BRZ vs GR86: Suspension and Handling Differences

We compared a 2023 Subaru BRZ against a 2023 Toyota GR86 to understand the differences in ride, handling and suspension. We drove both cars on street and on track. Both cars are identically prepared, running the exact same tires - GT Radial Champiro SX2.
Aside from some minor camber mods, and an oil cooler, and brake pads, both cars are completely stock. Both cars compete in stock class in the ‪@86cup26‬ Leave your comments below
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[@Alanvictoryoung]

I loved the video! I ordered a GR86 because I liked the look more but the smoother brz suspension sounds like a plus! Always fun to compare what you don’t have! 😅

[@revmatchtv]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@kristofferglennpfalmer4751]

Thank you for the first hand perspective regarding the handling differences. Useful and difficult to find information.

[@tmfrs2]

All I know is that they’re fun as hell to drive, can’t go wrong with either

[@revmatchtv]

100%! I love these cars

[@moonunitdaily1445]

I ended up buying the suspension out of a 2022 BRZ and put it in my GR86. I'm not a track guy but for the twisty mountain roads the softer the better lol .

[@revmatchtv]

BRZ ride is noticeably better

[@moonunitdaily1445]

@@revmatchtv For sure! I'm still on GR86 sways but BRZ coils/struts and its very noticeable.

[@Mark-lq9ir]

Could you let me know how much that cost and if you've experienced any problems after the installation? I just ordered a 2024 GR86, which hasn't arrived yet. I'm way more canyon oriented, so I might consider doing the same. Thanks.

[@moonunitdaily1445]

@@Mark-lq9ir It's mainly the struts that soften it up. I bought the front and rear complete from a wrecked brz 2022 for 600$. No issues there the same strut just valved different.

[@Mark-lq9ir]

@@moonunitdaily1445 Great. Thanks for the input. I'll definitely keep that in mind. It's appreciated.

[@hghori1]

Thanks for the spontaneous video and thoughts

[@anhiirr]

Now this vid has me leaning towards brz with either different/profiled side tread/wall tires. Or potentially slightly wider wheels. Plus a tread combination to help mitigate some of the roll. To me it translates better as a sporty daily. Even when pushing hard a little roll before tire health is a concern is nice for learning/development. Hopefully a change to fluid or pads can help with the brake balancing I do like to jab/stab at times the thought of something like that pulling off straight/like tracking almost changes cars completely in a cornering scenario with braking involved like down hill s curves etc from a high speed or traffic/sharing track. To me those are more situations where I'd hope he car stays in line when braking.

[@craigster1234]

On the STREET the BRZ is the better choice.

[@revmatchtv]

I agree

[@skttl3s]

Great comparison! I also heard that the throttle mappings were different between the two cars, like the GR86 is a little more torque-y in the low end whereas the BRZ was a smoother power curve

[@revmatchtv]

This is true. The 86 has aggressive throttle tip in. The BRZ is better and more linear imho.

[@Jez4prez1]

it's not 'more torque-y', both cars have the exact same torque. The GR86 just has a non-linear throttle (during full range of pedal travel) whereas the BRZ has a linear one (during full range of pedal travel).

[@MohamedAli965]

very helpful video as ive been considering these cars. did you find any difference in throttle mapping or engine response? i heard those were tuned differently by the manufacturers as well

[@revmatchtv]

Yes. The BRZ is more linear and the 86 has more aggressive response at at low RPM. I prefer the BRZ mapping as it’s easier to modulate.

[@movesmatter4514]

So the brz is the better day to day driver and is almost equal on track? I really do wonder how much the mounting point for the sway bars matter. I would think that you’re getting the same kind of leverage between the two and that if the brz switched to a solid bar it would help with the body roll a bit.

[@revmatchtv]

The BRZ Is the better daily driver. The 86 is slightly easier to drive on track. The body roll isn’t a problem imho. It’s designed to roll a bit. The 86 has a fair bit too at the limit. It helps the driver understand what’s happening.

[@briansoan9694]

Do drag race between both stock car

[@wyattoutlaw2370]

Those swag bars are tiny.. They look like 12mm or something?

