Canada: The GR86 Premium is $2000 more than the BRZ Sport Tech???

[JDW2231]

So Toyota Canada just released pricing for the GR86, and I find myself very surprised.

The starting price for a manual is $31,490, comapred to 29,495 for the base BRZ. The premium GR86 is $34,490 vs the BRZ Sport-tech at $32,495.

I had assumed the Toyota would be cheaper since it seems to have less advances than the Subaru, ie: aluminum suspension components, new sway bar, etc. The 1st gen Subaru always had nicer interior features as well.

I'm a bit disappointed to be honest. I prefer the GR's bumper and thought it would be cheaper to buy as well.

Now I'm torn, perhaps I'll save the two grand if I can still get nicer interior features on the Subie, which I believe comes with a nicer sound system and red seat sticking as opposed to grey, correct?

[Midnightsky]

Toyota will probably provide better financing rates to "compensate" for the price difference.

[Rossman]

I have no idea, but I feel like if they are charging $2k more, maybe you get fancy brembo brakes and other stuffs? Some of the body accessories add up.

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by Rossman

I have no idea, but I feel like if they are charging $2k more, maybe you get fancy brembo brakes and other stuffs? Some of the body accessories add up.

This has been discussed before. The 86 has been more money with less features. You are paying for the Toyota name. To my knowledge only one limited edition, (the TRD) ever came with Brembos. It was about $3500 more than the BRZ Raiu Edition.

[Sasquachulator]

Same situation happened with the first gens, they cost more for no reason at all.

And in 2020 the "TRD handling package" or whatever it was called in the US that allowed the sachs/brembos as an option was never offered in Canada, so the 2019 TRD edition was the only way to get the brembo/sachs combo on a Canadian spec 86.

The 18" wheels (with michelin pilot sport 4) were equipped on the 2020 GT MT as standard equipment though..... while the rest of the lineup got the 17"s

A bit disappointing, i thought the price would be somewhat aligned like the 2nd gen BRZ is.

[WC-BRZ]

I have absolutely no clue who in their right mind would pay that premium...for what reason? What exactly is it that you're getting for the extra money?

One might argue that Toyota Canada dealers will simply have to give discounts to bring it closer to BRZ pricing, but then again, if you know how to negotiate, you can get some $$$ off the BRZ which then makes the value proposition even stronger in Subaru's favor.

Perhaps these discounts may not be available during the current chip shortage and new-model hype, but wait a bit and I'm sure the GR86 will make even lesser sense.

Just as an example, I was able to get about $2k off my MY18 BRZ. When I was buying that car I honestly had no clue how Toyota even manages to sell a single 86...what is wrong with people!?

[MisterGoober]

Toyota is the new Sears. Yes they have the GR Yaris, but other than that Toyota forgot how to build anything interesting. They make toasters for the masses (oooh, aaaah, Toyota Corolla Cross). They're big enough to invest the time and money into real sports cars, but because they make gobs of money selling SUV toasters to the masses they choose to just pay Subaru/BMW to build stuff for them and then pretend say nonsense like:

"We chose every part on the new Supra" and "We drove the GR86 and decided it needed cheaper parts to make it different than the Subaru"

Not surprised. Subaru has always had a smaller company mentality, better dealer experience, smaller markups and less giant rebates.

Toyota forgot how to innovate. They're about to get their *ss kicked in the EV market too ... yet another area where they had to "borrow" Subaru's tech because they were asleep mucking around with Hydrogen while every major automaker is releasing an EV lineup. My comments come from a good place, I had an original IS300 ... more or less rebadged Toyota Altezza with a 2JZ ... Toyota would never have the balls to release that today. Instead we have C-HR, Corolla Cross, RAV4 etc.

Their latest claim to shame is using the leftover V8 engines from the RCF/GSFs they didn't sell, cramming them into the ancient IS with it's ancient transmission and pretending it's innovative while pricing it way too close to an M340i XDrive or Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing.

I'm sure they'll screw up US pricing too. Just the fact that they don't even HAVE US pricing while people are taking deliveries of their BRZs speaks volumes about Toyota.

