2022 TOYOTA GR86

Toyota’s 86 is back, though there’s just a single variant now, known as the GR86. It’s not only the new motor that makes this special.

A decade on from the release of the original 86, Toyota’s twodoor hardtop sports car has been renewed as GR86, with a similar, recognisable design and sharp dynamics. Why mess with a good thing? Except where they did mess with it they chose the right bits to make more righteous. Like the engine, for instance. Some thought the original 86 had a motor that wasn’t blessed with enough power while the torque peaked at silly high revs. The new 86 is rather different, though in essence is simply upsized in both the engine and body departments. It’s a familiar design, and the dimensions are only slightly enlarged. It has much the same feel as before too with controlling suspension, still by struts up front and double wishbones at the rear. There’s increased use of aluminium in the roof, front fenders and bonnet, along with greater application of high strength steels for a 50 percent increase in torsional and twisting strength. Weight is evidently up in the manual, the car we drove, by 16kg to 1,285kg. There is an auto available too.

Engine up

The real change, clearly the most significant one, is that the motor has grown into something more robust, up from two litres to 2.4, with a bunch more torque that’s rather more accessible. Still no turbo, mind, but now it will pull away smoothly from 1,500rpm or so, which equates to 50km/h in top gear. By 2,500rpm there’s a genuine sense of purpose and from there to 4,500rpm the output is bristling which suffices for 90 percent of your daily driving. At 4,500rpm it hits its second wind, and really starts to sing, all the way to 7,400rpm.

There’s 20kW more power, which is nice, and 45Nm more torque, better yet. But the real kicker is that the peak arrives at 3,700rpm, which is 2,700rpm lower than previously. Praise be. That’s due in part to the fact it now has both port and direct injection. This makes it even friendlier in day-to-day use.

Sometimes we’d slot third thinking it was first, and with gradual clutch engagement, it will pull away from a standstill without complaint. You can miss every other gear if you’re feeling lazy, and it doesn’t skip a beat. That extra grunt transforms this car into something even sportier. We also like the noise it emits in that top third of the rev range, sounding oddly like an RX-8. Strange but true. With an aftermarket exhaust we imagine it would really come alive.

Acceleration

Naturally with a power to weight increase, there’s been a lift in straight line performance. For it’s significantly quicker by the seat of the pants and on GPS testing. It met its sprint claim of 6.4 seconds, on the second run, and we achieved a best of 6.18 seconds. That’s a second quicker than the original. The auto version is rated at 6.8 seconds because of taller gearing.

On the overtake this is also much improved, a 3.8 seconds best compared with 4.4 seconds previously. A downshift to fifth is sometimes all that’s needed because 100km/h in top is 2,500rpm.

It’s just a pity then that there has been no great lift in stopping ability. The brake action we feel is undercooked. While they do warm to the task, even then they’re not that great. There’s seemingly not enough bite, and too much pedal pressure is needed for serious stopping. Even then the feel at the pedal is wooden. This car deserves better.

Corner stick

As to generating lateral Gs, this second-gen offering is something else, not that the original was exactly wanting. It has a decent sense of balance and hangs on for dear life in corners, the rear eventually letting go and being caught deftly by the ESP if you’re trying too hard. Otherwise it just rails through carrying speeds that are genuinely exhilarating. It still steers sweetly too, quick to turn and accurate, if not perhaps the last word in communication but there’s no unwanted kickback or bump steer. And on that, the suspension produces a well controlled ride, especially at open road speeds where the wheels track the bumps and dips faithfully. At urban speeds progress can be busy at times but it’s worth it.

The transmission is good, if not quite the best manual box we’ve encountered. But it doesn’t mind being rushed as the numbers would indicate, needing a shift to third to hit 100km/h

Practicality good for two

As for daily use, it’s reasonably straightforward, not that getting in the cabin is that easy, being low slung at 1.3m in height. Access to the luggage area is mean too, while we only made one attempt to get into those rear seats with next to no legroom. These are for kids perhaps, and best used as extra cargo space. Once up front, things feel natural, the reach to the shift lever and controls easily accomplished. Good pedals too, well placed.

There’s no active cruise or active damping here, and no lane keeping or AEB either. But those aren’t really missed…until they are perhaps. There’s BSM, which is helpful given the limited view out to the left-hand rear side, blighted by a thick C pillar. Headroom here is good though, in contrast to the rear.

Other options?

If you’re over manual transmissions, there’s an auto six-speeder as an alternative, both for $56,990 and they come with a three-year/100,000km warranty. The auto gets a bit more safety gear too, like adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, AEB, reverse auto braking and high beam assist. But why would you go auto, unless you planned on strictly having it for round town use? Both come with shapely suede-covered heated seats, RCTA and tyre pressure monitoring. The touchscreen is compatible with both smartphone types too.

While the sticker price has grown rather, GR86 is now a more rounded offering than it once was.

Price $56,990

Clean Car Discount Fee + $3,220

Engine 2387cc, B4, DI

Power/torque 174kW/250Nm

Drivetrain 6-speed manual, RWD

Fuel Use 10.6L/100km

C02 output 242g/km

0-100km/h 6.18sec

80-120km/h 3.78sec (108m)

Stability systems ABS, ESP Luggage capacity 237 litres

Service intervals 12 months/15,000km

Warranty 3 years/100,000km

Weight 1,285kg (claimed)