Ownership Verified: My first new car, a Toyobaru.

GM_IV

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
980
Location
Toronto, ON
Car(s)
2014 Monogram FRS
With my Cressida sold and my Impreza always being intended as a temporary car, the time was right for a brand new car. Luckily the Impreza was so inexpensive to run despite the AWD and the expensive Subaru parts, in 3 years the only thing that's ever gone wrong was the catalytic converter. Now, I will say I did enjoy my time with the Impreza however there were a few things that bothered me. As a N/A Subaru Impreza, despite being a 5-speed the car was only moderately average on acceleration. Then there's the handling, its extremely competent and very capable even under icy conditions but when its only wet or dry I find the car doesn't excite me very much as it simply feels too good. Plus after driving the Cressida for so long, I was missing the feeling of RWD and the Impreza was only willing to slide the tail when it loses grip which isn't that often. When the Toyobaru arrived, I knew I had to test drive one, primarily to confirm whether its truly the car everyone is saying it was and to see if I can actually use this car's practicality for when I'm in a pinch. I test drove the automatic and it was a very competent car, my dad sat in the back and if he said he was comfortable enough in the rear the car is suddenly going straight to the top of my list. The good news...the car succeeded. Anyways, this particular version is the Monogram version(yeah another silly Scion special edition) so basically its the fully loaded Toyota version that most other markets see. Anyways here's the pics.


















Had to use the car as a family sedan both today and yesterday, the giant package amazon sent me actually fit in the rear seats(I never had to carry something this large when I had the Impreza) and amazingly my mom was happy to ride in the car even in the back seats. Personally I'm glad to return to the RWD world and lucky this car has enough practicality, I realize this is not everyone's situation with this particular car.
 
You went to the trouble of rebadging it as a Toyota? Nice job :)
 
Its actually really easy to rebadge this car, the front emblem is the only slightly tricky one.
 
I was about to ask if this Monogram edition came with the Toyota GT86 badging. I much prefer the looks of the Toyota badges, but then I'm from a country that doesn't know what a Scion is so seeing Scion on this car always seemed wrong to me.

It looks just like the 86 GTS spec we get in Australia.
 
Does the Toyota and Subaru have the same interiors in the non-US countries? I ask because the Scion has a lower-spec interior compared to the Subaru in the US.
 
I was about to ask if this Monogram edition came with the Toyota GT86 badging. I much prefer the looks of the Toyota badges, but then I'm from a country that doesn't know what a Scion is so seeing Scion on this car always seemed wrong to me.

It looks just like the 86 GTS spec we get in Australia.
I always thought it was weird that even the Scion version came with the 86 boxer badges on the sides. At that point you do get the sense the name FRS is just tacked on, plus I have no affinity for the Scion brand, its one of the forgotten brands that nobody here realizes exists. The badging I got before the car arrived so no Scion doesn't offer that. Strangely there is no mention of the word Monogram on the car at all. As for the Monogram trim, its pretty much as close to the Australian 86 GTS compared to the rest of the trim levels out there for the car. The only differences being the small USDM exhaust tips(which I already changed out), the head unit is different and the spoiler is a Scion spoiler.

Does the Toyota and Subaru have the same interiors in the non-US countries? I ask because the Scion has a lower-spec interior compared to the Subaru in the US.

The Toyota versions outside of North America are in most cases as well equipped as the Subaru versions. Only Japan has a boat load of trim levels ranging from the RC which is a very low cost tuner's choice of car as it doesn't even have a painted front bumper, comes with steel rims and as close to a stripped out car as a large manufacturer can sell all the way to the 86 GT limited which has things like sensors and cameras. North America is probably the only place where the Toyota version being Scion, is generally the less well equipped car.
 
Last edited:
Congrats! I love these things, they're always willing to play and fool around.

At first I thought you had rebadged a Subaru as a Toyota and was all hey, that's wrong! Then I realized that you rebadged a Scion as a Toyota and not knowing what the hell a Scion is, that must be right.

You speak very highly of the back seats, that's admirable. When I've driven a GT86 a few times the size of the back seat has left me only with a feeling of "Why did they even try?" :)
 
The Toyota versions outside of North America are in most cases as well equipped as the Subaru versions. Only Japan has a boat load of trim levels ranging from the RC which is a very low cost tuner's choice of car as it doesn't even have a painted front bumper, comes with steel rims and as close to a stripped out car as a large manufacturer can sell all the way to the 86 GT limited which has things like sensors and cameras. North America is probably the only place where the Toyota version being Scion, is generally the less well equipped car.

