One of the biggest questions we wanted to answer by purchasing a long-term 2013 Subaru BRZ tester was whether the sports coupe is capable of driving year-round in winter’s ugliest conditions. Our Chicago test location has potential for nasty wintry weather that could have been disastrous for our dainty 2,776-pound, rear-wheel-drive, low-slung BRZ Limited.
A normal winter didn’t happen, however, and the BRZ faced just a few bursts of extreme weather. But it showed promise as a year-round daily driver given the right preparation and conditions.
Our first preparation for winter happened long before we even took delivery of the Subaru. As co-winner of Cars.com’s Best of 2013 award along with the 2013 Scion FR-S, we planned to purchase one of the two and put it through a yearlong evaluation. Deciding between the two was an easy choice given our cold climate: The Subaru BRZ has available heated seats, the Scion doesn’t. Done; BRZ ordered.
Managing Editor Joe Bruzek’s 22 years of automotive experience doesn’t count the lifelong obsession that started as a kid admiring his dad’s 1964 Chevrolet Corvette — and continues to this day. Joe’s been an automotive journalist with Cars.com for 16 years, writing shopper-focused car reviews, news and research content. As Managing Editor, one of his favorite areas of focus is helping shoppers understand electric cars and how to determine whether going electric is right for them. In his free time, Joe maintains a love-hate relationship with his 1998 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that he wishes would fix itself.
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