Subaru BRZ Owners May Have Found A Solution To An Annoying Issue The Car Has – Torque News

The Subaru BRZ and its technological twin, Toyota GR86, are the modern reincarnation of the basic (ish), no-nonsense, affordable sports car. Enough power to keep you happy, at least for a while, with barely enough utility to make it suitable for daily driving. It is this aspect that some owners are looking to improve. I rarely check the Subaru BRZ forum, but I’m glad I did, because forum member, DLNBRZ71, posted something about his Subaru BRZ that caught my attention. Here’s what he says: 

“I’ve already posted about my frustration with highway road noise issues in my ’23 BRZ Limited, which I have only driven for 4500 miles. Swapping the Michelin Pilot Sport 4’s to Conti Ext. Cont. DWS06 produced negligible improvement, if any. Removing the “V-bars” and even the under-engine aluminum scuff pan did nothing. The “howling resonance” on concrete highway surfaces continues, and it is beyond my personal tolerance level. 

I spent some time on the Tire Rack website comparing various tires, and came up with the Pirelli P-Zero A/S +3 as the quietest in the “Ultra-high-performance All-season” category (a step down from the “Max performance Summer” category of the stock Michelin tire), but the closest size match would be 225/40 x 18, which is about 1/3″ larger overall diameter. Has anyone tried this tire yet?

Does anyone know if it would fit the car without rubbing somewhere? 
Still hoping I can find a solution here, without spending thousands of dollars in random sound-deadening materials, etc. My attempts to get help from Subaru of America, and two local dealers, have produced nothing.” 

According to the owner, the situation is dire as he also posted a similar thread in the Toyota GR86 forum, where other members also chimed in. Personally, I am not a fan of removing parts of the car that the manufacturer has put there in the first place. If anything, removing the under-engine scuff pan should increase road-noise – I speak from experience.

Sports cars typically feature a lot less sound insulation, so road noise is something you should expect in a car like this. This goes double for the more affordable spectrum of performance cars, in which the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 belong.  

Tire-wise, the Subaru BRZ comes with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 from the factory. They are known to produce more road noise than many comparable tires. My experience with Continental tires tells me that they are quiet and can provide similar performance. This owner, may have thought the same as he changed to Continental tires like he said.

I never noticed excessive road noise in the 2024 Toyota GR86, nor in the original Toyota GT86, which I drove in 2014. If anything, the Subaru BRZ has a softer suspension setting compared to the GR86, although we can’t really blame the suspension setting for excessive road noise. Other Subaru BRZ owners are also puzzled as they search for solutions. 

Zeroptzero says: “The first time I got into my 24 BRZ 3 weeks ago I was convinced it had bad wheel bearings on the front, but it is just that howling noise you describe. It is bad, never had a car doing that. It must be missing a ton of sound insulation to keep things light weight. I don’t think it is all of the tires’ fault, there is something else going on with the design. I thought V-bars was an issue too but as you noted it did not make a difference? New tires may help but it is inherently loud.  

Coming from a Honda S2000 I know what loud cabin noise is, the BRZ is slightly better but it should not be that loud. I deactivated the piped in engine noise, that helped as it just added to the interior noise at cruise conditions. I read someone saying that the STi flexible v-bars reduced road noise on their car, but I am not sure I believe it, and they are super expensive to begin with. I don’t know what to suggest, I know when I hit concrete highway sections the noise is super loud, asphalt is quieter. My tires are brand new, less than 100 miles on them.” 

If anything, complaining about excessive road noise in a car like the Subaru BRZ is pointless, but owners are still finding solutions. Here’s what some fellow forum members are saying:  

Alex_W says: “Sound deadening isn’t random. A good car audio shop will be able to do a lot more for a lot less that buying new tires over and over again.” 

RZ-1 says: “I would suggest buying the sound mat yourself, taking the interior bits out and installing the mat on the metal. It will be work, but I don’t think the sound mat is expensive (36 sq ft is $50).” 

Which sound-deadening materials to go for? 

While some sports car owners prefer the more visceral feel that comes with more noise and some vibration, others who are looking to use their fun cars more frequently are looking into sound-insolation options. There are two main types of sound-deadening options – rubber-based mats and foam.  

Each has different advantages and disadvantages. You can learn about them in the video below.  

Essentially, rubber is better at cancelling out vibrations, but heavier while foam materials are lightweight and offer better heat-absorption capabilities. Ideally, you want to use rubber-based sound-deadening for the floor of the car while foam sound-deadening is great for areas that may get hot, like the firewall or the area around the exhaust. 

You may be asking yourself, “Didn’t the owner test drive the car before purchasing it?” I certainly did, but I also understand that buying a car (especially a sports car) can be an emotional purchase, and the buyer may be in a mental state that allows him to overlook some less-appealing qualities of the car. At this point, I am waiting to see what the future Toyota GR86 will bring to the table and whether its new powertrain will be more trouble-free than what some BRZ and GR86 owners have experienced. 

But I am curious to learn what you think and whether you have had a similar issue. If yes, how did you fix it? Feel free to write something in the comment section below. Maybe we can turn this article into a guide based on real-life experience. 

Dimitar Angelov‘s automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov’s car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Image source: 2024 Subaru BRZ