Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ get updated chassis and tech

Toyota Australia has confirmed a suite of chassis, interior and safety upgrades for the GR86, with the updated coupe due in local showrooms later this month with no increase to the prices.

The changes were detailed by Toyota Gazoo Racing on August 6 as part of a mid-life sharpening of the 86 formula, and Toyota Australia moved quickly to confirm the package for local delivery.

“Toyota Australia is pleased to confirm a raft of enhancements for the GR86, including the introduction of a distinctive Moon Slate Grey paint colour, further chassis improvements, updated interior trim, and additional safety features,” the car-maker said in a statement.

“The updated GR86 will arrive in Australian showrooms later this month [August].”

Chief among the driving changes is a revised throttle calibration, which Toyota says delivers a more linear relationship between accelerator input and powertrain response, particularly when the coupe is being adjusted mid-corner or driven on low-friction surfaces.

The electric power steering has also been recalibrated to settle the car in high-speed corners and over rough surfaces, addressing a wobble that engineers identified at speed.

Manual cars pick up the most granular tweak of the lot – the shift-interlock chamfer has been widened by 0.5mm, which Toyota says allows smoother downshifts from fifth to fourth for what it calls “stress-free, at the limit corner entry”.

On the safety side, the EyeSight driver-assist suite has moved from a two-camera set-up to three, pairing the existing wide-angle stereo cameras with an ultra-wide-angle monocular camera for a broader field of view. In theory, this should improve safety systems.

Inside, the switchgear has been redesigned using upgraded materials, while the red-and-black interior scheme picks up additional red accenting around the driver’s seat.

The Moon Slate Grey exterior colour is new to Australia and is expected to attract a premium of about $600.
What has not changed is the bit enthusiasts care most about. The GR86 carries over its 174kW/250Nm 2.4-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.

There is no power increase, no forced induction and no new gearbox.

In Japan, where order books open on August 28, the update also brings back the Solid Gray paint last offered in 2017-2018, and from December the GR86 Cup Car Basic race version will be offered with an automatic transmission for the first time.

Toyota says roughly 110,000 GR86s have been delivered globally since 2021.

The mechanically near-identical Subaru BRZ receives the same throttle, steering, transmission and EyeSight revisions in other markets, but Subaru Australia is yet to confirm the upgrades for local showrooms.

The BRZ currently opens at $47,890 plus ORCs.

The timing of this update matters because sales of both coupes are sliding. Toyota delivered 383 examples of the GR86 in the first seven months of 2026, down 21.8 per cent year-on-year, while Subaru managed 379 BRZs, down 16.1 per cent, according to VFACTS.

Whether a sweeter gearshift and a third safety camera can arrest that is another question.
Pricing is unchanged across the line-up, with the GR86 opening at $43,940 plus ORCs for the GT, rising to $46,090 for the GTS, $48,290 for the GTS with Dynamic Performance Pack.

It’ll cost $50,490 for the GTS with Dynamic Performance Pack and red interior.

The BRZ ladder starts higher and climbs further, from $47,890 plus ORCs for the Coupe to $49,190 for the Coupe S, $52,790 for the Coupe tS and $53,590 for the Coupe tS Kiiro.

For now, the updated GR86 lands within weeks. Subaru buyers waiting on the same changes for the BRZ will need to sit tight for a little longer.

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