Toyota GR86 review
This rare sports coupé is hugely fun to drive, but its rivals will be better to live with
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The Toyota GR86 sports car you see here takes inspiration from the Japanese phrase ‘waku waku doki doki’ – meaning ‘heart-pounding excitement’. And that's what it aims to deliver, in the form of a compact, lightweight coupé that’s relatively affordable to run.
The GR86 is the sequel to the Toyota GT86, and the basic recipe remains the same. That means a revvy naturally-aspirated petrol engine up front, teamed with lively rear-wheel drive handling at the back. The GR86 has a slightly bigger 2.4-litre petrol engine, however, and is available with a manual or automatic gearbox (both with six speeds).
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Unfortunately, you can't get a brand new GR86 these days, because Toyota's limited allocation sold out soon after going on sale. If you're happy to go for a second-hand example, it's worth knowing that competition includes the Audi TT and BMW 2 Series Coupé, though the Mazda MX-5 RF is arguably the closest rival in spirit when it comes to offering lightweight thrills.
So, how does the the GR86 stack up against those rival sports cars, and is it worth considering still today?
Read more: Best performance cars 2026
The GR86 offers maximum smiles per gallon, but refinement and interior quality are not quite up there with the best. We suspect most owners will be too busy having fun to notice, though.
What's new?
- October 2022: GR86 driven on UK roads in first full road test
- May 2022: we publish our first-drive of the GR86
- April 2021: new GR86, a successor to the popular GT86, makes its global debut. Under the bonnet lies a 231bhp 2.4-litre flat-four engine, linked to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic
Pros
- Low entry-level price
- Fantastic handling
- Strong performance
Cons
- Noisy at speed
- Sold out in minutes
- Interior feels a little cheap
What's new?
- October 2022: GR86 driven on UK roads in first full road test
- May 2022: we publish our first-drive of the GR86
- April 2021: new GR86, a successor to the popular GT86, makes its global debut. Under the bonnet lies a 231bhp 2.4-litre flat-four engine, linked to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic
Performance & drive
What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is
Strengths
- Superb steering weight and feel
- Minimal body lean in corners
- Manual gearbox is excellent...
Weaknesses
- ... but the automatic gearbox is not
- Engine needs to be worked hard
- Choppy ride at higher speeds
The Toyota GR86 comes with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing a healthy 231bhp. Toyota says it's good for 0-62mph in 6.3sec, but as with the Mazda MX-5 RF there’s no turbocharging involved to bolster engine performance, so you have to work it hard to get the best out of it.
When you floor the accelerator, the GR86 wakes up and starts to 'come on song' at little more than 4000rpm, pulling strongly from the middle of the rev range up to the red line. Accompanying the build-in pace is a suitably raw yet pleasant engine note, with a bit of timbre piped through the speakers for additional theatre.
Turbocharged rivals including the Audi TT and BMW 2 Series Coupé (not to mention most of the best hot hatches) have even greater in-gear flexibility, but the GR86 has enough muscle for you to stay in gear when the revs drop. The obligation to shift down just to get going is absent (save for uphill climbs in top gear), and it's relaxing enough during give-and-take motoring.
The six-speed manual gearbox slots into gear nicely, requiring just enough effort to be involving for the driver. It doesn't have the same short-throw, flick-of-the-wrist action as the MX-5 RF's 'box, but it’s still pleasant to use as you work through the gears.
If you go for the six-speed automatic gearbox instead, performance takes a small hit – the 0-62mph sprint takes 0.6sec longer, for example. You do get paddles on the steering wheel, so you can override it by tapping up or down a gear, but keen drivers would be better off sticking with the manual.
The GR86 has a firmer ride than the MX-5 RF but rounds off bumps well enough around town. The ride starts to deteriorate at higher speeds, and can become a little choppy. The engine quietens down into the background, but there’s plenty of road and wind noise when cruising at motorway speeds.
All that makes the GR86 quite a noisy companion, although it’s quieter than sitting in the MX-5 RF in similar situations. If you plan to do lots of longer journeys, you'll be better off in the Audi TT or 2 Series Coupé. That said, if you're a truly dedicated sports car driver, one appealing solution to the GR86's noisy cruising manners would be to take the twisty country road running parallel to the motorway to make the most of the GR86’s handling.
And trust us, you won't be disappointed. The steering has enough weight to feel precise, body lean is minimal and the GR86 feels light and nimble as it goes from corner to corner. It's quite easy to reach the limits, but the predictable responses let you have fun while staying in control. In comparison, driving enthusiasts might find that the TT feels too 'safe' and neutral to be truly thrilling, while the MX-5 RF suffers from much more body lean. The GR86 is easily the most exciting of the three.
It may not be the quickest car out there, but the combination of precise steering, a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive make the GR86 a hoot to drive.
Interior
The interior layout, fit and finish
Strengths
- Easy to find your driving position
- Great visibility
- Infotainment system is clear and easy to use
Weaknesses
- Digital driver display is relatively basic
- Large gap between the cupholders can be annoying
- Not as plush as an Audi TT
It’s easy to find a comfortable seating position in the Toyota GR86 because there's plenty of adjustment from the seats and steering wheel. Forward visibility is great, with thin windscreen pillars and a low dashboard that allows you to see the end of the bonnet. The big door mirrors and large rear window helps when looking out behind you. There’s also a rear-view camera to help when parking.
