Subaru BRZ VS Toyota 86
Subaru BRZ
Likes
- Comprehensive improvements
- Iconic RWD antics
- More mature look and feel
Dislikes
- No AEB on manuals
- S grade could use some more spice
- Intrusive road noise
Toyota 86
Likes
- Huge fun to drive
- Comfortable despite purpose
- Good value
Dislikes
- Dodgy interior materials
- No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
- Raucous engine
Summary
Subaru BRZ
Small rear-drive sports coupe enthusiasts should be thanking their lucky stars, specifically the six lucky stars in Subaru’s logo, that a second generation of the BRZ even exists.
Cars like this are rare because they are expensive to build, difficult to homologate, hard to make safe, and attract a niche audience.
Read more BRZ news
Even if they're well received and relatively good sellers, as the original BRZ and Toyota 86 pair were, there’s always a good chance they’ll be prematurely consigned to the history books in favour of committing resources to high-selling SUVs.
Yet Subaru and Toyota surprised us all by announcing a second-generation of the BRZ/86 pair.
With looks that could be chalked up as simply a facelift, though, has much changed under the skin? Is the new version meaningfully different from behind the wheel?
We were offered the opportunity to drive the 2022 BRZ on and off the track at its Australian launch to find out.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.4L |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.8L/100km |
| Seating | 4 seats |
Toyota 86
Toyota's 86 might have been a huge surprise when it burst onto the world stage, but now it's difficult to imagine a world without it. Heralding a so-far slow and steady return to more interesting cars for the Japanese giant, the 86 has steadily clocked up the sales.
The tiny sports car picked up a few specification tweaks late last year as well as a longed-for 'Performance Pack' and the mildest of upgraded stereos.
Half a decade on and with the Mazda MX-5 (in both convertible and hardtop) as a strong price rival, with an army of hot hatches nipping at its heels, is the 86 still the bargain funster we'd been missing all those years?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.8L/100km |
| Seating | 4 seats |
Verdict
Subaru BRZ7.8/10
The BRZ’s angsty phase is over. The new car is a delicate refinement of a great sports coupe formula. It’s been tweaked in all the right places, inside and out, allowing it to attack the tarmac with a renewed and more grown-up focus. It even maintains a compelling price-point. What more can you ask for?
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
Toyota 867.3/10
The overall score doesn't really reflect how good this car is. It's let down by silly things like the lack of a decent stereo head unit, a ho-hum warranty package and a lack of advanced safety features. Those things sort of miss the point for most 86 buyers as the sales figures suggest.
It's old school fun without all the reliability and usability issues. It's a better proposition than any bargain sportscar for decades and is never not a barrel of laughs. The best value - and most fun - is a manual GT with the Dynamic Performance Pack. It's still good value, has a bit more oomph in the brakes and suspension and adds just a little bit of spice to the 86.
Has the 86 withstood the test of time? Or have other, new options stolen your heart? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Design
Subaru BRZ8/10
When the BRZ was revealed its new styling was polarising. While it looked a lot more mature than the zany lines and angry light fittings of the original model, I almost thought there was something retro about its newfound curvature running across its nose and particularly its rear.
It comes together nicely though as a more sophisticated design. One which looks fresh from the front and rear.
The side profile is perhaps the only area where you can see how closely this car is related to its predecessor, with very similar door panels and near identical dimensions.
The design is more than just a major freshen-up though. The curvier nose with lower grille is said to be significantly less drag-inducing, while all the vents, fins, and spoilers are entirely functional, working to reduce turbulence and allow air to flow around the car.
Subaru’s technical people say this is because reducing weight proved too difficult (despite its increase in equipment, this car only weighs a few kg more than its predecessor), so other ways were found to make it faster.
I find the rear integrated spoiler and distinct new light fittings particularly appealing, accentuating the width of this little coupe, tastefully tying it together.
Of course, you won’t need to go to a third party to clad your car in extra pieces, with Subaru offering STI-branded accessories. Everything from side skirts, blacked-out alloy wheels, even a ridiculous spoiler, if you’re so inclined.
The interior has quite a few carryover parts from the previous model. The prime contact points with the car, the steering wheel, shifter, and manual handbrake lever are the same, although the modified dash cladding feels more cohesive than before.
Gone are the aftermarket-look screen, climate dials which looked tacked on, and clumsily finished lower area, all replaced by more attractive pieces.