[WC-BRZ]

Originally Posted by MisterGoober

Toyota is the new Sears. Yes they have the GR Yaris, but other than that Toyota forgot how to build anything interesting. They make toasters for the masses (oooh, aaaah, Toyota Corolla Cross). They're big enough to invest the time and money into real sports cars, but because they make gobs of money selling SUV toasters to the masses they choose to just pay Subaru/BMW to build stuff for them and then pretend say nonsense like:

"We chose every part on the new Supra" and "We drove the GR86 and decided it needed cheaper parts to make it different than the Subaru"

Not surprised. Subaru has always had a smaller company mentality, better dealer experience, smaller markups and less giant rebates.

Toyota forgot how to innovate. They're about to get their *ss kicked in the EV market too ... yet another area where they had to "borrow" Subaru's tech because they were asleep mucking around with Hydrogen while every major automaker is releasing an EV lineup. My comments come from a good place, I had an original IS300 ... more or less rebadged Toyota Altezza with a 2JZ ... Toyota would never have the balls to release that today. Instead we have C-HR, Corolla Cross, RAV4 etc.

Their latest claim to shame is using the leftover V8 engines from the RCF/GSFs they didn't sell, cramming them into the ancient IS with it's ancient transmission and pretending it's innovative while pricing it way too close to an M340i XDrive or Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing.

I'm sure they'll screw up US pricing too. Just the fact that they don't even HAVE US pricing while people are taking deliveries of their BRZs speaks volumes about Toyota.

I really couldn't have summed it better...

...only thing I'll add is that I honestly think Toyota is about to have their a$$ handed to them in the compact segment as well.

Do a comparison of the horrendously overpriced Corolla vs. Kia Forte/Hyundai Elantra and if you don't get confused you're not paying attention. How the Corolla still manages to sell is a mystery; there isn't a single category Kia/Hyundai aren't leading in with respect to that segment.

It goes back to the above post; innovation. The Corolla is the least innovative contender and yet Toyota is charging a hefty premium...it's really just a joke how people will buy into stupid hype like "oh but it's got that Toyota badge yada yada...."

Um, no, actually Kia/Hyundai have that covered, too - they offer the damn best warranty in the business.

And don't get me started on financing rates offered on the Corolla vs. what you get with Kia/Hyundai

[Midnightsky]

Originally Posted by WC-BRZ

Um, no, actually Kia/Hyundai have that covered, too - they offer the damn best warranty in the business.

And don't get me started on financing rates offered on the Corolla vs. what you get with Kia/Hyundai

While I won't deny that Hyundai has great financing rates, I will argue that my 5 year unlimited km powertrain warranty, which came with my 2017 Mazda 3, is pretty damn good. I will also add that mine had very good financing rates available, damn near if not comparable to Hyundai/Kia.

[jvincent]

Think of it this way, that extra duck bill spoiler is what justifies the extra $2K.

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by jvincent

Think of it this way, that extra duck bill spoiler is what justifies the extra $2K.

Toyota may well charge $2 grand for that duck TAIL however, there is no way anyone can "justify" that amount.

[jvincent]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

Toyota may well charge $2 grand for that duck TAIL however, there is no way anyone can "justify" that amount.

Early morning wording. More correctly "what Toyota uses to justify" it.

But yeah, no way it's worth the upgrade. When I do my shopping next spring I'll probably go to a Toyota dealer just to see if they are willing to match what I can get at Subaru but I'm not going to hold my breath.

[MisterGoober]

Originally Posted by WC-BRZ

I really couldn't have summed it better...

...only thing I'll add is that I honestly think Toyota is about to have their a$$ handed to them in the compact segment as well.

Do a comparison of the horrendously overpriced Corolla vs. Kia Forte/Hyundai Elantra and if you don't get confused you're not paying attention. How the Corolla still manages to sell is a mystery; there isn't a single category Kia/Hyundai aren't leading in with respect to that segment.

It goes back to the above post; innovation. The Corolla is the least innovative contender and yet Toyota is charging a hefty premium...it's really just a joke how people will buy into stupid hype like "oh but it's got that Toyota badge yada yada...."

Um, no, actually Kia/Hyundai have that covered, too - they offer the damn best warranty in the business.

And don't get me started on financing rates offered on the Corolla vs. what you get with Kia/Hyundai

Thanks ... we're replacing my MIL's Highlander with a Telluride. Cheaper, longer warranty, more features, better tech, better styling (subjective).

[theinvisible]

Canadian GR86 brochure and build configurator is up now on Toyota's website now. No mention of a 2 year complimentary maintenance or track day packages.


Still no justification for jacking up the price by $2000.