Used Toyota GR86 (2022 - 2024) review – short-lived sports car brilliance
No minor revision, the GR86 delivers thrills beyond the reach of its iconic predecessor – if you managed to get hold of one...
The Toyota GR86 was a star that shone brilliantly but only for a short while. Introduced in 2022, it arrived on borrowed time at an attractive £30k asking price, but with limited availability and an end date in the calendar. By mid-2024, the GR86 would no longer be on Toyota’s price lists. This was the ultimate four-wheeled definition of ‘make hay while the sun shines.’
And make hay the GR86 did. No small update to the GT86 on which it was based, the GR86 righted many of that car’s wrongs, adding a guttsier engine and just enough focus to the chassis without polluting its innocent sense of fun. The overhaul was enough to put the GR86 on the podium at eCoty 2022, beating the likes of the Ferrari 296 and McLaren Artura. Yes, Toyota’s cheap and cheerful coupe was genuinely more fun than supercars costing many times more – here’s everything you need to know about it.
At the launch briefing in southern Spain, we witnessed much bigging up of what it means for a Toyota to wear a GR (Gazoo Racing) badge, justifiably surfing the huge wave of critical acclaim for the GR Yaris while acknowledging the happy fact that, with the introduction of the GR Supra MT, the new GR triumvirate is now available with a gear lever and a clutch to satisfy customer clamour.
Toyota GR86 history
The GT86 that preceded the GR86 wasn’t perfect, far from it. I can’t think of another sporty coupe that blurred the line between fun and frustration so expertly. But in a strange way, the perceived shortcomings – the need to rev given the naturally aspirated 2-litre flat-four motor’s paucity of low and mid-range torque, the raw and gravelly engine note, the unyielding ride over less than billiard table smooth tarmac, the rather spartan interior – added some characterful gnarl to an otherwise pristine front engine/rear drive concept, albeit one strategically hobbled in the rubberwear department to generate more entertainment at lower speeds. Toyota’s much loved Sir Skid-a-lot playbook.
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The company didn’t fail to notice, however, that many aftermarket tuners had their own playbooks that embraced more power and torque (extracted via turbo or supercharger) and fatter tyres – modifications aimed at digging deeper into the low c-of-g chassis’ talent reserves while posting straight line shove more in sync with the GT86’s sharp, sassy styling. All part of Japanese performance car culture, of course. The GR86 aimed to unify both camps with more grip and more performance.
Toyota GR86 technical highlights
- 231bhp and 184lb ft
- Stiffened chassis
- More serious suspension and tyres
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres on 18-inch wheels were standard for the UK, though 17s and the GT86’s Primacy rubber were optional in other markets. The flat-flur engine ju,ped to 2.4 litres piling on an extra 35bhp and 33lb ft, the resulting 231bhp and 184lb ft cutting the 0-60mph time by over a second to 6.3sec. Top speed was unchanged though, at 140mph. Peaks aren’t the whole story. More relevant to real world driving, maximum torque is now delivered at 3700rpm instead of 6700rpm, promising an entirely different order of in-gear flexibility and general driveability.
There are too many detail and fine detail changes to list here but, apart from the beefier engine, the big news included a stiffer bodyshell (especially regarding the suspension’s supporting structures), a spec-for-spec weight reduction by 10kg thanks to the use of more aluminium, a 10mm ride height drop with accompanying changes to geometry, springs and dampers, fettling of the GT86’s short-throw 6-speed ‘box for sweeter shifts when cold and a significantly smartened and upgraded interior with the driver sitting 5mm lower, further sinking the c-of-g of a platform also treated to a 5mm wheelbase stretch.
The things that were considered core GT86 attributes, though, carried on. They’re well-rehearsed and merge the acuity and feel of the steering with the satisfaction to be had from changing gear, the supplementary signals decoded by the seat of your pants and the modest distance between your bum and the skin of the road. Sacrosanct assets all enhanced for the GR86 according to team GR.
At the launch briefing in southern Spain, we witnessed much bigging up of what it means for a Toyota to wear a GR (Gazoo Racing) badge, justifiably surfing the huge wave of critical acclaim for the GR Yaris while acknowledging the happy fact that, with the introduction of the GR Supra MT, the GR triumvirate of 2022 was now available with a gear lever and a clutch to satisfy customer clamour.
