touches rather than more horsepower, because output remains the same 228 hp as every other 2027 BRZ nationally.
The 15-Year Anniversary Has Real Canadian History Behind It
Subaru first showed the BRZ in Canada at the Montreal International Auto Show in January 2012, with the 2013 model reaching dealerships that June. The original car used a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre boxer engine rated at 200 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. Its starting price was $27,295 with a six-speed manual, placing the new rear-wheel-drive coupe well below where today’s model sits even before accounting for 15 years of inflation and added equipment.
Kagayaki therefore arrives at a point in BRZ history. The modern BRZ makes 228 hp from 2.4 litres and adds features such as EyeSight and a 7-inch digital instrument display, while the original car’s technology highlights included touchscreen navigation and smartphone integration. Yet the philosophy is recognizable: a compact 2+2 coupe, rear-wheel drive, a naturally aspirated boxer engine and a manual transmission. Subaru’s anniversary edition leans into that continuity rather than trying to reinvent the BRZ.
It Still Sits in a Narrow Affordable-Sports-Car Lane
The BRZ remains one of the relatively few new cars in Canada built around a simple rear-wheel-drive, naturally aspirated sports-car layout. For context, Toyota’s 2026 GR86 starts at $32,695 MSRP, while Mazda’s 2026 MX-5 starts at $35,700. The 2027 BRZ’s $33,695 MSRP lands between those two current reference points, although the comparison spans model years and the cars differ in packaging.
That positioning helps explain why Subaru has avoided a major power or technology overhaul. The BRZ’s appeal is still tied to accessibility, low weight, a manual gearbox and predictable chassis behaviour rather than luxury or outright acceleration. The 2027 updates add enough refinement to keep the car current, while Kagayaki gives collectors and long-time fans something genuinely scarce. With only 50 examples allocated nationwide, the special edition may disappear quickly, but the broader BRZ range remains the more important story for Canadian buyers seeking a comparatively attainable driver-focused coupe.
