Brand new, compact 2+2 seater, front-engined, rear wheel drive sportscars are becoming a rarity on NZ roads, especially ones with a manual gearbox, but the second generation of the Hachi-Roku (86) is here, and thankfully, Toyota New Zealand let us give it a blast.
The Toyota 86, (or GT86 here in NZ) was originally released around 2012 and continued its first generation production essentially until last year. The GT86 was co-developed with Subaru and sat on a bespoke platform and bodyshell that boasted three key driving elements, namely rear-wheel drive, a naturally aspirated engine and regular road tyres. On top of this, the use of ‘interfering’ electronic control devices were minimised to ensure that the 86 was a driver-focused ride.
I was formally introduced to one of the model’s more recent refreshes (2017 I think) at a local track event hosted by Toyota NZ and have to say, the love affair was instant. Despite its
‘Neo Functionalism’ design concept, (the car’s driving quality and aesthetic appearance is part of its functionality), it was its driving simplicity that enamoured me greatly, it has a point and shoot ease of use and a squirrely rear-end – should you so choose.
Anyway, the 86 is back and it’s better than ever, with a new nomenclature (now being firmly ensconced in the GR performance family), some tech and body tweaks, oh and more cc’s under the bonnet.
The new GR86 is the third model in the Toyota Gazoo racing performance car brand, sitting alongside GR Supra and GR Yaris, and over and above its already proven sporty prowess, the new GR86 evidently benefits a lot from the sub-brand’s multi-championship-winning involvement in international motorsport.
But first let’s talk about the upgraded powertrain. To be fair, in the past the 86 has been chastised for its lack of raw power and it would appear that Toyota has listened. The new GR86 now comes with a 2.4-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine producing 174kW of power and 250Nm of torque, upping its outputs by at least 22kW and 38Nm respectively. The off the mark acceleration is also improved, with the GR86 manual able to race from zero to 100km/h in as little as 6.3 seconds (automatic in 6.8 seconds).
For those watching their wallet, the 86’s combined fuel consumption ranges from 9.8 l/100km (auto) to 10.6l/100km (manual), and for those exhaust sniffers, the combined cycle CO2 emissions range from 224g/km (auto) to 242g/km (manual).
In all honesty, I’m not sure why I’m giving you the autobox details, because why tick that model when you can complete this front-engine, rear wheel drive, driver’s car recipe with a 6-speed manual gearbox – that came in my review model (which incidentally came in Spark Red body paint).
While on the subject of the exterior, not only is the GR slightly longer and lower than the previous 86, but its design cues are taken from some of Toyota’s great sports cars of the past, such as the 2000GT and AE86 Corolla (long bonnet, sloping roofline and tapered rear end with a prominent lip spoiler) and been further inspired by Gazoo’s racing success in terms of cooling and aerodynamic improvements – it’s now boasting a 0.276 drag coefficient. Oh and dual exhaust pipes and GR badging complete the rear-end look
The inside of the GR86 cabin is as compact as ever, especially for someone of my girth, however, I personally wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s simple and ergonomic and obviously everything is within easy reach. It has an upgraded 8.0-inch multimedia infotainment system offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, limited Apps so as not to confuse the driver and a reasonable stereo.
The instrument cluster is a 7.0-inch TFT colour LCD display that is both clear and easy to read, plus offers a GR inspired Track Mode screen that shows real-time readouts of the most important information for when circuit driving – which for those wanting to take their GR86 to the track, (who doesn’t), they can choose from five different vehicle stability control (VSC) settings ranging from full support to being completely switched off.
Topping off the interior is the finishing, there are numerous racy red, Gazoo nod accents and my model came with two-tone ultrasuede and leather-accented seats, in black/red.
Stepping down into the GR (not often I get to say that) you are instantly aware that you’re in a sports car. Not only does it have a low and planted stance, but your own rear end is virtually (or is that literally) touching the ground.
Around town and in rush hour traffic, you quickly understand why there is an Auto option, but that is all forgotten when you head for them-there hills and let the race car driver inside run free.
The bigger and bolder naturally aspirated engine provides linear throttle acceleration and lets you push the rev needle quickly north, while the clever engineer’s focus on weight reduction and a lower centre of gravity ensures that this new GR86 is oh so agile and responsive.
The gear shift gate is tight and mechanical (just how I like it) and upgrades to the suspension, chassis, standard limited-slip Torsen differential and larger-diameter front brakes had me darting around the rural roads like a man possessed – I will note here though, that the sub 100km/h speeds that I stuck to, felt so much quicker and thrilling in this pint-sized plaything.
This new GR86 is so much fun to drive and (thanks to its manual box) is an involving drive too. Sure the ride is firm/hard and changing gears becomes a little tiresome in traffic, but if you’re looking for something that has that bit of x-factor about it, then this 2+2 sports car is GR8!