Toyota GR86 – Performance ride and handling
- 2.4-litre engine is more eager, enjoyable and potent
- Overhauled chassis is a joy on any type of road
- Superb balance and agility
We drove the GR86 on the fabulously smooth and twisty hill roads west of Seville at its launch, and later on some of the most unforgiving surfaces during our eCoty 2022 test. The larger capacity boxer motor is a revelation compared to the GT86, hauling lustily from modest revs in fourth and fifth yet red-lining with perhaps still greater throaty urgency than the previous 2-litre unit, feeling smoother and sounding slightly more sonorous in the act, no doubt a consequence of some flattering sonic augmentation from the cabin’s speakers.
When you do reach the redline (accompanied by a rather irritating warning beep), the gearbox enables swift, fast shifts, with a pleasingly positive action across the gate and into gears. It's just a shame that the purity of the powertrain is marred slightly by the non-linear throttle calibration, which gives a big hit of response at the top of the pedal and comparatively little beyond halfway.
The GR86 isn’t as gratuitously pointy or initially throttle and brake adjustable as the GT86 but, without doubt, its nose is nailed to the tarmac and the super-direct steering is more than ever a paean to precision and finely graded feel. Transitioning to oversteer is more progressive and rewarding, not least because it happens at grown up speeds. The Track setting’s electronic intervention is beautifully judged if you want a safety net and the chassis’ great balance endlessly exploitable if you don’t. Maybe best of all, the engine’s robust swell of torque is an active partner in the process lending the overall dynamics a more contoured and confident feel.
Just as impressive, the stiffer bodyshell and linked suspension reap results in all sorts of areas but nowhere more than body control and ride. The rather crude and binary nature of the GT86 in the payoff has been finessed to the point where economy of motion no longer results in a ride that squeaks the rubber seals in the door frames. The very worst pockmarked roads can transmit some harshness through to the cabin, but by and large, the GR86 just feels planted, potent, pliant and pure of purpose.
Measured by any metric you care to choose, the GR86 is a faster, fitter and more roundly rewarding steer, hence its second place finish in evo Car of the Year 2022, coming out ahead of the incredible Ferrari 296 GTB and McLaren Artura as one of the finest performance cars on sale today.
evo Car of the Year 2022 verdict – Peter Tomalin
“The GR86 not only gatecrashed the supercar party, it upset the guests and did donuts on the lawn outside. As David Vivian said: ‘The powertrain marries newfound thrust with the sweetest of short-throw gearshifts. The beautifully balanced and damped chassis is both playful and planted. The steering is as good as any in the group. Firm, tireless brakes, too. But it’s the way they all work in well-oiled unison that’s so special and, indeed, unique in this year’s eCoty.’
“None of us would disagree with a single word of that, which is why the GR86 scored consistently highly. In fact no fewer than three of the judges – Bovingdon, Meaden and Gallagher – placed it first on their personal scoresheets. But, but... how can we possibly score a £30k Toyota higher than a Ferrari 296 or a McLaren Artura? And that’s a perfectly valid question. The first thing to say is that each judge uses subtly different criteria because we all look for slightly different things.
“But fundamentally there are two parts to what we’re judging each car on here. The first is how completely it nails its brief. The second is simply how much we enjoy being behind the wheel. The thrill of driving. Any car that absolutely hits the sweet spot on both counts is going to find itself vying for top honours, even if it’s a £30k coupe with around a quarter of the horsepower of theFerrari. And, come to think of it, discovering you can derive this much pleasure and satisfaction for £30k is a pretty big thrill in itself.
“Sutcliffe was very clear on why he rated it. ‘Simple to understand, easy to enjoy – easy to get very carried away in actually! – well conceived, well executed, refreshingly unhindered by switchable drive modes and beautifully damped. Just a great driver’s car really. And that doesn’t mean “a great driver’s car for the money” it means a great driver’s car, full stop.’
“Gallagher was singing from very much the same hymn- sheet. ‘Every drive was a thrill, an experience to savour and enjoy. At no point, no matter what road we took, did you feel you had drawn the short straw if you found yourself in the GR86.’ Well, quite. ‘It’s a car that made me smile every time I was behind its wheel,’ he continued, ‘but more tellingly the biggest smile it produced was when I followed Dickie home one evening – him in the GR, me in the 4RS. I didn’t begrudge him having more fun than me, because I had the best seat in the house watching this remarkable car perform its very special magic.’ Interestingly, the real hardcore members of the test team said they would have the GR86 over its sibling, the GR Yaris.
