DC164 Critique: 2023 Subaru BRZ

Design Critique: Products for People

Eric Penn joins Tim Keirnan and Ken Mayer to discuss the first customer experience phases of his new 2023 Subaru BRZ after a month of ownership. The "Toyobaru Twins" (Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ) are the same car with some slight differences. This vehicle is one of the best examples of "user-centered design" we have ever encountered in a product, and Tim owned the first generation for four blissful years. Eric has purchased the long-awaited and much celebrated second generation, and we go into intense detail on our first four defined phases of the customer experience: Encounter (02:44) Decision (07:21) Purchase (21:00) Initial Use (43:00)

We will record an episode about Eric's longitudinal use in February of 2024 so that Eric has a full 12 months of ownership under his belt for that. On this podcast we are nothing if not thorough.

In summary, the 2023 BRZ (the second model year of the 2nd generation of the car) meets or exceeds almost every criterion for delighting Eric as customer/user. The car's designers and engineers improved on the few weaknesses from the first generation without compromising what made the first generation so terrific. From the seating position, to the razor sharp handling, to the improved human-machine interfaces in the cockpit, to the new, more powerful engine, everything about this car screams or subtly implies "made for driving enthusiasts of light weight, nimble sports cars." Neither Subaru nor Toyota invented us to be so positive about this vehicle. It is incredibly well-focused on delighting a well-defined customer target.