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In-depth reviews

Toyota GT86 (2012-2021) review - MPG and running costs

Mid-30s MPG is reasonable for a car of this type. A five-year warranty and Toyota reliability should keep running costs low.

Evo rating
RRP
from £27,325
  • Fun at sensible speeds, great driving position, old-school values
  • Wants for a bit more power, low-grip Primacy tyres an acquired taste

The GT86 is rated at 33.2mpg according to new WLTP figures (196g/km CO2), and this figure should be well within reach. You'll see less on a track, but on a motorway run the low rolling-resistance tyres, low weight, slick aerodynamics (it has a drag coefficient of 0.27) and frugal engine all conspire to return figures upwards of 40mpg – more than welcome for those long trips on the way to entertaining roads or a trackday.

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As for running costs, the GT86 is all about value for money. Porsche premiums need not apply here, which is well worth considering if you’re weighing up a GT86 against a used early Cayman or Boxster.

The car comes with Toyota’s five-year warranty, which is enough to see out any ownership period for those who are considering buying on finance. Being relatively light and not over-endowed with power, consumables such as brakes should last longer than on the average hot hatchback, too.

The Michelin Primacy tyres seem to last forever – maybe even too long, for those waiting to swap to something stickier! We’d be inclined to ditch them for more performance-focused rubber, just as we would on Subaru’s BRZ. A full set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres (an evo tyre test winner in 2017) is £440 before discounts from Blackcircles – not bad, considering a new set of Primacy 4s would only save you around £20.

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