Brakes

[20vWill]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the stock AE86 brakes. They are more than adequate to perfectly control and stop the lightweight car. Harder pads are needed to prevent fade for fast road/track use and grooved discs are a nice mild upgrade, but not really necessary.

If you feel your brakes are poor, then you most likely need all calipers rebuilt, fresh hoses (ALL wheel lines and the axle line), fresh master cylinder and new fluid (DOT 4 is fine) at least every year. Boosters normally last pretty well. New discs and pads are cheap enough so are well worth replacing if you're keeping the car.

Regarding the Braided hose vs standard rubber:

Braided hoses give a firmer pedal than stock rubber hoses. But bear in mind that the braided hoses you just bought and fitted are brand new and the decayed rubber hoses you just took off are 20 years old...

I think NoHachi has a point - if both were new, feel would be very similar though I expect my Goodridge hoses will last longer than new OE Toyota ones.