The climate unit and lower dash design, with smart shortcut buttons, are particularly nice, and don’t look as cobbled together as before.
The seats have been tweaked in terms of their trim, but overall share the same design. This is a good thing for front passengers, as the seats in the original car were already great, on-the road and when you needed the extra side-bolstering on the track.
Toyota 867/10
As ever, the 86 exterior design is tasteful - low-slung and with a mild body kit including side skirts, a modest front spoiler and a metal rear wing that nobody seems to like. The 86 has those classic sports car proportions despite its diminutive dimensions.
The rear diffuser looks good but is unlikely to do much other than house the fog light and reversing lights. The big twin exhausts look terrific, so if you want a quad exhaust, I will only ask why.
Inside is as minimally thoughtful as ever. There's nothing especially wrong with it but there is little to commend it with a mix of materials and various cop-outs to save money. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, given the car's intentions, but if you're expecting a premium interior, you're of out luck. Having said that, the suede-like panel in the GTS looks pretty good.
Practicality
Subaru BRZ6/10
I think we know nobody buys a car like the BRZ for its stellar practicality, and if you were hoping for some kind of improvement here, sorry to disappoint, there’s not a whole lot to say.
The ergonomics remain excellent, as do the front bucket seats for comfort and lateral support, and there is a slight improvement in the layout of the multimedia system, which is now a little easier to reach and use.
Same with the climate unit, which has larger, easier to operate dials, with shortcut buttons like ‘Max AC’ and ‘AC off’ to make the car’s core functions more straightforward.
Visibility is okay, with narrow front and rear window openings, but enough off to the side with decent mirrors to boot.
Adjustability is decent, with a low and sporty seating position, although taller people may run into issues with the tight roofline.
Cabin storage is notably limited, too. Automatic models score an additional centre console cupholder for a total of two, and there are small bottle holders in each door card.
A new split-folding centre console box has been added, which is shallow but long. It houses the 12V outlet, while USB ports are located under the climate functions.
The two rear seats are largely unchanged, being near-useless for adults. Kids, I suppose, might enjoy them, and they are useful to have in a pinch. A small practicality advantage over something like Mazda’s MX-5.
They’re clad in the same materials as the front seat but without the same level of padding. Don’t expect any amenity for rear passengers, either.
The boot weighs in at a tiny 201 litres (VDA). It’s hard to speak to the usefulness of this space without trying our demo luggage set to see what fits, but it has lost a few litres from the outgoing car (218L).
Surprisingly, though, the BRZ offers a full-size spare wheel, and the brand assures us it should still fit a full set of alloys with the single-piece back seat folded down.
Toyota 866/10
Interior photos reveal a cosy space for driver and passenger. The rear seats are almost entirely pointless, although you can get small kids in. Like really small - I'm just on 180cm and drive closer to the wheel than most but I could still only slot a laptop computer in the 'legroom'.
The front seats are split by a narrow console with a moveable tray with two cupholders and a slot that holds a smaller iPhone or Android phone. There is no armrest, but that's for practical gear-shifting reasons. Those in the rear don't get a cup holder at all.
People always ask how many seats Toyota has crammed in, and the answer is four, but it's really a 2+2.
Boot space isn't terrible at 223 litres and if you fold down the rear seats, you've capacity for a set of four wheels and tyres. Which might be handy given there is no longer a spare tyre, so a tyre repair kit might be in order...
As you might imagine, ground clearance isn't off-road spectacular but the 86 does pass my driveway test. In other words, I can get it up my driveway - some SUVs don't even manage without that stomach churning scraaape.
Price and features
Subaru BRZ8/10
Like most models over the past two years, the new BRZ arrives with a price-hike, but when you consider the base manual only comes in $570 over the outgoing model and the automatic comes in just $2,210 (while carrying significantly more equipment) over the equivalent 2021 version, that’s a major win for enthusiasts.
The range has been tweaked slightly, with two variants both available as a manual or automatic.
The base car wears a before on-road costs price tag of $38,990, and includes 18-inch alloy wheels (up from 17s on the previous car), clad in vastly superior Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres, full LED exterior lights with new designs, dual-zone climate control with a more aesthetically pleasing cluster in the dash, a new 7.0-inch digital dash display, a new 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and built-in sat-nav, a synthetic leather-bound wheel and gear knob, seats trimmed in cloth, a reversing camera, keyless entry with push-start ignition, and a significant upgrade to the rear-facing safety suite, which we’ll look at later.
