Toyota GT86 VS Subaru BRZ – Differences & Info about the two cars

Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ are Japanese cars and were both launched back in the year 2012. Their beautiful design made them two of the most exciting new cars that came out that year.

They are almost lookalikes, and due to this similarity in terms of looks, both are considered competitors, and customers want to know which one is better and which one they need to buy.

Both these cars, even though they look almost the same, differ in their interior. Even though they mostly share the same parts, they differ in some areas like the grille, bumper, their alloy wheel designs, and the cabin trim.

Other than this, the mechanical parts are also the same in both the cars, and for this reason, they almost cost the same, which makes it harder to pick between the two. The difference is in the tuning of the steering and the suspension and in general, the feel of the car.

Both Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ got their own perks, their own pros, and cons, and we will discuss each of those in detail so that you can decide which car to purchase, depending upon what the car offers and what you are looking for.

Differences in Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ

Differences in their design:

Both the cars are pretty much similar except for some basic differences in their design.

These differences include;

• Toyota GT86 got a sportier look while the Subaru BRZ has got a bland front end.
• Toyota GT86 has got a honeycomb-style grille, while, on the other hand, Subaru has got a U-shaped grille.
• The side indicators are placed at different positions in both cars.

The interior design and the materials used in the car

Materials used for the seats

Both Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ are fitted with modern amenities, with their interiors made of leather. Most of the plastic material, unlike in most of the other cars have been replaced with either leather or other kind of soft materials.

Seats arrangement and space to sit in the car

Both cars have got a lot of space in their front rows. However, the rear seats are a bit cramped together.

When it comes to comfort both are a good option, as long as you are sitting in the front two seats but when it comes to the back seat, Subaru BRZ is a better option as compared to Toyota GT86 as its seats come with Alcantara inserts unlike the Toyota GT86, the seats of which are made of fabric.

The technologies fitted in the Dashboard of both cars and their differences

Both these cars come fitted with the latest tech from technologies for entertainment like the satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity to play songs, and receive and make calls, an eight-speaker audio system to essentials that help you drive like a rear-view parking camera.

You can also navigate with the help of the LCD screen that is also installed in both the cars. Both cars do not come with either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

The only difference is in the size of the LCD screen, which is smaller in Subaru BRZ than it is in Toyota GT86. The screen is 6.2 inches long and 7 inches long in Subaru and Toyota, respectively.

Differences in performance and in the Engine

The Subaru BRZ and the Toyota 86 are both classified as sports cars. In terms of speed, they both can go really fast and show almost a similar performance.

However, the Subaru BRZ is slightly better than the Toyota GT86 when it comes to the engine department of both the cars.

Both the cars are installed with a 2 litre, four-cylinder boxer engine that is, in most cases, only found in Porsches. These engines provide 205 horsepower and 200 horsepower in Subaru and Toyota, respectively.

The difference is small, but for a sports car lover, it can make all the difference in the World, and this gives Subaru a slight upper hand when it comes to the engine.

Differences in terms of control of both the cars

Subaru, as we saw earlier, has a better power delivery, and as this power is directly transferred to the rear wheels, it also has better control. It is also installed with special Brembo brakes that can stop the vehicle in terms of an emergency.

Toyota, on the other hand, makes up for the less power supply and control by providing its buyers with the choice to opt for a Toyota Racing Development (TRD) package that enhances the control and the handling of the car.

Differences in the mileage of each car

Both the cars have similar engines fitted in them, due to which they give approximately the same mileage.

However, as we discussed, Subaru’s engine being BRZ is slightly better than Toyota’s engine is 86. In numerical figures, BRZ gives about 21 mpg in the city which is the same for the manual 86, however, when it comes to driving on the highway due to the difference in their horsepower, Subaru gives a slightly better mileage of about 29 mpg while Toyota gives a mileage of 28 mpg.

The same is the case for the automatic models. Toyota GT86 gives about 24/32 while, on the other hand, Subaru gives about 24/33 mpg fuel economy.

If you are looking to drive locally in the city, then both the cars give the same results; however, on the highway, Subaru tends to perform slightly than Toyota due to the edge that it’s given by its engine.

Even though the difference is negligible, but in the long run, it makes a considerable amount of difference. Therefore, we suggest that you keep this in mind while making the decision.

Difference between the two in terms of speed and driving

Even though Subaru has the edge over Toyota in the engine department, it still doesn’t go faster than it.

Both the cars were tested for their speeds and to check which one is faster, and they both did the 0 to 60mph dash in 7.5s.

However, Subaru has an extra advantage when it comes to the handling of the car. Due to its higher horsepower that is transferred to the rear wheels, it has better control and also better brakes that can stop the car in an instant in case of any emergency.

Subaru also is stiffer than Toyota at the front, which helps the car in staying flattered through any bends. This, however, comes with downsides like the ride being firmer.

Both cars make a lot of noise at high speeds, unlike the Audi TT.

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Taking factors like Warranty into account

Another very important factor that must be taken into consideration while deciding which one of the two cars to buy is the warranty that you get with both cars.

It is one of the most important aspects that will help you in deciding which car to buy when you are thinking of buying a new car as it helps you in keeping the car fresh and new and benefits in the long run.

Both the cars, Subaru BRZ and Toyota GT86, have the same warranty time period. With the Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ, you will get a three year/36,000 miles warranty for both the cars. The power train is covered by a 5-year/ 60,000 miles separate warranty as well.

However, the Toyota 86, in this case, has the upper hand over the Subaru as it is considered to be more both reliable and safer than Subaru BRZ. This is due to the fact that Subaru BRZ does not get good safety ratings when it is compared with the Toyota GT86.

The Toyota GT86 also has better residuals and a longer warranty cover, but at the same time, Subaru’s firmer suspension gives it a slight edge when it comes to handling.

Final Thoughts

As we can see that deciding which one of the two cars is a better option is not easy, as they are mostly identical with only a few differences that give both the cars slightly different sets of characteristics. Other than that, they are mostly the same.

For instance, they look almost the same except for some minor differences and even have a similar design. Subaru has a slight advantage over Toyota GT86 due to its Alcantara seats.

Subaru also got a better engine with slightly greater horsepower and better handling and brakes. Toyota GT86 covers up for it by being the more reliable and safer of the two.

So if you are looking for a better fuel economy or comparatively, lower prices, go for a Subaru. On the other hand, if you want style and reliability then go for a Toyota GT86.

Both the cars are exceptional in their own ways, and you can opt for whichever of the two suits you better.