‘‘The Yaris makes the visual statement you’d like this to make,’ said Dickie, ‘but it’s a bit one-dimensional, and you have to drive it like your hair’s on fire, whereas the more you drive this, the more you realise it’s a really, really good car.’ Bovingdon agreed: ‘It’s everything the GT86 should have been but wasn’t. The engine is much torquier but also sounds so much sweeter and revs with freedom, the gearbox is more precise and the steering is so well matched to the car’s inherent agility. With proper tyres the GR86 feels grippier, yes, but also so much more progressive and authentic. It’s not trying to be some low-speed, oversteer hero – which the GT86 never managed anyway – but a responsive, balanced and really efficient driver’s car.’
“Several of us reckoned it the perfect beginner’s front- engined rear-drive car, for its playfulness combined with utter faithfulness. It was also described as the car everyone would like the MX-5 to be but isn’t quite. Gallagher even got all profound and described it as ‘the tonic in today’s world of excess, the reset point we all need, to get back to where we want to be heading’. Viv, too, had been stirred by the little Toyota: ‘I find the GR86’s showing here incredibly uplifting because it proves that honest, simple, transparent and properly resolved lines of communication can be thoroughly exploited on any road, smooth or scarred. And that they trump any amount of power and barely approachable levels of grip when it comes to fun, intimate involvement and lasting satisfaction.’
“The last genuinely affordable car any of us could remember making quite such an impact was the Clio 182 Trophy, now widely regarded as a performance icon. Different layouts, obviously, but similarly special. After spending all those years banging on about wanting an affordable, front-engined rear-drive car, we’ve finally got it. And Toyota and Gazoo Racing really have nailed the brief. The irony isn’t lost on us that the only affordable car in eCoty has officially sold out. The front crash structure doesn’t pass the next round of impact tests, which is why we won’t be seeing any more. Its flat-four will fall foul of the next round of emission regulations too.
“But surely there’s time to rattle off a few thousand more before the deadline falls. I’m sure several hundred would be snapped up here in the UK in a heartbeat. Charge another grand or so to make the interior a bit classier; do some new colours; call it GR86 Evo. But don’t change anything fundamental. Because it’s absolutely brilliant just as it is.”
Toyota GR86 buying guide
The Toyota GR86 is still a relatively new car, having launched in 2022. That being said, there are a few things worth looking out for when buying a second-hand one. As the ideal ‘starter’ rear-wheel-drive car, there will inevitably be GR86s out there that have suffered accident damage. Comprehensive history checks are a must, though buying a tidily repaired categorised car is conversely, a good cheap way into GR86 at the moment.
You’ll also want to make sure that your chosen GR86 has had the correct level of maintenance. These are cars that tend to be driven hard, so anything less than servicing and maintenance by the book should be a turn-off. Only the earliest GR86s will be out of their warranty period (at the time of writing) so there's really no excuse for 2023 and 2024 examples that have issues.
The GR86 wasn’t totally trouble-free even when new. Early reports of engines expiring mired the car, with oil starvation issues on track, as well as sealant clogging the oil pickup tube, largely found to be the culprits. If you’re wanting to take your car on track, we advise the fitment of an aftermarket baffled oil sump.
Toyota GR86 prices and alternatives
Arriving first in 2022, the initial UK allocation of around 430 cars sold out in a matter of minutes. Another batch became available in 2023, but predictably, each one was quickly spoken for. The second wave of GR86's commanded £32,495 apiece – at that price, there weren't many cars that were quite so richly rewarding unless you delved into the used market. There were just three paint options: red, white and black to match GR’s brand colours.
The Mazda MX-5 is both smaller and less serious in both 1.5- and 2-litre guises. The closest to the GR86 in ultimate spec is the 182bhp Homura version, which got improved to an eCoty podium-sitting standard in 2024 with a revised diff and steering. It’s still not as serious a proposition as the GR86 but the only car of its kind left now the Toyota is off-sale. Prices for the Toyota have held well, partly due to its limited availability when new. Nonetheless values have steadily slumped as time has gone by and the miles have been piled on. Prices for clean cars start from £25k to 27k depending on miles. Repaired written-off examples can be had for less than £23k. All prices at the time of writing of course. As cars come out of their warranty period and time marches on, prices will inevitably soften still further.