The automatic model ($42,790) is identically specified but swaps the six-speed manual for a six-speed torque converter automatic with paddle-shift manual mode.
The additional price-hike over the manual version is more than compensated for, however, by the inclusion of Subaru’s signature 'EyeSight' forward-facing dual-camera based safety suite, which would have required significant engineering input to include.
This is all without covering the updates to the car’s platform, suspension and bigger, punchier engine which fans have been crying out for since day one, all of which we’ll look at later in this review.
The top-spec S version mirrors the equipment list of the base car but upgrades the seat trim to a blend of synthetic leather and ‘ultrasuede’ with a heating function for front occupants.
The S version wears an additional cost of $1200 for a price tag of $40,190 for the manual or $43,990 for the auto.
While that may still seem quite a bit for such a small and relatively simple vehicle, in the context of the category it is excellent value.
Its most obvious rival, the Mazda MX-5, wears a minimum MSRP of $42,000 while providing significantly less performance from its 2.0-litre engine.
Toyota 868/10
There are still only two trim levels these days, if you discount the racing version. The Toyota website suggests the 'Apollo Blue' is a separate model, but you'll soon see that's a bit cheeky. Our brief comparison features RRP straight off the price list. The drive-away price is obviously between you and your dealer.
The GT opens the range at $31,440 for the manual and $33,740 for the auto. It's not the sub-$30k bargain it used to be, but remains cheaper than its Subaru BRZ sister car and the Mazda MX-5.
Standard features include 16-inch alloys, a limited-slip diff (manual only), LED headlights and daytime running lights, reversing camera, 6.1-inch touchscreen, AM/FM radio, power windows and mirrors, electric power steering, air-conditioning, floor mats, hill start assist, a sound system with six speakers, Bluetooth and USB, cruise control and cloth trim.
The second level of the road going range is the GTS, starting at $36,640 for the manual and $38,940 for the auto. To the base model you can add bigger rims at 17 inches, dual-zone climate control, an info display in the dashboard between the gauges, privacy glass, heated front seats, stereo controls on the steering wheel, keyless entry and push button start, fake leather seats with Alcantara trim inserts and GPS navigation system with SUNA traffic info.
The GTS's tyres are markedly better Michelins.
For the GT and GTS you can choose from six colours: 'Tornado Grey', 'Storm Black', 'Ice Silver', 'White Liquid', 'Gravity Blue' and 'Ignition Red'. If you go all in on a GTS, you can also have Apollo Blue. Fans of orange and yellow are out of luck. Only Ignition Red is a freebie, the rest will stick you with a $450 bill.
The GT and GTS also offer the 'Dynamic Performance Pack' option. How much does it cost and what do you get? Sadly, no turbo or increase in engine size or improvement in engine specs for a bit more speed. I know many of you pine for more horsepower to improve the 86's stats, but Toyota won't help out.
So, the $2200 (GT)/$2900 (GTS) pack includes a darker set of alloy wheels, SACHS suspension and a set of Brembo brakes. GTS buyers can also specify Apollo Blue as the exterior colour, raising the price again to $39,950 for the manual and $41,890 for the auto.
The 6.1-inch infotainment screen that runs the sound system is an ongoing disaster. Too small, terrible software, it's an afterthought. To add insult to injury, there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto despite the Subaru version managing to fit a stereo with exactly that feature. It's a perplexingly bad decision to leave them out, especially when it's a basic double DIN unit that's easy to replace.
Accessories include interior lighting, rear parking sensors and a bootliner. Missing from the list are a towbar, HID headlights (the standard LEDs are excellent) and, unsurprisingly, air suspension.
Conspicuous by their absence are a roof rack and sunroof. Despite a soft top concept a few years back, there isn't a convertible either. If you want a subwoofer, you'll have to go aftermarket.
The waiting time for your 86 is a thing of the past - stock levels appear solid around the country.
Under the bonnet
Subaru BRZ9/10
Some of the best news for previous owners of the BRZ is here. The old 2.0-litre Subaru boxer engine (152kW/212Nm) has been replaced by a larger 2.4-litre unit, with a significant hike to the outputs, now sitting at a respectable 174kW/250Nm.