The base 86 GT we get here is pretty stripped out compared to the BRZ; it gets smaller alloys, halogen lights, no nav/touchscreen thingys, no leather, manual air con... The 86 GTS is pretty much on par with the BRZ I think (and is the one most buy despite the very attractive entry price of the GT). The BRZ Premium is I think the nicest specced Toyobaru you can get in Australia.
 
Congrats! I love these things, they're always willing to play and fool around.

At first I thought you had rebadged a Subaru as a Toyota and was all hey, that's wrong! Then I realized that you rebadged a Scion as a Toyota and not knowing what the hell a Scion is, that must be right.

You speak very highly of the back seats, that's admirable. When I've driven a GT86 a few times the size of the back seat has left me only with a feeling of "Why did they even try?" :)
I think only people my height can get away with using them. I'm a bit shorter than 5'4 and my immediate family is all shorter than I am. Those who are taller than that and aren't able to use the rear seats as actual seats would simply use them as a baggage carrier or simply fold them totally flat to create the full trunk space and ignore their existence. I had to throw a giant box in on Sunday and the rear seats held that thing pretty well.



The base 86 GT we get here is pretty stripped out compared to the BRZ; it gets smaller alloys, halogen lights, no nav/touchscreen thingys, no leather, manual air con... The 86 GTS is pretty much on par with the BRZ I think (and is the one most buy despite the very attractive entry price of the GT). The BRZ Premium is I think the nicest specced Toyobaru you can get in Australia.
I'm guessing your BRZ Premium is fully loaded to the till? The only reason I ask is because the BRZ Premium is the lowest spec version for the US and it doesn't come with push button start, dual HVAC, etc. Basically the standard Scion spec apart from the HIDs.
 
I'm guessing your BRZ Premium is fully loaded to the till? The only reason I ask is because the BRZ Premium is the lowest spec version for the US and it doesn't come with push button start, dual HVAC, etc. Basically the standard Scion spec apart from the HIDs.

Yeah, well technically the BRZ is one single model and you can option the 'Premium' package which includes the leather and alcantara heated seats. I think it's changed now though because you can now option a 'Premium S' pack which includes the Premium things and adds the 'S' package, with things like a body kit, short shift kit, black wheels and stiffer suspension. All BRZs have push button start, dual climate control and HIDs.

The 86 GTS is pretty much equivalent to a BRZ with the Premium package, but without heated seats, as far as I can tell.
 
You let them drill your front bumper :(

Welcome to the club. Change the tires. They're crap. Change the differential and gear oils. They're crap. (Motul Gear 300 is infinitely superior and changing both simultaneously means you only need 4 quarts). Change the windshield wipers, because they are also crap.


Other than that, :thumbsup: :lol:
 
Last edited:
You let them drill your front bumper :(

Welcome to the club. Change the tires. They're crap. Change the differential and gear oils. They're crap. (Motul Gear 300 is infinitely superior and changing both simultaneously means you only need 4 quarts). Change the windshield wipers, because they are also crap.


Other than that, :thumbsup: :lol:

Actually the front plate is on the grille. Bumper is technically still clean. Thanks for the advice.
 
Were those pics taken at Fairview Mall? :D

Nice job on the re-badging, but I would get rid of the "TOYOTA" and "GT86" badges from the back just for it to look cleaner. :)

Edit: Uh...you forgot the ones on all 5 wheels. :p
 
Last edited:
Were those pics taken at Fairview Mall? :D

Nice job on the re-badging, but I would get rid of the "TOYOTA" and "GT86" badges from the back just for it to look cleaner. :)

Edit: Uh...you forgot the ones on all 5 wheels. :p

Yep, it is indeed Fairview.

I actually have the center caps but due to how much later the car came the opportunity to change those out will have to wait. If I got the car in earlier in the month, the center caps would've been replaced as I would've had snow tires on.

And the steering wheel. :p Thats pretty much an $800 badge. Needs nearly an entire new steering wheel.

Yeah I was going to skip that particular route.

I was planning on something like this.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44720

Far cheaper and easy to make it look like any stock USDM steering wheel badge.
 
And the steering wheel. :p Thats pretty much an $800 badge. Needs nearly an entire new steering wheel.

Were those pics taken at Fairview Mall? :D

Nice job on the re-badging, but I would get rid of the "TOYOTA" and "GT86" badges from the back just for it to look cleaner. :)

Edit: Uh...you forgot the ones on all 5 wheels. :p

;)
 
I find it pretty interesting that people go through trouble and spend money to get their car look like a Toyota... Scion sounds a million times more interesting than rebadging it to look a Corolla's athletic brother. But that is just me :p
 
Top