2017 Toyota 86 vs. 2017 Subaru BRZ

86 vs. BRZ: Which Sports Car Should You Buy?

If you’ve shopped for a fun-to-drive car in the $30,000 price range over the past several years, the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S have probably crossed your path. Both cars get a mild refresh for 2017, including the FR-S’ rebranding as the Toyota 86.

The BRZ and 86 both seat four. They were jointly developed between Subaru and Toyota. Although these mechanically identical sports cars have more factors in common than not, there are some subtle differences that can help you decide between the two. Both cars were finalists for our 2017 Best Sports Car for the Money award. Deciding between the BRZ and 86 could be as simple as choosing the brand you prefer, though there are other factors at work. Read on for a closer look at the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86.

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Pricing

Winner: 2017 Subaru BRZ (Details Below)

The Toyota 86 (starting at $26,255) is available in one trim level, with very few options. Opting for an automatic transmission adds just $325 to the bottom line. Though the 86 has a higher starting price than other sports cars, it’s unlikely to end up costing much more than that. A special edition with exclusive styling elements starts at $29,155 with the manual transmission. If you’re looking for the special edition with an automatic transmission, it’ll cost you $29,875.

The Subaru BRZ is offered in two trim levels. The Premium model starts at $25,495 and is similarly equipped to the Toyota 86. The Limited trim starts at $27,645 and adds premium lighting and interior features. The BRZ is also offered with a couple of options packages. A new special edition this year – the Series.Yellow – starts at $29,695.

Due to its lower overall starting price and greater pricing flexibility, the Subaru BRZ takes the win in this category.

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Safety

Winner: Tie (Details Below)

The Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ earn identical crash test scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In IIHS testing, both cars have a rating of Acceptable in the small overlap test, which tests the strength of the car’s front corners. Both cars earn Good scores in the rest of the IIHS tests.

The 86 and BRZ are only rated for two of the four NHTSA tests. Both models earn five out of five stars in the rollover test and four stars in the frontal crash test.

The Toyota and Subaru both come standard with a rearview camera, but they do not offer active safety features commonly found in competitors.

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Seat Comfort and Interior Refinement

Winner: Tie (Details Below)

Both cars come standard with cloth upholstery. The supportive, high-bolstered front seats make it easy to find a comfortable driving position, but the rear row is cramped, particularly for adults. A distinctive trait of the BRZ is its available upgraded seats, which feature leather side bolsters and Alcantara inserts.

The BRZ and 86 have both been refreshed for 2017, with soft-touch materials replacing some coarser interior surfaces. This change addresses previous complaints from critics and makes both cars feel more upscale.

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Interior Technology

Winner: 2017 Toyota 86 (Details Below)

The BRZ and 86 share a basic interior setup. Both come with a rearview camera, Bluetooth, HD Radio, satellite radio, and an eight-speaker sound system. Each brand brings its own infotainment system to the table, which is what settles the debate. Subaru’s system features a 6.2-inch touch screen, and the Toyota comes with a 7-inch touch screen. Reviewers prefer the usability of the Toyota’s system.

A 4.2-inch LCD gauge cluster display is new for 2017 in the BRZ. It provides performance information such as a lap timer, fluid temperatures, and torque curves. It is standard in the BRZ Limited and 86 Special Edition models, and unavailable in the base trims. The lack of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support is a black mark against both cars.

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Cargo Space

Winner: Tie (Details Below)

Sports cars aren’t exactly known for having generous cargo areas, but these models are especially tight. The BRZ and 86 both feature 6.9 cubic feet of trunk space and a fold-down rear row to accommodate larger items.

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Fuel Efficiency

Winner: 2017 Subaru BRZ (Details Below)

Despite identical specs, the Subaru BRZ has an edge in its EPA fuel economy ratings. The manual BRZ is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The Toyota 86 gets the same city rating and a slightly lower 28 mpg highway rating. The situation is similar with the automatic models’ EPA ratings, which come in at 24/33 mpg city/highway for the BRZ and 24/32 mpg city/highway for the 86. It’s a slight difference, but the BRZ’s advantage might be enough to sway you if fuel economy is a top priority.

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Performance

Winner: 2017 Subaru BRZ (Details Below)

Performance is at the heart of every sports car, yet the performance of the BRZ and 86 further illustrate that they are more similar than different. A 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine is the only available engine. A six-speed manual is standard and a six-speed automatic is available in both cars. The manual model is rated for 205 horsepower, and the automatic yields 200 horsepower. As you can imagine, critics’ reviews are similar between the models; most of them agree that the cars are fun to drive but would benefit from a little more power.

Both cars come standard with rear-wheel drive and a sport-tuned suspension, which has been updated for 2017. The BRZ and 86 are both known for excellent, corner-carving handling capabilities. Toyota offers TRD (Toyota Racing Development) accessories through the dealership, such as performance springs and a performance exhaust. However, Subaru offers Brembo brakes and performance shocks to further fine-tune the 86’s stopping and handling power. The Subaru’s more substantial performance upgrades earn it the win.

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Reliability

Winner: 2017 Toyota 86 (Details Below)

Despite these cars’ similarities, the Toyota 86 is the better choice for reliability. While the 86 scores four out of a possible five points on the J.D. Power Predicted Reliability scale, the BRZ scores just 2.5 out of five.

Both cars are backed by a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

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The Winner Is …

2017 Toyota 86 (Details Below)

Despite the Subaru BRZ’s lower base price and optional performance upgrades, the Toyota 86 is the overall winner thanks to its advantages in reliability and interior technology. That’s enough reason to make the Toyota the first candidate on your shopping list, but it’s not to say you should overlook the Subaru. Considering that these cars are so alike, interested shoppers should test drive both. Some factors, such as subtle differences in exterior and interior design, might grab your eye and sway your buying decision when most other characteristics of these cars come down to a draw.

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