Overview
Cars such as the Toyota GR86 are few and far between. Sure, there’s its mechanical twin, the Subaru BRZ, but overall, there are very few affordable rear-wheel-drive coupes available among the sea of crossovers and SUVs. The GR86 comes with a 228-hp flat-four engine. A six-speed automatic gearbox is available, but you’re best off avoiding it and sticking with the car’s standard six-speed manual gearbox. This small Toyota two-door’s rear seats aren’t there for carpooling, but rather add additional cargo space once you’ve filled up its trunk. The GR86 is fun to drive anywhere thanks to its sharp steering and deft handling. Even better, it’s all available at a reasonable price.
What’s New for 2024?
Hold on to your tofu folks, because Toyota adds a special Trueno Edition to the GR86 line for 2024. A tribute to the AE86 Corolla, made popular by the automotive anime Initial D, the special edition adds a performance package with Sachs dampers and Brembo brakes. Toyota plans to send just 860 (see what they did there?) Trueno Editions to the U.S. market. The suspension and brake upgrades for the Trueno Edition models are also available throughout the GR86 model line for 2024. The Brembo brake calipers and larger-diameter rotors are dealer-installed options for GR86s with 18-inch wheels. Additionally, the stick-shift GR86 now comes with adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The marginal increase from the base price for the Toyota GR86 Premium is well worth it. Standard equipment on the Premium includes heated seats, stylish 18-inch wheels with summer performance tires, adaptive LED headlights, and a better eight-speaker audio system. The six-speed manual transmission is an obvious choice here too.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The GR86 comes with a naturally aspirated horizontally opposed four-cylinder provided by Subaru. Acceleration was decently brisk in the previous generation at 6.2 seconds to 60 mph, but the last GR86 we tested achieved a 5.4-second time to 60 mph and reached a quarter-mile in 14.0 seconds. That improvement is thanks to a more powerful 2.4-liter engine that makes 228 horsepower. A six-speed manual continues to serve as the GR86’s standard transmission, while a six-speed automatic is optional. The six-speed automatic was slower to 60 mph than the manual by 0.7 second. During our first test drive, we noted that the more powerful engine felt livelier and sounded better, while the car’s razor-sharp handling provided thrills both on the road and on the Monticello Motor Club race track. Despite the car’s handling prowess, the suspension is forgiving enough to work as a daily driver.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates the Toyota GR86 can accomplish 21 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway when optioned with the six-speed automatic transmission. The GR86s using the six-speed manual get slightly lower EPA numbers at 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. When we get a chance to put the new model through our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test, we will update this story with the results. For more information about the 86’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The GR86 retains the relative size and shape of the outgoing model. Like the Subaru BRZ, its unique in the affordable sports-car market as the only two that offer seating for four. Not that the rear seats are all that comfortable or spacious, but they’re nice to have. The Subaru and Toyota models appear to share their interiors, save for some changes on the dashboard surrounding the infotainment display.
Infotainment and Connectivity
An 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard. The GR86 also comes with a 7.0-inch digital gauge display that is reconfigurable with Normal, Sport, and Track modes. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability are both standard, and all models come with SiriusXM satellite radio with a free three-month trial. The base model comes with a six-speaker stereo, but the upgraded Premium trim comes with an eight-speaker setup.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Toyota provides a suite of driver-assistance features and safety technologies on the 2024 model.
For more information about the GR86’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features are likely to include:
- Standard automated emergency braking
- Standard lane-departure warning
- Standard adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
The GR86’s standard warranty package consists of three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage and powertrain coverage that stretches to five years or 60,000 miles. Toyota’s two-year complimentary maintenance policy is a nice perk that the BRZ and the Mazda MX-5 Miata don’t match. All buyers also receive a free one-year membership to the National Auto Sport Association and free admission to one of that organization’s High Performance Driving Events.
- Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- Complimentary maintenance is covered for two years or 25,000 miles
Specifications
Specifications
2022 Toyota GR86 Premium
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $31,325/$31,325
ENGINE
DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 146 in3, 2387 cm3
Power: 228 hp @ 7000 rpm
Torque: 184 lb-ft @ 3700 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 11.6-in vented disc/11.4-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4
215/40R-18 85Y
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 101.4 in
Length: 167.9 in
Width: 69.9 in
Height: 51.6 in
Passenger Volume: 78 ft3
Trunk Volume: 6 ft3
Curb Weight: 2838 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.4 sec
100 mph: 13.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.0 sec @ 101 mph
130 mph: 27.2 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.5 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 9.1 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 8.4 sec
Top Speed (C/D est): 140 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 156 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 325 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.98 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 23 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 22/20/27 mpg
2022 Toyota GR86 Premium Automatic
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $32,825/$33,507
ENGINE
DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 146 in3, 2387 cm3
Power: 228 hp @ 7000 rpm
Torque: 184 lb-ft @ 3700 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 11.6-in vented disc/11.4-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4
215/40R-18 85Y
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 101.4 in
Length: 167.9 in
Width: 69.9 in
Height: 51.6 in
Passenger Volume: 78 ft3
Trunk Volume: 6 ft3
Curb Weight: 2862 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.1 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.7 sec @ 97 mph
100 mph: 15.6 sec
130 mph: 31.4 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.4 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.1 sec
Top Speed (C/D est): 135 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 153 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 319 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.95 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 20 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 25/21/31 mpg