The dash is simple to use with a mix of rotary controls and large buttons for the ventilation system. The 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system above it comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, and is fairly easy to use, without too many menus to sift through. And while the Mazda MX-5 RF gets a rotary-controlled infotainment system, that's less distracting to use when you're driving, it has a smaller 7.0in screen.
The driver’s digital instrument panel in the GR86 isn’t hugely configurable, but it’s clear and easy to read with an extensive range of information available on the trip computer. You get a different layout if you switch to the Track driving mode, with a big rev counter dominating the screen.
You’ll find suede-like material on the doors and above the digital instrument panel, plus some soft-touch plastics on the top section of the dash. If plush interiors are your thing, though, the TT has a far greater spread of squishy plastics and switches that work with greater precision. Pricier sports cars such as the Porsche Cayman are in a different league entirely, of course.
Also, we noticed one little niggle: the split-opening lid for the cupholders on the centre console doubles as an armrest but the two sections don’t quite meet in the middle leaving a large gap. Plus, the button to open the lid is quite easy to press with your elbow by accident.
The GR86's interior strikes a nice balance between fancy materials and physical buttons, which is what you want from a reasonably-priced sports car.
Passenger & boot space
How it copes with people and clutter
Strengths
- Lots of space upfront
- Seats are comfortable and supportive
- Rear seats can be lowered for extra space
Weaknesses
- Rear legroom isn't great
- Boot is smaller than an Audi TT
- Cupholder and USB port areas conflict awkwardly
The Toyota GR86 has plenty of space in the front for tall (6ft-plus) occupants. It's a world away from the compact interior of the Mazda MX-5 RF and the sports seats are much more supportive than the rather flat items in the MX-5.
You get two small rear seats in the GR86, too. You’ll have to compromise front legroom just to free up some space for those sitting behind, but at least the option is there if you need to give someone little a lift. The rest of the time, it's a useful place to chuck your jacket or bag.
Storage space up front includes a small bottle holder and a narrow area for your phone in each of the doors. The centre console has two cupholders that, oddly, have USB ports beside them, so you might have to choose between a coffee or a fully charged phone.
The 226-litre boot gives you more storage volume than the MX-5 RF's but the Audi TT gives you 305 litres and has a bigger, hatchback-style opening.
You can drop the GR86's rear seats by pulling release straps in the boot – Toyota says that gives you an extended load area big enough for taking four spare wheels to the test track.
The rear seats in the GR86 really shouldn't be treated as such, because the legroom is comical. If you instead look at this car as a two-seat coupe with an extended load area, you'll be much happier for it.
Buying & owning
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
Strengths
- Superb value retention
- Standard kit list is plentiful
- Toyota's excellent reliability record
Weaknesses
- You can't buy one new anymore
- Efficiency isn't great
The price of the Toyota GR86 if you buy outright undercuts its main sports car rivals by a comfortable margin. That includes the Audi TT, BMW 2 Series Coupé and 2.0-litre versions of the Mazda MX-5 RF. The RF is also available with a cheaper (and much less powerful) 1.5-litre engine.
However, before you get too excited about the GR86's keen pricing, we have some disappointing news: it's not available new. The entire European allocation for the GR86 sold out in minutes (the same thing happened with the Toyota GR Yaris).
Ways to buy
In terms of running costs, fuel costs are nothing to celebrate, with the official 32.1mpg trailing all of its rivals. That figure will drop quickly if you drive in a spirited manner. More positively, the standard equipment list is very long, and includes 18in alloy wheels, air-con, a rear-view camera, LED headlights, cruise control and heated part-leather/suede front seats. If you decide to pay more for the automatic gearbox, you also get climate control and adaptive cruise control, plus extra safety kit.
Options are limited to paint choices, so if you have a slot to buy a GR86, there's not much danger of bumping up the overall price by going overboard.
Toyota performed well in the 2022 What Car? Reliability Survey finishing in second place out of 32 car makers featured, behind Lexus but ahead of Audi, BMW and Mazda. The GR86 comes with a 10-year, 100,000 mile warranty, but you need to get it serviced at a Toyota dealer to get the full decade of cover.
The GR86 hasn’t been safety tested by Euro NCAP but it does come with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a tyre-pressure monitoring system. Automatic models add lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keep assist.
Buy it if...
- You want a thrilling but simple sports car
- A long warranty matters
- You appreciate something rare
Don't buy it if...
- You need enough space for four large people
- You want the quickest sports car out there
- Luxury is a priority
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It's not often you see a sports car hold its value so well, and fortunately for current/would-be GR86 owners, that doesn't look likely to change.
Tips & Advice
Similarly priced cars
If you're interested in finding a Toyota GR86, or any of the other performance car cars mentioned here, head over to our Cars available now pages to find new cars listed for sale at great prices.
Toyota GR86 specifications
RRP price range
MPG range across all versions
Available fuel types (which is best for you? )
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Warranty
FAQs
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
RRP from: £34,230
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