Compare the2023 Toyota GR86VS 2023 Lexus RC

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The GR86 Auto has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The RC doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the GR86 and the RC have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the GR86 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The RC has not been fully tested, yet.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the GR86 for 1 year and 15000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the RC (2/25000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 5 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GR86’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the GR86’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the RC’s camshafts. If the RC’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Lexus is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Lexus vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Lexus is ranked second.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the GR86 lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The RC doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the GR86 gets better mileage than the RC:

The GR86 offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The RC doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The GR86 stops shorter than the RC:

The Toyota GR86 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 950 to 1000 pounds less than the Lexus RC.

The GR86 is 1 foot, 5.1 inches shorter than the RC, making the GR86 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Toyota GR86 amounts to more than styling. The GR86 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .276 Cd. That is lower than the RC (.3 to .31). A more efficient exterior helps the GR86 go faster and keeps the interior quieter. It also helps the GR86 get better fuel mileage.

The GR86 has 2.6 inches more rear legroom, .3 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the RC.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the GR86’s exterior PIN entry system. The RC doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Safety Connect® can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The GR86’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The RC’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the GR86 Premium has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The RC doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota GR86, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The GR86 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 2 more times in the last 11 years. The RC has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Toyota GR86 outsold the Lexus RC by almost five to one during 2022.