What Are the variations between the Toyota GR 86 and the Subaru BRZ in 2022?

I was comparing the efforts of both halves of the affordable sports car market.

Please take a moment to consider the upside of joint projects like the Toyota 86 and mechanically similar Subaru BRZ, which are nakedly co-developed and beginning their second iteration. JDM Cars like these—along with the Toyota Supra and BMW Z4, which are the product of a similar Toyota-BMW collaboration—wouldn't exist if not for the Toyota-BMW partnership. Fun, low-profit-margin vehicles like 2022 GR 86 and BRZ are a reality thanks to automakers cooperating to reduce production costs and share the workload, even if they end up looking very similar.

They have, as it turns out. Late last year, Subaru teased, then revealed its 2022 BRZ, which featured a revised look with more extreme angles and a freshened front fascia. Since then, everyone has wondered when its Toyota sibling, the 86, will make an appearance. Here it is bright red, which makes it easy to compare to the BRZ Subaru previously revealed in bright blue paint. So, how close are the latest Toyota and Subaru sports cars?

Boost Not Used in GR 86 And BRZ Engines

While the highly expected turbo heart didn't land in the BRZ's chest cavity, Toyota executives agreed to step in and demand that the GR 86 be fitted with a few pounds of boost. We hear you, and we'd like to brighten your day with that information, but the turbo rumors that spread like a California wildfire through social media outlets didn't pan out.

Instead, for the current GR 86 and BRZ, the 2.0-liter flat-four from the previous generation 86 and BRZ increased to 2.4 liters. Although this increases horsepower (by 28 hp in the Subaru, with final 86 figures to come), it has a more significant effect on usable torque, particularly in the midrange—even if the peak number doesn't change drastically (in the Subie, the figure inches north by 28 lb-ft to 184).

The latest GR 86's guarantee of a maximum second advantage in the zero-to-60-mph acceleration sprint adds credence that it would have similar power figures to the BRZ. If you're an outlaw who prefers manual transmission, you'll still be able to stir the shifter, while a six-speed automatic transmission is available on both models.

The GR 86 and the BRZ have beefier bodies.

Both models of the sports cars have bulging rear quarter panels that meet stylized side skirts that run down and forward along the flanks until meeting a cooled front bonnet with a body line that eases up sharply and helps add some statements depth. Even if it seems like the scalloped forward fender line could continue in some way along with the door and toward the quarter panel to assist with the visual flow, the look is more aggressive and substantial than before.

Even though the designers crammed in a little more attitude and what seems to be more perimeter, it's worth noting that in terms of width and length, this isn't a vast departure from the previous generation model. The door frames are the same on both, and the wheels, at least on the two first-generation Toyota and Subaru models, are the same. The new aluminum roofline is slightly lower than before, shedding a few pounds where you don't want any extra weight and lowering the cars' already low centers of gravity.

Faces of the GR 86 and the BRZ

If you're not close enough to notice the badging, you'll be able to tell the difference between the GR 86 and the BRZ from the front. The Subaru has a smaller, more horizontal grille, which replaces the previous generation's main solid black bumper strip, which took up the upper quarter of the grille opening and kept the license plate in place. The vessel now hangs off a small blister on the painted portion of the bumper in the new edition, which is a less than elegant (read: more challenging to mask) solution for consumers who don't live in front-plate states.

The front end of the latest GR 86 is a little different. Compared to its sister, the prominent grille opening is plain and blunt, but it looks purposeful and has a more Japanese-market feel. The grille is honeycomb-style mesh, and the upper section is discreetly blocked off for aerodynamic purposes, much like the BRZ. Both bumpers have the same openings on each side, but they are designed differently, enabling the two groups to determine their design direction and find some individuality. The Toyota, for example, has small "spears" in the middle of these vertical slats, while the Subaru's have cleaner openings and become wider rather than thinner at the bottom.

The version's face you prefer is likely a reflection of your overall taste in modern automobiles. The BRZ is more polished and slightly rougher upfront, and the GR 86 is cuter and playfully sporty—think the smiley mug of a Mazda MX-5 Miata.

Literally, back-to-back and inside-out

The most striking distinction between the two sports cars is that their rear ends are almost identical. The decklid spoiler, taillights, bumper, and even the dark plastic lower diffuser that extends up and over similar dual exhaust outlets all seem interchangeable. While the internals of the taillights will eventually deviate, it appears that anything else, including the badge positions on the trunk lid, will not. By spotting those badges, you'll have to squint to tell the difference between the 86 and the BRZ.

Step inside and, like the tails of cars, you'd have no idea which edition you've entered if the badging was hidden. From the red stitching around to the short red stripe on the lower portion of the seats and even the instrument cluster data, the GR 86 and BRZ share an interior. We expected the two cars' cabins to be slightly different, maybe with varying layouts of gauge, trim, or even upholstery options. Still, in the end, the Toyota and Subaru are virtually identical.

Thankfully, while the previous 86 and BRZ's cabin materials were well-documented as less-than-stellar, the look, and feel of the surfaces, entire strategy and the overall feeling from a driver's perspective have all been enhanced this time around. Looking back at the cabin of the previous 86/BRZ generation, it appears to be unusually dated and a few notches below what we see now in terms of consistency and visual appeal in the new Toyota and Subaru vehicles. The new models' cleaner interiors could be a case of natural evolution, or it could be a subtle wink to the legions of current Toyobaru owners who were underwhelmed by the cabin.

So, which one will you pick?

The BRZ and GR 86 have a devoted following among car enthusiasts, and this redesign has been a long time in the making. The naysayers had plenty of ammo thanks to the subtle improvements during the first models' long lifetime. The big question now, after all of these improvements, is whether the updated version would persuade first and second-generation 86/BRZ owners (not to mention those few Scion FR-S owners who purchased in before the model was incorporated into the Toyota lineup) to sell and buy new—or whether the continued lack of a turbo option will drive interested buyers away. Whether it's a joint venture or not, any sports car we'd like to see stick around shouldn't rely solely on new buyers.