2027 Subaru BRZ Price Makes Toyota GR86 Harder to Ignore

Subaru has announced pricing for the 2027 BRZ sports car, along with a few small safety-related updates. One of the only affordable rear-wheel-drive sports cars with a manual gearbox, the Subaru BRZ remains a top choice for the purist on a budget. Its base price has only gone up by $280 for the new model year, and while this sounds negligible, it’s a problem when matched up against the related Toyota GR86. Here’s a look at what the BRZ will cost you and why it’s not necessarily a smarter buy than a 2026 model—or its Toyota cousin.

2027 Subaru BRZ Pricing

Still priced at comfortably under $40,000, the 2027 Subaru BRZ will now start at $36,140, excluding a destination and delivery charge of $1,245. Here’s a look at all derivatives and how they compare to their 2026 equivalents.

The 2027 model is almost identical to the 2026 version, with the same 2.4-liter Boxer four-cylinder engine producing 228 horsepower. For the new model year, the 2027 BRZ gets a new wide-angle mono camera for a larger field of vision, improving the effectiveness of the EyeSight driver-assistance suite. Subaru has also added rear parking sensors to the tS model, but that’s the extent of the updates.

These are minimal changes, so the 2026 model could be a much smarter choice. We found a few 2026 BRZ Limited models for around $35k, with barely any miles on the clock—that’s already a saving of over $1,000 relative to the near-identical 2027 model. If you want to unlock the car’s full potential, the range-topping tS adds STI-tuned Hitachi dampers, Brembo brakes, and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires. As engaging as the BRZ is, its Toyota rival offers a lot more bang for your buck.

2026 Toyota GR86: A Cheaper Option

The GR86 shares its powertrain with the BRZ, so you lose nothing in terms of performance and handling prowess. But the 2026 version of the Toyota costs just $31,400, a full $4,740 less than the base BRZ. The entry-level GR86 doesn’t have heated seats or blind-spot monitoring, which is standard on the Subaru, but their specs are otherwise similar, and those extras do not justify the BRZ’s price premium. 

You can unlock more equipment by opting for the GR86 Premium at $34,000, which has heated front seats, nicer leather and Ultrasuede upholstery, and blind-spot detection. This model still undercuts the base Subaru, even if you add the Performance Package with Brembo brakes and SACHS dampers. At $36,365, the 2026 Toyota GR86 Yuzu Edition is only marginally more expensive than the base 2027 Subaru BRZ. This variant of the Toyota gets unique finishes, Brembo brakes, and SACHS dampers. 

Related: Toyota Just Made the GR86 Even Better to Drive for 2027

Final Thoughts

The price difference between the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 is impossible to justify. If you want the best-value small sports car, the Toyota GR86 is easily the better buy between these two, offering comparable performance and more features at the same price point. If the Subaru had a better warranty, that may be one reason to consider it over the Toyota, but the two cars share equal coverage. Sales of the BRZ fell in the U.S. last month, and the 2027 model doesn’t look like it’s about to change that.