Head-To-Head Subaru BRZ Vs. Toyota GR86 - Only One Takes Home The Gold

Should you buy the 2023 Subaru BRZ or the 2023 Toyota GR86? The two sports cars are a collaboration between the Japanese automakers but aren't created equal. They have many similarities, but there are also significant differences. 

U.S. News gave a head-to-head comparison and found one is the superior sports car between the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 models. Here are the results. 

Subaru BRZ vs. Toyota GR 86

Price: 2023 Toyota GR86

Reliability: 2023 Subaru BRZ

Seat Comfort: Tie

Cargo Space: Tie

Interior Quality: 2023 Subaru BRZ

Interior Features: Tie

Acceleration: Tie

Fuel Economy: Tie

Ride and Handling: Tie

Safety: Inconclusive

Winner: 2023 Subaru BRZ

Price: 2023 Toyota GR86

U.S. News says The BRZ has a starting price of $29,615. Toyota's GR86 starts at $29,495, so it has a slight price advantage over Subaru's sports car and thus wins this round."  The GR86 costs $120 less than BRZ. 

2023 Subaru BRZ pricing

The 2023 Subaru BRZ comes in two trim levels with two transmission options. The BRZ Premium with a 6-speed manual gearbox has a starting price of $29,615. BRZ Premium with an automatic transmission starts at $33,115. The Limited (6-speed manual) has a starting MSRP of $32,115. The Limited with an automatic transmission starts at $33,255. Pricing includes destination and delivery fees.

Reliability: 2023 Subaru BRZ

U.S. News says according to J.D. Power's score for predicted reliability, Subaru's BRZ has a predicted reliability score of 78. That's higher than Toyota GR86 score (73), so the Subie triumphs in this section of our head-to-head."

Interior Quality: 2023 Subaru BRZ

U.S. News says, "Like the GR86, the BRZ has a lot of hard plastics in its cabin. However, Subaru's car has an interior that looks just a bit more upscale, with contrast stitching on the seats, giving it an advantage in this section of our showdown."

Winner: 2023 Subaru BRZ

U.S. News says, "Since the BRZ has two wins to the GR86's one, it takes home the gold by the slimmest of margins in our head-to-head."

Our take:

The Subaru BRZ is now the lowest cost to own a sports car in America. KBB predicted the 2023 BRZ to have a 5-year cost-to-own of $39,908 (including the purchase price), which is $16,519 less than the sports car segment average. 

Car and Driver says the Subaru BRZ won best in its segment in the new Car and Driver Editors' Choice awards for 2023. The recently-remodeled 2023 Subaru BRZ sports coupe and Toyota GR86 are the most affordable sports car pick. 

Which model would you buy, the 2023 Subaru BRZ or the 2023 Subaru Toyota GR86?? Let us know in the comments below. 

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Denis Flierl brings over thirty years of combined auto industry and automotive journalism experience to Torque News readers. He is an accredited Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) member. The last twelve years have been spent with Torque News, covering Subaru vehicles and the latest news. Check back daily for his expert Subaru analysis. You'll find the latest stories on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

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Photo credit: Subaru, Toyota