- Dynamic styling and thrilling performance
- Punchy 2.4-litre engine and fabulous handling
- Attractive pricing
- The UK allocation of 500 cars sold out in minutes
- Noisy engine will annoy the neighbours
- Some hard plastic surfaces let down the interior
Introduction
The GR86 comes hot on the heels of the GR Yaris and follows the same thrilling formula of the GT86. But any Toyota with the ‘GR’ prefix is always that little bit special as it means it has been given the Gazoo Racing treatment.
So this is the sequel to the ever-popular GT86 but with bundles of input from the Japanese carmaker’s racing division. The result is a front-engined, two-door sports coupe with a Subaru-designed boxer engine.
With rear-wheel drive and the option of a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, the GR86 is a car that’s guaranteed to leave you beaming from ear to ear. That’s if you can get your hands on one though, because the 500 allocated UK cars sold out in just 90 minutes.
If you’re the type of person that likes to make a statement, the Toyota GR86 could be right up your street. This 2+2 sports coupe looks gorgeous from every angle with its dynamic streamlining, sweeping light clusters with LED daytime running lights, duck-tail rear spoiler, dual exhaust pipes with chrome tips, shark fin antenna and gorgeous 10-spoke, black 18-inch alloy wheels.
Inside the car, sports seats created from leather and Ultrasuede upholstery offer plenty of support and all the dials, controls and readouts are perfectly positioned in the driver-focused cockpit.
The seats can be manually adjusted and there is reach and rake movement on the steering wheel to help find the perfect driving position.
The eight-inch multimedia display offers access to on-board features such as the six-speaker sound system with DAB radio, smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, phone and various apps. There are short-cut buttons at the side of the screen, but no in-built sat nav.
A separate panel for all the climate control functions is a real plus point and the GR86 boasts heated seats with two settings. There is also a voice activated assistant to help with numerous tasks.
The seven-inch tft information display shows all the vital driving data and this changes appearance if you select the Track mode, which turns off some of the safety tech and, as its name suggests, is not ideal for public roads.
There is also plenty of GR badging throughout the car. My only slight gripe was the amount of hard plastic within the cabin that may prove prone to scratching over time.
On The Road
Handling & Performance
Powering the Toyota GR86 is a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder boxer engine delivering 231bhp and 250Nm of torque. Our test car featured the six-speed manual transmission and could complete the 0-62mph sprint in 6.3 seconds, maxing out at 140mph.
The car starts up with a raspy roar which is a not so subtle indication of what’s in store.
Yes, it copes fine with motorways and yes, it’s happy pottering around town. But in all honesty, this car comes alive when faced with the quieter and more challenging country lanes.
The body control is fabulous and the balance through tight corners is confident with minimal lean, almost egging you on to give it a little more throttle. You will find yourself working through the gears to get the maximum shove, but that adds to this car’s appeal even further.
Factor in perfectly weighted steering with ample driver feedback and it’s clear to see why this car’s UK allocation sold out before most people even had the chance to drive it. Demand was on reputation alone and those owners will not be disappointed.
The ride feels firm although the suspension system does smooth out most bumps along the way and the noise levels inside the cabin are the perfect accompaniment.
While some sports coupes have become a little too sensible, the GR86 certainly puts the fun factor back into the sector.
Space & Practicality
The Toyota GR86 is a two-door sports car that looks the business and, despite having rear seats, they are only really practical for throwing coats on. You could fit passengers in the back, but don’t expect to stay on their Christmas card list.
The vehicle boasts dynamic, low-slung dimensions stretching 4,265mm in length, 1,775mm across and is just 1,310mm high. By its nature, it’s not the easiest car to get in and out of with any sort of grace, but who cares? This is a vehicle that’s all about the look and the driving experience and it succeeds on both counts.
The compact boot can hold 226 litres of kit, but as we said, the rear seats can be used to carry coats, bags and the likes. And there are a few storage compartments scattered throughout the GR86, including a practically-sized glovebox, central cubby with two USB ports, an aux-in slot and two cup holders. There are also compartments in both doors to store bottles.
Ownership
Running Costs
The Toyota GR86 costs £29,995 although our test car featured electric Blue Pearlescent paint that added a further £965 to the final price-tag. Not cheap then, but certainly worth every penny in our opinion.
The official WLTP-tested combined fuel figure is 32.1mpg, but you will only realistically see that if you drive the car with a degree of restraint. One look in its direction and you know that’s not going to happen.
The combined carbon emissions figure of 200g/km also brings added expense with a first-year road tax bill of £1,420 dropping to the standard fee of £165 after 12 months. Insurance will not be cheap either as the car sits in group 45.
But these costs are in line, if not cheaper, with many rival two-seater sports coupes.
The GR86 comes with a standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, but this can be extended to 10 years or 100,000 miles through the Toyota Relax scheme that can be accessed with regular services through a recognised Toyota workshop.
Verdict
Few cars really surprise us these days, but the Toyota GR86 is certainly one of them. While we expected the replacement for the GT86 to be good we didn’t realise quite how good it would prove to be.
It is the complete driver’s car that ticks all the boxes without being too flashy. It’s fast, powerful, dynamic to drive and also competitively priced if you are one of the few lucky owners.
And it boasts a wealth of additional safety kit compared to its predecessor too. Cars come with the likes of vehicle stability control with traction control, cruise control, rear cross traffic alert with brake assist, blind spot monitor and a whole lot more.