[@FRWD_FXLRST]

Nobody would notice knuckles in a blind test. 😂

[@moonunitdaily1445]

BRZ spring rates 174/202 sways front 18.3mm (hollow) rear 14mm. GR86 spring rates 162/224 sways front 18mm (solid) rear 15mm.

[@revmatchtv]

Thanks

[@mrbot7875]

1:15 Aston Martin just drives by

[@li-ion2543]

sooo.... which one is better for hobby drifting (on track and parking lot)? don't understand so much technical car stuff yet. 😅

[@revmatchtv]

The 86 is slightly easier to drift in stock form. Once you do suspension mods, the differences become irrelevant.

[@Dornpunzel]

Funny thing: Another channel compared the both and came to the opposite conclusion. GR86 wants to drift more while BRZ goes more for clean lines.

[@archerious1972]

Excellent video, after driving a GR86 at Carmax I’ve started to want to trade in my Miata. Trying to decide between GR86 and BRZ.

[@chrisx5127]

Really? Why?

[@panglingaow]

Miata is better to drive from what I hear

[@MotoMangia]

Has anyone installed the OEM Toyota "aftermarket" GR exhaust? Anyone get an exhaust from a 3rd party company? Looking for a little growl but not obnoxious (I'm not 20 years old anymore, when I wanted loud for the sake of loud)

[@TheFunGun5]

TheTopher did a video on his MRT Sport Touring exhaust. Sounded good.

[@reganmian]

one of these is going to be my next car. I'm normally against buying new, but I want to have an affordable manual RWD car for years to come and buying one before we all get pushed into EVs is just going to be great to have

[@revmatchtv]

I'm a big fan. Still have mine and have done 20+ track days since I purchased it.

[@BlackNAVYAmericanVET]

Gasket glue issue needs to be addressed at factory

[@BlackNAVYAmericanVET]

I prefer a softer ride .

[@HowieWowie424]

You lost me when that beautiful Aston Martin blew by at 1:20 😅

[@revmatchtv]

Subframe something something…

[@chrisx5127]

Aston Martin is a POS vehicle. Find me a reliable British vehicles. Nope, never going to happen.

[@talalaldossary2656]

👍

[@warlok9]

The BRZ has aluminum front knuckles where the GR86 has stamped steel.

[@revmatchtv]

Yup.

[@panglingaow]

So what's better

[@revmatchtv]

@@panglingaow There’s no real perceptible difference. Theoretically, steel will handle abuse on track for longer, but I’ve never seen one fail.

[@alexandram9477]

As a BRZ owner I might have to get off the internet for my mental health, lol. Starting to get an inferiority complex, what the heck! Now it even brakes worse?? First I've heard that one. Few things tho, with less unsprung weight on the front of BRZ it might make it feel "softer" because less unsprung weight means better grip/less disturbance, more weight equals more disturbance. Also, maybe because BRZ has rear chasis mounted sway bar it allowed the engineers to soften the dampers/springs but combined has very similar lateral rigidity. I don't know, just guessing - reaching for straws here, lol.

[@revmatchtv]

Only on track under limit braking. You’d never notice on the street. We were driving 9/10ths. Overall I prefer it for street driving.

[@heiden2413]

aluminium knuckle is better brz > gr

[@alexandram9477]

@@heiden2413 it is - and lets be real, these aren't 'track cars' anyway, they're 2+2 GT sports cars - Subaru doesn't really make any 'track' cars, yes rally cars but the boxer isn't designed to sustain high Gs.

[@TenzWang88]

subaru might have better experience in tunning thier suspension system than Toyota which makes only broing family over the decades.

[@revmatchtv]

They are just tuned differently. I wouldn't say one is better than the other. It's more preference. For day to day street driving, the BRZ is softer and less busy.

[@alphabeta8403]

GR86 looks boy racer, BRZ 2:30 appears more mature, being comfy and all. Don’t dig the duck lip and black mirrors at all on the 86. Aggressive front is nice tho.

[@miketrudelle769]

That's why it is called rasing you have to drive the car not every 1 can do it.

[@brightenupcc]

With no quantitative analysis, the usefulness of this video is fairly limited.