Toyota 86 - Is it different from Subaru BRZ?

Understeer and oversteer - these two terms might sound unfamiliar to normal people, but a petrolhead would feel right at home. The former is linked with FWD cars, whereas the latter is connected to RWD cars. A petrolhead understands the difference between these two terms and would definitely opt for an RWD car any time of the year. The problem is that not every one of us (petrolheads) is filthy rich to afford a high-performance sports car with RWD but we do want to oversteer.

Realising the gravity of this situation, Toyota thought of doing something for us. And it did. It brought its 86. This is the most affordable RWD ‘sports car’ that you can buy and enjoy the oversteer. Toyota didn’t build this alone. Japanese automaker along with Subaru make the 86 a reality. However, Subaru wanted to have a share of the pie, so it went ahead and produced the BRZ. Since both the 86 and BRZ are a result of the same research and development, both these cars have a lot of common features. But is the 86 any different from the BRZ? Let’s find out.

1- Exterior or looks

The Toyota 86 is not the finest looking product if you would consider it to be a proper sports car. Otherwise, we think it’s been made just right. The latest upgraded model comes with LED lighting all around. The overall shape and design have been done to reduce the drag to as low as possible. The two-door 86 looks modern, and it would do a great job of being a bedroom poster.

The Toyota 86 features a honeycomb plastic front grille, and the fog lamps surround are done vertically. On the other hand, the Subaru BRZ gets a U-shaped front grille with a broad plastic horizontal slat that houses the number plate. The space for air intake is mostly open with very thin horizontal plastic slats. The fog lamps surround here are square in shape.

Other differences include the different color options. The 86 is available in 6 color choices - Crystal Black Silica, Ice Silver Metallic, Crystal White Pearl, Orange Metallic, Lapis Blue Pearl, and Pure Red, whereas the Subaru comes in 7 - Crystal White, Wr Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Silica, Dark Grey Metallic, Ice Silver Metallic, Crystal White Pearl, and Pure Red.

2- Interior

 

The similarity between the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ continues in the cabin as well. Both of the cars are loaded with the same features. There’s nothing exceptional here, just the usual things that we see like comfortable seats, Bluetooth connectivity, rearview camera, a good 8-speaker sound system, an LCD, etc. In terms of space, both the cars are good for seating only two people comfortably. There are two seats in the rear, but anyone sitting there would feel cramped.

While the 86 features a black-red color combination in its interior, the Subaru gets an all-black cabin with very subtle use of red like stitches of the seats. If we talk about the quality and comfort level of the seats, then Subaru BRZ would be the winner here as it features more luxurious seats with leather side and Alcantara inserts. Another difference that you will find between the two cars is that the 86 comes with a large 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, whereas the Subaru gets a slightly smaller 6.2-inch touchscreen. By the way, none of them is compatible with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

3- Engine and performance

The result of the research and development of both the companies revealed that in order to make an affordable sports car with great handling and controlled drifts, a boxer engine would be a great choice, as it provides a lower centre of gravity. So, both the 86 and BRZ has got the same 2.0-litre 4-cylinder boxer engine that has been tuned to produce a max power of 200 PS at 7,000 revs and gives a torque output of 205 Nm at 6,400 to 6,600 revs. There’s only a single engine variant available. However, you have the freedom to have either a 6-speed automatic gearbox or a 6-speed manual. Unfortunately, the Subaru doesn’t offer the manual option for the Philippines market.

Since both the cars have got the same engine, power and torque figures, and even the same weight, they, unsurprisingly, perform the same. The 0-100 kmph time of both the cars is the same and so is their top speed.

So what makes the Toyota 86 stand out the Subaru BRZ here? Toyota’s reliability.

4- Price

The manual variant of the Toyota 86 will set you back by PHP 1.89 million and its automatic variant is a bit dearer and costs PHP 1.99 million. On the other hand, the Subaru BRZ, that’s available only in its automatic avatar, is priced at PHP 2.06 million.

Verdict:

Yes, the Toyota 86 is different from the Subaru BRZ, but only marginally and in aspects that wouldn’t really matter that much. In the end, it all comes down to your own personal preferences; which badge would you like to have at the front of your car?