For those delighting in a light-weight, budget-friendly, rear-wheel drive coupe experience, options remain limited in scope and selections in 2023.
A decade ago, two well-respected Asian automotive nameplates teamed together to birth a two-door experience available for those seeking starting pricing South of $30,000. The result spawned the 2013 Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S, both hardtops and both assembled together at a shared manufacturing facility in Japan with each employing unique suspension tunning.
Scion, a one-time Toyota sub brand targeting a youth-centric fan base, faded to black upon conclusion of the 2016 season after a dozen or so years in existence with FR-S representing one of the few surviving platforms, eventually rebadged as the Toyota 86. Decoding the tri-letter FR-S code; F represented Front engine, R signifies Rear-wheel drive with the ending S designating Sport. The Scion-badged FR-S debuted in the 2013 model year and continued through 2016.
By 2017, the one-time FR-S morphed effortlessly into the 86, a rather peculiar name choice referencing an internal project code. The GR prefix jumped aboard in the 2022 model year, representing a next-generation redo and providing an easier-digestible backstory. GR represents a shorthand reference to Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s back shop gateway into the live-action racing culture circuit. Lessons learned via checkered flag wins find their way into GR badged products. The GR designate influences two other compact Toyota products in 2023, the GR Corolla and GR Supra.
Toyota and Subaru also jointly assemble their first entries into the battery-electric sweepstakes: Toyota’s all-electric bZ4X (to be nomenclature-ly dissected another time) and Subaru’s Solterra, both crossovers, and all-new for 2023. It’s not unusual for seemingly rival automakers to team up and assemble low volume specialty products. Shared costs spread out between two companies makes production feasible.
The 2023 model year welcomes a limited edition Tenth-Anniversary trim level commemorating a decade of ‘one-with-the-ground’ travel experience. It includes solar shift exterior paint and B-pillar racing strips.
That’s THE major update from a busy 2022 model year which welcomed aboard a slew of second-generation efforts including functional exterior air vents while roof panels/fenders added aluminum content, saving poundage while keeping overall weight under 3,000 pounds. Also, the four-cylinder engine gained strength (23 additional horses) with 18 percent more low-end torque when compared to the outgoing 2.0-liter. Two additional trims rounding out the 2023 season include Base and Premium. The limited edition Tenth Anniversary edition is based off the Premium version.
For those seeking a connected bond with the beast when driving, GR86 includes a smooth-shifting six-speed manual transmission standard with a predictable foot clutch while offering the more familiar six-speed automatic optional. Both team with the recently updated 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder engine generating 228 horses while delivering power to the rear wheels.
The manual transmission includes a hill-holder clutch, preventing rollback for a few welcome seconds when idling on an incline and disengaging the foot clutch. This gives the right hand time to engage first gear before gravitational pull kicks in.
The Boxer-type, horizontally opposed, longitudinally-mounted, four-cylinder nicely optimizes a near 50/50 balance. Also known as a ‘flat four,’ pistons situate flat at 180 degrees, riding shallower in the upfront engine compartment translating into a lower center of gravity enhancing handling and agility. Steering wheel feel provides plenty of feedback and GR86 corners aggressively. Seek out long and winding roads. Unlike most other Toyota’s promoting quiet interiors, GR86 welcomes sounds from the street, tires and spirited, growling engine.
Fuel economy for manuals list at 20 miles per gallon city and 27 mpg highway with the automatic registering 21 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. Higher-grade premium fuel is recommended to fill the 13.2-gallon tank.
Our Premium, manual-transmission, 2023 GR86 started at $30,500 ending at $34,015 with $1,095 destination charge and a handful of extras, mostly from the dealer add on side. Premium adds from the basic trim: large summer tires, prominent, flashy rear spoiler, adaptive LED headlights and simulated front row suede and leather upholstery. Base editions list on Toyota’s web site starting at $28,400.
The low-to-the-ground status makes ingress and egress a different experience than conventional crossovers with higher seating positions. If nothing else, its good aerobic exercising and all of my invited 70-something guest riders were able to meet the challenge entering and exiting into the front passenger guest seat, but observe extra caution so as to not knock your noggin against the roof.
The manually sliding deep bucket seats with side bolsters include a tall, supportive-yet pleasingly comfortable backrest, but tall statured folks may start Jonesing for additional leg room as rearward seat trajectory only travels so far. Brochures indicate this as a four-seater, but with highly-negotiated leg room a concern, furry quadra peds should claim the back row as their own. None of the invited 70-something humans attempted a row-two visit.
Circular, black pipe-like dual performance exhausts (a $1,700 extra and one of the few factory options) flank the license plate holder under the small 6.5-cubic-foot truck capable of swallowing three or four overnight bags. The row two backrest folds forward as one unit after yanking top-side tabs skyward.
Standing just 51.6 inches high (more than five inches shorter than a conventional Camry sedan), the gently slopping roof meets up with a long rakish rear window, diminutive decklid and a flip-tail spoiler revealing a narrow, horizontal, elongated popsicle stick shaped brake light underside. Both headlight and taillight housing bring forward a larger presence upon this tiny coupe.
One interior gadget reminiscent of Toyota’s recent past, a steering wheel Five ‘o clock square appendage with push-bottom activation monitoring cruise control functions. The steering wheel also includes secondary volume/station preset controls found at the Nine ‘o-clock wing. The all-digital seven-inch instrument panel doesn’t overwhelm with information and includes a stopwatch function, good when timing laps.
The eight-inch in-dash multimedia touchscreen resides under top-side horizontal air vents with a simplistic and user-friendly presentation. Circular-style vents adorn dashboard edging. Vertical screen framing includes well-identified push buttons along with two old-school twist dials monitoring on/off/volume and station select. The system, compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, allow downloaded Smartphone Apps to play through the bright screen. Bluetooth hands free compatibility is also standard.
Below the screen reside three large, easy-to-grab-and-find dials; the two outboard controlling dual front climate zones and the center taking charge of fan speed. Five sizable, brushed aluminum tabs underneath divvy up fan direction, front/rear window defrosting. A simplistic HVAC set up yet so functional and straight forward. Just northeast of the trio, a smaller push-style button activating electronic start/stop conveniently uninhibited by the steering wheel/column.
Dual inline beverage holders situate too far rearward between front bucket seats, most notably to make room for a ‘track’ mode button welcoming additional dynamic control when in a closed-circuit situation.
Hard not to make direct comparisons against another close rival, the worthy Mazda Miata MX-5 which made its world debut at the Chicago Auto show back in the late 1980s. While MX-5 offers a convertible version, the hard-top GR86 boasts 47 more horsepower, a larger, more flexible cargo region, pinch better interior comfort and friendlier touch screen. Both rear-drive roadsters are kicks to drive and budget friendly.
2023 Toyota GR86Price as tested: $34,015
Engine: 2.4-liter four-cylinder
Horsepower: 228
Wheelbase: 101.4 inches
Overall Length: 167.9inches
Overall Width: 69.9 inches
Overall Height: 51.6 inches
Curb Weight: 3,682 pounds
Powertrain warranty: Five years/60,000 miles
Fuel Economy: 20 mpg city/ 27 mpg highway
Assembly: Ota Gunma, Japan