The best sports cars money can buy are the Toyobaru twins
I recently spent a week testing Subaru's 2026 BRZ tS, a sportier, more athletic trim of their BRZ. Bigger Brembo brakes bring better stopping power, Hitachi dampers and suspension tuned by the brand's in-house performance division, STI, and a few styling enhancements. It was actually my second time behind the wheel of the BRZ tS, having had one on test in late fall 2024, but what made this second evaluation unique was that I just so happened to be scheduled in it in mid January, with snow on ground and trembling-cold temperatures above.
It's rare, very rare, to have a sports car on test during the winter season. Most automakers pull them from their regional fleets, so I was admittedly surprised to see me booked in the BRZ tS. Subaru being Subaru, played it out cleverly: it fitted the low-slung sports car with heated seats, grippy Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires, threw some rubber floormats and a cargo mat inside, and pretty much said "Go have fun". Indeed I did.
On dry pavement and in warmer weather, the Toyobaru twins (a pair of nearly identical sports cars jointly developed between Toyota and Subaru...Toyota's being being the GR 86 which started off its life almost 15 years ago as a Scion) are delightful, incredibly fun to drive. They're forgiving, they're nimble, they're peppy, and more importantly: they're livable. I've driven countless examples of the Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ over the course of its two generations. I road tripped one in our Cars.com long-term test fleet for to and from Holland, Michigan, about 12 hours in a day. I also took it north to Wisconsin's Door County on a summer weekend. On my wedding day three years ago, I had a red GR 86 I was testing that served as our pack mule for all the stuff from our ceremony and reception, and the chariot that took my wife, still in her gorgeous wedding dress, and I home that night. Needless to say, I'm very fond of the Toyobaru twins and the memories I've made with them. They're special cars to me.
They're also special because of their unique, and seemingly rare DNA. When I think of what makes a sports car a proper sports car, the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR 86 check all the right boxes. Three pedals, rear wheel drive, and a swift, playful chassis that can be flung around. I've put hundreds if not thousands of miles on the Toyobaru twins in my career, both on the road and the track, where they perform equally as capable. They're simple, basic, and practical. They're the epitome of an automotive philosophy known simply as "slow car fast", meaning in an absence of big horsepower numbers and brash, violent acceleration you'd expect behind the wheel of say a gritty V8-powered Ford Mustang, supercharged Jaguar F-Type, Porsche 911, or other high-powered things...there's truly joyful, engagement in driving these often underpowered, lightweight, charismatic machines. My friend and colleague, Ryan Zummallen, wrote an entire book about this phenomenon.
Affordability is just as important in the sports car world. I've always preached that you should never be priced out of fun, and have always been an advocate for the attainable driver's car. Several automakers remain committed to providing consumers with the choice of budget-friendly sports cars. Hyundai's Elantra N, the Civic Si (even the Type R), Toyota's GR Corolla, Mazda's MX-5 Miata, Subaru's WRX, the Golf GTI from Volkswagen, and of course, the Toyobaru twins. Even a base, four-cylinder Ford Mustang with the right equipment can be a blast. Many if not all of these examples start under $40,000, most of them lower than that. A Subaru BRZ Limited stickers for about $35,860 out the door while its Toyota sibling, the GR 86 asks even less at $31,200. Dollar for dollar, when it comes to meshing authentic performance with must-have features and usability...I think the Toyobaru twins are total steals. Seriously! Did I mention both also get decently good gas mileage too and don't require premium fuel?
I've already decided that if and when I ever need to replace my 2004 Mazda RX-8...a BRZ or GR 86, new or used, would be a perfect, ideal successor. Hang on, before I continue, let me knock on wood and sacrifice something to the rotary gods. My apex seals haven't blown yet.
Yes the Mazda MX-5 Miata is and has been brilliant for decades, and undoubtedly the most fun car money can buy because it's literally a go-kart, but it lacks a usable trunk, backseat, and for my 6'2" tall frame: a roomy front driver's seat. Last summer I had one on test and snuggly drove across Wisconsin visiting some close friends, and let me tell you...if the current Miata were half an inch shorter in length, I wouldn't fit in it.
Back to my time with the BRZ tS. Amidst single-digit temperatures and across slippery snow-covered roads, it was a charmer to live with for a week. That naturally-aspirated 2.5L four-cylinder loved to be revved as I rowed through all six gears, and flopping flat its back seat meant, to my surprise, I could haul all my necessary skiing gear and still make upshifts and downshifts and not smack my elbow against the tips of my long 180 cm Surface Double Times. I was legitimately so, so stoked to discovery I could take the BRZ tS. Later that evening, the arrival of a snowstorm covered the highways and local streets with a blanket of snow and ice. Precarious? On paper, res, but folks I cannot pitch how helpful having a good pair of snow tires is and how much it can actually transform a car in adverse conditions. My commute home took a bit longer, but honestly, my I never felt unsafe or nervous piloting the BRZ tS through the blowing white. I kept my speed in check, clicked on the piping hot heated seat, and cued up a podcast.
That was just all the more proof these Toyobaru twins still really are the best, enjoyable everyday companions for an enthusiast.
➡️ What I'm drinking: Badger State Brewing Company's Brewski
➡️ An auction I'm watching: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2005-hyundai-santa-fe/
➡️ A story you should peep: https://www.autonews.com/volvo/an-volvo-considers-expansion-with-full-size-suv-0127/
📰 Where I'm quoted: I spoke with Headlight News's Paul Eisenstein about American consumer's demand for Chinese cars and shared my thoughts on Rivian's upcoming R2 to Automotive News.
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