The 2024 BRZ gets EyeSight in Japan starting this fall
Will the safety suite lead to more Subaru manuals?
Subaru has just announced it has developed a version of its EyeSight driver safety suite that will work with a stick shift. The system will debut on Japan-spec versions of the BRZ this fall, but is it too late to save the third pedal?
For a brand that chases IIHS safety ratings like Subaru, advanced driver assistance suites are crucial. Without them, you can’t earn those top safety ratings, no matter how safe your vehicle is otherwise.
Subaru’s EyeSight system, which includes pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise, lane departure assist, and rear sonar warnings, has helped it earn many Top Safety Pick awards from the IIHS. The safety group also commends the company’s reverse emergency braking. But these systems were offered only on Subaru models with a CVT and not any of the manual transmission cars.
By adapting the system to work on manual transmission models, Subaru makes it possible for those cars to earn those safety awards. But will it do it?
The EyeSight for Manual Transmission Vehicles system will launch on the 2024 Subaru BRZ in Japan. Will it come to North America? We’ve reached out, but don’t expect a confirmation. Does it mean that Subaru might bring back manual transmission models of the Impreza and Crosstrek or even the Outback? Probably not, but that won’t stop us from hoping.