While the engine code has migrated from FA20 to FA24, Subaru says it's more than just a bored-out version, with changes across the injection and port system to the connecting rods, as well as tweaks to the intake system and various materials used throughout.
The aim is smoothing out the torque curve and reinforcing engine parts to handle the increased output, while optimising fuel economy.
The available transmissions, a six-speed torque converter automatic and six-speed manual, have also been revised from their predecessors, with physical enhancements to smooth shifts and handle more power.
The auto's software has also been revised to make it compatible with a new safety suite it's paired with.
Toyota 867/10
The Subaru-sourced 2.0-litre 'boxer' four soldiers on and in the six-speed manual produces 152kW/212Nm, both high in the rev range. Annoyingly, when paired with the six-speed automatic transmission, you only get 148kW/205Nm.
One of the reasons for the boxer engine is that it sits nice and low, which works for styling and packaging. Even getting the battery lower in the chassis means an improvement in handling.
The power heads rearwards (purists love rear-wheel drive) and is apportioned by a limited-slip differential.
There are no known common issues with the 86's boxer four. As to whether the engine features a timing belt or chain, the good news is that it's a chain, meaning lower long-term ownership and servicing costs.
The engine has been around forever and there are no common engine issues that I could identify, except perhaps the lack of a turbocharged option or supercharger.
The manual transmission doesn't seem to suffer any widespread complaints or issues and the automatic gearbox seems similarly reliable. If you needed to settle the manual vs automatic argument, that's yet another reason to go with the manual gearbox. As well as the lighter weight. And better performance figures.
There is no 4x4, front-wheel drive or AWD version, nor is there a diesel motor available. Although that would be interesting...
For some reason, the 86 comes in for criticism for its 0-100km per hour acceleration time, which is a swift seven-ish seconds.
Toyota does not offer a towing capacity figure, perhaps for obvious reasons.
Efficiency
Subaru BRZ7/10
With the higher engine displacement comes a bump in fuel consumption for the BRZ.
We didn’t pull an as-tested number from the launch event as we were sampling multiple vehicles in a host of different conditions.
Stay tuned for a follow-up review to see if the official numbers were as surprisingly close as they were for the previous car.
The BRZ also continues to require top-shelf 98RON unleaded fuel and has a 50-litre tank.
Toyota 868/10
Fuel consumption is quite different between the transmission types. The manual's claimed combined cycle figure is 8.4L/100km while the automatic's is 7.1L/100km. Usually mileage figures are closer between transmissions, so if fuel economy is at the top of your list, it's the automatic.
Fuel tank capacity is 50 litres and you have to fill it with 98RON premium unleaded.
The official figures, for once, aren't a bad guide - my most recent week with an 86 manual returned 9.3L/100km.
Driving
Subaru BRZ9/10
Subaru talked a big game on things like chassis rigidity (a 60 per cent lateral bending improvement, and 50 per cent more torsional stiffness for those interested) but to actually feel the difference we were offered the opportunity to drive the old and new car back-to back.
The result was telling, while the new car’s power levels and responsiveness are notably improved, the new suspension and stiffer frame combine with those new Pilot Sport tyres to deliver a decisive dynamic improvement across the board.
While the old car was famous for being twitchy and easy to slide, the new car manages to maintain a sense of playfulness whilst adding a lot more confidence when needed.
This means you can still do doughnuts with ease on a skidpan, but carry more speed with the extra grip available through S-bends on a track.
Even driving the car on a tame back road, it's easy to tell how much firmer the frame is, and how the suspension has been adjusted to compensate.
The car is still packed full of feel, but not as brittle as the outgoing model when it comes to the suspension and damper tune. Smart.
The new engine feels every bit the upgrade it claims to be, with more consistent torque through the rev range, and a notable jump in responsiveness.
The engine's pretty distant at commuter speeds, only communicating the signature rugged boxer tone at higher revs.
Unfortunately, this improvement doesn't extend to the tyre noise, of which there is a lot.
This is somehow never a strong point for Subarus, and doubly so here with a car so firm and close to the ground, with bigger alloys and stiffer suspension.
I suppose this consideration is not high on the list for the typical BRZ customer.
The interior materials are a little less dingy than they were before, but with identical key action points in terms of the small radius steering wheel, as well as the easy-access shifter and handbrake, the BRZ continues to be an absolute ergonomic joy to operate, even when the car is completely sideways (on the skid pan...).
The steering tune is as natural as it comes, allowing you to feel even more at one with what the tyres are doing.
