Subaru Outback vs Toyota GR86
Verdict
This is a very Malaysian head-versus-heart choice. The Subaru Outback costs RM280,390 and gives you a 5-seat wagon body, 522-litre boot, all-wheel drive and auto emergency braking. The Toyota GR86 is RM296,000 and much quicker, with 234 hp, rear-wheel drive, a manual gearbox and 0-100 km/h in 6.3 seconds. But it has four seats, 226 litres of boot space and a smaller 50-litre tank. One is family transport with traction; the other is the driver’s car.
Pick the Subaru Outback if you need five seats, a big 522-litre boot, all-wheel drive and the security of auto emergency braking.
Pick the Toyota GR86 if you want rear-wheel drive, a manual gearbox and much stronger 6.3-second 0-100 km/h pace.
Key differences
- Body and seating: Subaru Outback wagon with 5 seats; Toyota GR86 coupe with 4 seats
- Output: Subaru Outback 185 hp and 245 Nm; Toyota GR86 234 hp and 250 Nm
- Transmission and driven wheels: Subaru Outback CVT automatic with AWD; Toyota GR86 manual with RWD
- Acceleration and top speed: Subaru Outback 0-100 km/h in 9.6 s and 206 km/h; Toyota GR86 6.3 s and 226 km/h
- Boot space and fuel tank: Subaru Outback 522 L and 63 L; Toyota GR86 226 L and 50 L
- Road tax: Subaru Outback RM878 per year; Toyota GR86 RM767 per year
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 280,390✓ | RM 296,000 |
| Body type | Wagon | Coupe |
| Segment | D-Segment | Sports Car |
| Seats | 5 | 4 |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Engine | 2,498 cc | 2,387 cc |
| Power | 185 hp | 234 hp✓ |
| Torque | 245 Nm | 250 Nm✓ |
| Transmission | CVT Automatic | Manual |
| Driven wheels | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance | ||
| 0–100 km/h | 9.6 s | 6.3 s✓ |
| Top speed | 206 km/h | 226 km/h✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,870 mm | 4,265 mm |
| Width | 1,875 mm | 1,775 mm |
| Height | 1,682 mm | 1,310 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,745 mm | 2,575 mm |
| Boot space | 522 L✓ | 226 L |
| Fuel tank | 63 L | 50 L |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 7 | 7 |
| Auto emergency braking | Yes | — |
| Ownership | ||
| Warranty | 5 | 5 |
| Road tax / year | RM 878 | RM 767✓ |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Outback
- Far larger 522-litre boot
- Five-seat cabin
- All-wheel drive plus auto emergency braking
- Slower 9.6-second 0-100 km/h time
- CVT automatic rather than a manual
- Higher RM878 annual road tax
GR86
- Quicker 6.3-second 0-100 km/h time
- Manual gearbox with rear-wheel drive
- Lower RM767 annual road tax
- Only 226 litres of boot space
- Four seats rather than five
- No auto emergency braking listed
Outback vs GR86 FAQ
Is the Subaru Outback or Toyota GR86 better?
The Subaru Outback is better as an everyday family car because it has five seats, 522 litres of boot space, AWD and auto emergency braking. The Toyota GR86 is better for driving, with 234 hp, RWD, a manual gearbox and a 6.3-second 0-100 km/h time.
What is the price difference?
The Toyota GR86 costs RM15,610 more than the Subaru Outback. The gap does not buy more space; it buys the quicker 234 hp drivetrain, manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive layout and 6.3-second 0-100 km/h performance.
Which car is quicker?
The Toyota GR86 is clearly quicker. It does 0-100 km/h in 6.3 seconds and reaches 226 km/h, while the Subaru Outback takes 9.6 seconds and tops out at 206 km/h.