The 2022 Subaru BRZ has a new brother! The 2022 Toyota GR 86 has debuted, bringing with it much of the DNA also found in the Subaru, but with distinct Toyota looks inside and out, as well as unique tuning.

Despite sharing the same platform and being designed as part of a joint effort between the two companies, the GR 86 and BRZ have been designed to appeal to different customers. For its part, Toyota says that the GR 86 is “specially designed for sports performance, and provides direct and satisfying driving performance of the highest order”. Not that the Subaru isn’t.

The Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ is nearly identical.Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Corporation

As is natural with a co-developed car, the GR 86 and BRZ look extremely similar on the outside. Their noses are slightly different thanks to changed-up grilles (the GR 86 gets a GR-specific Functional MATRIX Grille) and air intakes. Toyota’s has splice-like intakes that are reminiscent of what you’ll find on the Prius and Avalon. Side sill spoilers help complete the motorsports-influenced look.

The two cars have almost the same dimensions as their predecessors. Their positioning on the road is designed to allow a lower center of gravity and enhance turning performance. This makes the small sports car particularly agile. The car’s weight comes in just a smidge under 2,800 pounds.

Its body features aluminum roof panels and fenders. The front seats and mufflers have be redesigned for weight loss. Body rigidity has increased in the new model, which aids in stability on the road, as does the car’s MacPherson suspension up front and double-wishbone rear suspension.

The front-engine, rear-wheel drive car shares an engine with the BRZ as well. The new 2.4-liter four-cylinder power plant is an upgrade from the 2.0-liter of old. The engine is capable of 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque (figures that mirror the Subaru). Its power cuts acceleration off the line to 60 mph down to 6.3 seconds from 7.4 seconds.

In Japan at least, Toyota will offer the car with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. U.S. engine and transmission info has yet to be finalized.

The interior of the BRZ and GR 86 are nearly identical. The biggest change is Toyota’s infotainment screen and a 7-inch TFT driver information screen that features a unique GR 86 opening sequence. Photos from the two companies show that Toyota offers orange or red carpeting in their car while Subaru sticks to black.

All GR 86 and BRZ cars come standard with Subar’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology. The system is a suite of safety features that includes adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and pre-collision braking and throttle management.

This isn’t the last we’ll see of the Toyota-Subaru partnership. The companies are committed to remaining allies and deepening their relationship.