Two of the most similar sports cars in the entire market are the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86. These two cars share a platform and offer nearly identical performance figures. When it comes to affordable driving fun, the BRZ and GR86 deliver the good with active powertrains, impressive steering dynamics, and sports suspension systems. Although extremely similar, sales for these two sports cars are heading in opposite directions, which is really strange.

Which direction are sales going for these two sports cars?

You might think that two sports cars riding on the same platform would have similar sales figures and show increases together. That’s not the case for the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ. According to GoodCarBadCar, the Subaru reports sales increase for the year while the Toyota model has declined.

The Subaru BRZ sold 4.68% more models during October compared to the same month last year. For the year, Subaru sports car sales have increased by 34.86% compared to the first 10 months of 2022.

The story for the Toyota GR86 isn’t nearly as impressive. Although the GR86 experienced a 20.30% increase in sales during October, the overall sales for 2023 are down 7,92% compared to the YTD sales from 2022.

How similar are the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ?

We mentioned the shared platform between these two sports cars, but the similarities don’t end there. Both cars utilize a 2.4-liter boxer engine designed by Subaru, which provides 228 hp to the wheels. These cars also enjoy the benefits and fun of a six-speed manual transmission as the standard setup, with a six-speed automatic transmission optional in each car.

The GR86 comes with a slightly more playful suspension, made for drifting, while the BRZ has a Torsen limited-slip differential and impressive cornering capabilities. These two sports cars also come in two trims each, which is another similarity. The base models of each car offer:

Toyota GR86

• Adaptive cruise control
• Automatic high-beam headlights
• Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking
• MacPherson strut front suspension
• Rear stabilizer bars
• GR tuned springs and shocks
• 17-inch black alloy wheels
• LED headlights and taillights
• Heated power side mirrors
• Drive Modes: Normal, Sport, Snow, Track (Track is for manual models only)
• Six-speaker audio system
• 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen

Subaru BRZ

• 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels
• Sport suspension
• Power side mirrors
• Push-button starting
• LED headlights
• V-shaped strut-tower bar
• Manual handbrake (great for drifting)
• EyeSight driver assist system
• 7.0-inch configurable digital instrument cluster
• 8.0-inch color infotainment touchscreen
• Six-speaker audio system
• Track Mode

Why are BRZ sales rising while GR86 sales are declining?

The Toyota GR86 seems to be better equipped than the Subaru BRZ, which makes it confusing to understand why the BRZ has rising sales while the GR86 sales are declining. Although the percentages show the GR86 selling slower than last year, the YTD total sales have reached 9,531 models through October. The Subaru BRZ sales this year have reached 3,652 models, which is about one-third of the total of Toyota’s sports car.

Both of these sports cars received a complete redesign for the 2022 model year. Could the BRZ be more attractive and engaging than the GR86, causing an increase in sales compared to last year? Possibly.