Road test: Toyota GR86

• TOYOTA GR86
• Base price: $56,990 (RightCar estimated Clean Car Programme fee: $3220)
• Powertrain and economy: 2.4-litre naturally aspirated, 174kW/250Nm, 6-speed manual, RWD, combined economy 10.6 L/100km, CO2 242g/km (source: RightCar)
• Vital statistics: 4625mm long, 1775mm wide, 1310mm high, 2575mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 266 litres, 18-inch alloy wheels.
• Safety: Not tested
• We like: Superb driver’s car, much-improved powertrain, better interior
• We don’t like: Quite a lot of tyre roar, odd clutch action

In spite of what I’m sure the accountants were screaming at Toyota HQ, the bigwigs signed off on a second generation of the brilliant GT86 sports car, and everyone should be grateful. Now sporting an ‘R’ instead of a ‘T’ in the name, the thoroughly revised GR86 is here, supplementing the GR line-up of Supra, Yaris and Corolla.

OUTSIDE

Toyota and Subaru once again collaborated on the GR86/BRZ twins, which means they look very similar.

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There’s a wider, frowny grille up front, headlights that look a little like the old Jaguar F-Type and upside-down L-shaped slashes for corner intakes. Around the back are C-shaped taillights that are more than a little reminiscent of the current Honda HSX sitting above twin exhaust outlets.

It sits low to the ground, looking purposeful without being overly aggressive. It’s not quite as cute as the Mazda MX-5, the GR86’s natural rival, and it’s not particularly angry, but it’s certainly a good-looking car.

INSIDE

The cabin has been treated to a healthy update, with a new 8.0-inch touchscreen dominating the centre console underscored by three air-conditioning dials and five toggle switches for various other cabin functions.

You might notice the third pedal and GR-spec gear shifter too. Bless GR and Toyota for soldiering on with the manual transmission, despite automatics being faster and easier to live with. There’s a manual handbrake too, for even more nostalgic fun.

Though, I should mention that automatic models get plenty of active safety technology like adaptive cruise and autonomous emergency braking but manual models miss out.

A new steering wheel, refreshed styling, supportive bucket seats and comedy ‘rear seats’ are all part of the package, but the real interesting stuff lies…

UNDER THE BONNET

Gone is the old 2.0-litre flat-four. In its place is a new 2.4-litre flat-four without any form of forced induction. It produces 173kW of power and 250Nm of torque, a bump of 21kW/38Nm compared to the old model when paired with the manual.

Not only is there more output from the new donk, but torque arrives at a useable 3700rpm now, partly thanks to port and direct injection.

It revs high too, out to 7500rpm, and it sounds surprisingly good. Could be louder, for sure, but that’s modern factory exhaust systems for you. Above 5000rpm or so, the engine sounds a bit like a flat-four-powered Porsche Cayman to me, singing more than I expected it to.

But could it be more powerful? I understand and adore the feeling of revving out a naturally aspirated engine, but the WRX’s 2.4-litre makes 202kW/350Nm thanks to turbocharging… Perhaps it’s time to bow to the march of progress and add an aluminium snail to the fray? Then again, that would probably up the price and could put the GR86 too close to the Supra in terms of on-track performance. Ah well, conversations for the pub. Rest assured the GR86 in its current form is powerful enough.

The chassis and body have been reworked too, with Toyota claiming a 50% increase in torsional rigidity, a lower centre of gravity thanks to an aluminium roof, aluminium front quarter-panels, new seats and redesigned exhaust mufflers. There are also MacPherson struts up front, double wishbones at the rear and ventilated brakes hiding behind 18-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber.

It’s slightly larger than the outgoing model, measuring 4265mm long, 1775mm wide and 1310mm high, with a 2575mm wheelbase – 25mm longer overall and 10mm lower than before. Weight has gone up by 35kg, to 1270kg at the kerb.

ON THE ROAD

Driving the GR86 is, in a word, superb. It isn’t the fastest thing around but the pleasure of a linear powerband from a revvy naturally aspirated engine is hard to beat. It’s one of the few cars available in rear-drive with a manual and said engine configration as well, alongside the Mazda MX-5 and the Ford Mustang.

The transmission is good, with positive action between the gears. The clutch felt strange, not heavy but as if it had a heavier spring – the first part of the action had quite a lot of resistance, which initially made getaways a little tricky.

Those improvements under the skin are noticeable too, with beautifully accurate steering and well-tuned suspension. Like any RWD car, the back end will eventually begin to slide if you’re too keen, but traction control is quick to keep things under control without being overly intrusive.

Guiding the nose through corners is a joy, with plenty of grip available. You can push the front end quite a lot, while the suspension keeps things nicely level even over bumpier roads. It’s possibly a little harsh for town driving, but that’s not exactly the point of the GR86.

I wouldn’t mind some improvement in the brakes though. They aren’t bad but a bit more bite and some more feel would go a long way. And maybe a bit in the way of sound deadening, there’s a lot of tyre roar.

VERDICT

The GR86 is a worthy successor to the 86 badge, a seriously potent mid-range sports car. It’s probably quicker than an MX-5 and arguably offers more thrills than the Mustang, owing to the fact you can really thrash the thing without getting ahead of yourself.

Though, bear in mind the Toyota cops a Clean Car fee of $3220 pushing its total price to $60,210, while the Mazda sticks at $57,990.

It’s very flattering for the driver, allowing serious corner speeds with the pleasure of rowing your own gears, and the quality-of-life changes in the cabin are much appreciated. Best bargain sports car of 2023? Quite possibly. It’s up to you if it’s worth