One odd little downside here is the inclusion of Subaru’s odd touch indicators as seen on the new Outback. They’re the kind which don’t lock into position when you use them.
I don’t know why Subaru is intent on introducing these when BMW famously tried (unsuccessfully) to popularise them in the mid ‘00s.
I’m sure we’ll have more to say on this car’s road-going capabilities when we have a chance to do a longer on-road test, but having the opportunity to drive the old and new back-to-back put the new car in context.
It’s everything you loved about the old one, but just a bit more grown-up. I like it a lot.
Toyota 868/10
Every time I drive the 86, I am struck by the same things. The first is just how small it really is. Its road footprint is tiny, the Toyota dwarfed by just about everything. That means it's great in the city for ducking in and out of gaps and if you keep the left arm busy on the shifter, you'll be able to use its momentum to carve through the dawdling idiots infesting our roads.
The steering is always a delight - fast and direct, you know what's under those skinny front tyres and the weighting is near perfection. Coupled with the finely-tuned chassis, it's super-predictable and a huge laugh out of damp roundabouts.
The best bit is the balance - you can really feel the car underneath you. When you strip it all back, ignore the rackety engine and plasticky interior, it really feels like a car twice the price. The whole experience is centred around fun but without abandoning the needs of daily driving - the soft suspension allows for body roll which is both fun when you're thrashing but delivers a bearable ride on the school/work run.
It's a bit tinny, it's missing some obvious bits and pieces but few cars put you in touch with the purity of driving like a manual 86.
The automatic - largely ignored - is still fun, but it's not really what the 86 is all about. For me, I once had an auto 86 and it was an opportunity to show my manual-shy wife what she's been missing.
Safety
Subaru BRZ8/10
Safety has improved out of sight, at least on automatic BRZ variants, as Subaru has managed to fit its signature stereo-camera-based EyeSight safety equipment to the little sports coupe.
It’s worth noting the BRZ is the only car with a torque converter transmission to be fitted with the system, as the rest of the brand's range uses continuously variable automatic transmissions.
This means, for the auto, active safety functions have expanded to include auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, reverse auto emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and a host of other conveniences like lead vehicle start alert, and auto high beam assist.
Like the auto, the manual version features all the rear-facing active equipment, that is the rear AEB, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert.
Elsewhere, the BRZ gets seven airbags (the standard front, side, and head, plus a driver’s knee) and the required suite of stability, traction, and brake controls.
The previous-generation BRZ had a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, but to an older 2012 standard. No assessment for the new car, so far.
Toyota 867/10
The 86 arrives with a decent level of safety features. They all have an airbag count of seven, ABS, stability and traction controls, reverse camera and hill start assist.
If you can squeeze in a baby seat, there are two ISOFIX points and two top-tether points.
The maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating dates way back to 2012.
Ownership
Subaru BRZ7/10
Like the rest of the Subaru range, the BRZ is covered by a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty, including 12 months of roadside assist, which is on-par with its mainstream rivals.
It is also covered by a capped price servicing program, which is surprisingly transparent now, including parts and labour costs.
Unfortunately, it’s not particularly cheap, with services varying between $344.62 and $783.33 for a yearly average over the first 75,000km/60 months of $494.85 for the automatic model. A small amount can be saved by choosing the manual.
It will be interesting to see if Toyota blows the Subaru out of the water by applying its famously cheap servicing to the BRZ’s 86 twin, set to launch later in 2022.
Toyota 867/10
Toyota still offers a three-year/100,000km warranty and roadside assist is an extra cost. Many customers understand that a key Toyota value proposition is reliability, but the three-year warranty club is almost as small as the full-term Prime Ministers club has been in the last decade.
Resale value appears strong, no doubt helped by a distinct lack of common problems, gearbox problems, issues, faults or complaints about the car. A second hand 86 should be easy to come by - since its launch in 2012, Toyota has shifted around 20,000 cars.
Service cost is capped at $180 per service and you're expected to visit the dealer every nine months or 15,000km, which is kind of odd.
The owners manual is packed with useful details like oil capacity and type.
Another question I'm often asked is "Where is the Toyota 86 built?" - the answer is Subaru's Gunma plant in Japan. Some also ask "Is the Toyota 86 discontinued?" - that's a firm no, although the US Scion sub-brand version, the FR-S, is no more.