Nothing. Not really.
Preferring the new Subaru BRZ over the Toyota GR 86 or the GR 86 over the BRZ is like preferring Coca-Cola over Pepsi. They’re not exactly the same, and I know there are people who are very connected to asking for one and not the other. But neither are they tan different that one cannot replace the other. In the case of the new Toyobaru, unless you’ve driven the two flavors backwards, I doubt you can tell them apart. Devils: Having put them two weeks apart, I’m not sure I can.
The moral of this story is not to sweat the differences. Just pick one, damn it.
The full revelation: Subaru invited a group of reporters, including yours, to drive a fleet of BRZs to and around Lime Rock Park, one of my favorite topics around the world. I can’t believe they let serious racing cars compete here. We were also accommodated for two nights in a beautiful hotel in an idyllic estate.
Test conditions: Driven on a humid, cloudy summer day, but a little cooler than average, until the sun came out. Then it got very hot.
What is
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It’s the second generation of Subaru’s delicious two-door, rear-wheel drive sports car, affordable and priced at $ 28,000. It is also mostly identical to the Toyota GR 86, except for some very small styling brushes, as well as some changes and adjustments to the suspension and chassis components. The big update for 2022 – the 4.4-liter naturally aspirated four-liter plan with 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque – is crucial, regardless of the badge on the hood.
I drove the GR 86 two weeks ago and I did just good things to say. If I did a little copy / paste and change some proper names, almost all of these things would also apply to the BRZ. But that would deeply disappoint my college professors; in addition, I think it would be more useful to divide them and talk about the few changes between them. So let’s go.
BRZ vs. GR 86: What’s different?
Leaving aside the design, the material differences between the BRZ and the GR 86 belong mainly to the way their wheels are designed to interact with the road. According to Subaru, the front spring rate of the BRZ is 7 percent higher, while the rear spring rate is 11 percent lower than that of the GR 86. The BRZ has aluminum front knuckles in order to reduce the weight without suspension, while the GR 86 changed this piece for steel in search of a heavier steering feel. At least, that’s based on what a Toyota engineer told me before driving this car.
The thickness of the front and rear stabilizer bars between the two models varies a millimeter or less depending on Subaru, although the Toyota data sheet provided with the GR 86 showed values identical to those cited by Subaru. Subaru also says the BRZ’s rear link box is tougher than the GR 86’s, which supposedly uses a transport part from the previous generation 86.
In terms of weight, the manual versions of the GR 86 are two to four pounds lighter than those of the BRZ. The margin increases for the automatics, with the Subaru tipping the scales 13 pounds heavier than any of Toyota’s AT finishes.
Add adjustments to damping, power steering, and engine mapping, and that’s pretty much it. Jof poses with a gun to my head, it would still be hard for me to explain how, if anything, these modifications have significantly differentiated the way each car is driven.
Part of me means the GR 86 is a little more cheerful than the tail, but it’s not like I can’t feel the BRZ slipping under me coming out of the 1-3 bends at Lime Rock or the fun autocross circuit in the field. I only had the opportunity to drive the BRZ with a limited finish, which includes updated Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber, as well as the top version of the GR 86. Even despite the additional grip, the new low-end torque 2.4 I still had my coupe running like a dog on the linoleum floor while I was in second gear during the autocross. This inevitably caused turns, mostly because I felt more comfortable with the car and liberal with the use of my right foot.
If you drove the BRZ and GR 86 literally from behind, would they have highlighted the behavioral discrepancies more? Probably. But the fact that I had a lot of fun with the new Toyobaru twins and for very similar reasons essentially tells me that if you want one of these cars, it doesn’t matter which one you choose. Give priority to the one associated with the logo or front bumper you like best; if you can’t get it, go to the rival dealer on the street and ask for one.
Interior, security and everything else
On the road, the BRZ didn’t feel more compatible with the inconsistent potholes and road surfaces of upstate New York than the GR 86. Maybe there was a little less thrust behind the wheel of the BRZ at the start. , but by no means was it weak or imprecise. The car never tracked or jumped straight; they both felt equally safe and planted.
All of my favorite Toyota interior qualities also apply to the Subaru. I found the fit and finishes to be attractive enough and nice to the touch, but if you’re the type of person who is scared by the noise some plastics make when you scratch them, you might complain a bit. To do this, I would ask you why you are thinking about this car. I know apples to oranges, but it’s a lot nicer than the baffled, ill-fitting interior of my Fiesta ST, and that car was priced similarly when it was new.
The BRZ and GR 86 have the same seats, although the seams and accents of the more reinforced and optional, the Alcantara are red in the Subaru and gray in the Toyota. (Gray is a little bigger in my opinion, but I’m not picky.) The information and entertainment system, the cluster of indicators and almost everything else is shared between the cars, down to the features of the EyeSight 3 suite Subaru Driver Assist. This includes services such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, and automatic headlights, though you can only get many of these features in automatic cars. This also happens with the GR 86.
WWhile Toyota remains strangely narrow about GR 86 prices, Subaru’s is in sight. Unfortunately, naming convention for tuning levels is as absurd as with the old car, with the BRZ base titled “Premium” and the upgrade called “Limited”. The Toyota base GR 86 has no name and its limited equivalent is called Premium.
Everything is much more confusing than necessary, but the result is a standard BRZ with manual that will cost you $ 27,995 before destination. A limited manual, which adds nicer seats, tighter tires, an improved audio system and blind spot detection among other safety features, costs $ 29,595. Premium and Limited automatic adjustments cost $ 30,495 and $ 32,495, respectively.
Verdict
Subaru would like you to believe that the changes it made to the BRZ’s dynamics were made to promote “stability” and “accuracy”. (These are words the company used in its own presentation materials, I assure you.) I’m paraphrasing, but I imagine Toyota would probably want you to think that the changes it made were in the interest of feedback. visceral and of the most animated animations.
I don’t think one pair of ideals is intrinsically fairer than the other. EIf the slight ways each car embodies these virtues are granted, the gap is marginal. They are both wonderful little sports cars and we are lucky to have them at a time when everything is getting big, expensive and spiritless.
If you’ve experienced the original Toyobarus, you’ll appreciate the new engine for its increased responsiveness and low-end usability; you will probably also be happier with the perforated interior and its more modern and technological amenities. And if you’ve ever driven any of these cars, well, don’t make the same mistake twice if you can help it.