Which rear-wheel drive sports coupe would you have?
Toyota 86. Subaru BRZ. The now-defunct Scion FR-S. This car’s been sold under several different names around the world, but the core philosophy has remained the same. Two doors, a boxer engine, and rear-wheel drive. In a gearhead’s world, there are few better combinations for some wholesome fun than that. But there’s a slight dilemma.
You see, the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ are still sold side-by-side in the U.S. Fundamentally, these cars are similar under the skin. Both house a 2.0-liter, horizontally-opposed engine with 205 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque. Even better, you can purchase either of these cars with a six-speed manual transmission, although a six-speed automatic is also available. They’ve both received some minor updates since their debut in 2012, but all-in-all, they’re still the same car they were then.
Some (minor) differences between the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ
Both come in three trim levels. The Toyota 86 comes in its base, GT, and Black edition flavors. The Subaru, on the other hand, is available in Premium, Limited, or tS forms. The tS is the most hardcore of the three, as STI (Subaru Technica International) tuned the suspension and gave it some sporty bits, including brembo brakes, a front strut bar and lower crossmember brace, and a bigger wing. The Toyota has a bit more of a refined character, as opposed to the racer vibe Subaru went for with their version.
