2018 Toyota 86 GT vs 18 BRZ
 

Currently in the market for a 18 Toyota 86 GT or a 2018 BRZ. Pretty hooked after my test drive.

I don't really care about the standard exterior differences between the 2 cars, but I am curious about the interior differences and extras.

If I go with the BRZ I will be getting the Limited with the Performance Pack option.

If I get the Toyota 86 GT unfortunately they don't have a Performance Pack option.

I am a Toyota guy, but considering I can get the BRZ Limited with the PP for the same price as the Toyota 86 GT, it's tempting.

Has anyone had time with both head units? That seems to be the biggest difference. The Subaru has Star Link while the Toyota doesn't. The Toyota doesn't come with Navigation unless you add it for $700. It's included with the Subaru. It seems like Toyota doesn't have XM radio. With the Subaru it's ready for XM.


It's to bad Toyota doesn't offer Brembo Brakes. It seems like its around 2 grand if you want to do the upgrade yourself.


Anyway, why would you pick the 18 Toyota 86GT over the 18 BRZ or BRZ over Toyota 86 GT?


Something else worth nothing:My Toyota dealer said that the 2019 86 GT's are now in the system and that he could order one for me. It would be built this month and would be delivered the end of August. This is tempting as well, but there isn't any info out about the 2019's. Not sure if they made any small changes or have a "performance pack" option for 2019 or not.

Subaru's new 7.0in. Starlink is in my opinion much better than the toyota head unit. You now get apple car play and android auto, and it responds to touch very quickly. I would also say the performance package is definitely worth it. The only real reason at the moment I think the toyota is the better option is if; You have to have the toyota, you prefer how it looks, or the PP doesn't really affect your decision. The interior differences really come down to most of the Alcantara trim pieces in the 86 are leather in the BRZ, theres no logo stitching on the backrests in the 86 (I don't really think it makes much of a difference in terms of how it feels), the headunit, and the color of the stitching around the cabin (red in the BRZ, silver in the 86). There may be things I'm missing but I think that's most of it.

Depends on what you plan to do with the car. If it's purely for street use then the GT may be the way to go for you.

If you have any sort of thought about going to the track, the performance pack with the brembos is worth every penny.


Supposedly Toyota is doing a TRD version of the 86 with the brembos and Sachs dampers. With any luck Toyota will add those options as check boxes you can tick off on a base/GT trim car.

Welcome, motomaster132003, to our forum …. :clap:

They are all fine machines, just pick one that has the right transmission for you and a color you think is perty and figure if the bells and whistles that you would like to play with are worth the extra money …. ;)


humfrz

That was 100% my thought process on my 2017. Although I will admit I am a Subaru guy in the past.

Toyota guy here..if I was in the market for a brand new twin, think I would do a BRZ PP or tS and just do a bumper/badge swap

Haha that's funny. That thought crossed my mind.

Couple other factors:

If you are financing current interest rate on the Toyota is 1.9% and on the Subaru its 2.9%.

Insurance quote was $300 more per year on the Toyota which is odd considering they are basically the same car. It must be based on the average cost to repair a Toyota in general vs Subaru.

I went for the BRZ.

I wanted the PP, looks like Toyota in North America refuses to give it to us. Regarding the HU, I thought it would be nice to have Apple Car Play which is not yet available in the Toyotas. Would have liked to get 1.9 financing (I feel like at one point I saw Subaru do 0.9) but it's been a while based on what I've seen, and after seeing Heritage blue in person I knew that was the car I wanted.

Unless you have to have it now (like I did), wait for the 2019 announcement to see if they offer anything interesting. But to be honest, it looks like they are gonna hold back the PP for some TRD/GR special edition, just like they did with the Limited trim options during the Scion days. I'm very happy with my choice, and have been having a blast in the canyons. Play it safe and wait if you are afraid you'll miss out on something, then if you don't like what they announce for the 86, go for the BRZ.

Hot take: the Brembos are pointless for 95% of people. The only advantage one would see is on the track, and even then....the stock calipers are sufficient so long as you have good fluid and pads, and you're not trying to set lap records. Seriously, they'll take you pretty far.

IMO, the *only* reason to care about the brembos is for looks, or if you mentally have to have the "best" version of the car.

They're really good at heat dissipation which helps a ton if you drive often in the canyons. On my previous daily driver I found that when I started running R-compound tires, it was too much for the stock brakes to handle, even with upgraded fluid and pads. Haven't had that problem with my tS.
https://i.imgur.com/4FEYL18.png

You made some good points. I currently drive a Tacoma as my daily driver, so I can wait a month or however long it takes to find out if there will be any changes on the 2019's or not. It might also put me in a better spot to negotiate on the 2018's if they are still plentiful.

What happened to motomaster zero through 132002?

Both extremely viable reasons.

I'm driving a 2015 FRS bought new.

Wish I'd picked the BRZ as, at the time they were easier to buy discounted.

Personally I think the current 86 now has an ugly front end. I'd pick the BRZ now.

BRZ has a sporty looking interior. 86 has made it's interior very bland starting with 2017 model. I'll take fake carbon fiber over fuzzy cloth any day.

I think the 86 is less car features for the money than the BRZ, since they changed it from FRS name.

Whichever you pick, all body panels will be stamped with the word SUBARU !

Both cars, regardless of badging are made in the same building !

Cheapest to buy now would be the BRZ base model (premium). Wish it were available with the Brembos and Sachs dampers, but it's not.

Personally I would not care for some of the stuff on the limited model. Don't want auto climate controls, don't need heated seats, etc. Washing a car with a spoiler is also a pia.

The list price of a Limited with performance package costs, I believe, $4045. more than a premium would cost...something to consider for sure.

Just make sure you get manual transmission so you get the better stuff under the hood.

My FRS is, so far, the most reliable car I've ever owned, now 56,000 miles on it's odometer.