The 2022 Toyota GR86 is an excellent entry-level sports car that offers tons of driving pleasure for enthusiasts.
The all-new second generation of the Toyota 86 has been launched in 2022 and this beloved sports coupe is back with all the qualities that the American petrolheads have admired along with much more to make it an even better proposition. Offered for a base selling price of $27,700, the 2022 Toyota GR86 can be had in two trim configurations and comes with many features and tech inside the cabin.
Being in continuous production for the past 9 years, the basic ethos of the ride like the quirky cabin and exterior design, unmatched handling and ride quality, and a slick 6-speed gearbox comes with no major changes to this second-generation model. However, the engine is all-new and so is the updated infotainment system. More bells and whistles are standard, too. Competing with the likes of the Subaru BRZ and Mazda MX-5 Miata, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Toyota GR86.
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This new generation of the 86 comes with a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated flat-4 motor mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. It produces 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, and the power is put down through the RWD drivetrain. The 0-60 mph comes in 6.1 seconds, and this sports coupe has a top speed of 135 mph.
The performance has been improved from the last generation, which came with a smaller 2.0-liter motor, and it is much more peppy lower down the rev range. The mid-range and top-end performance see an improvement as well. The car revs freely all the way to the redline marked at 7,000 RPM and the motor sounds sweet. The 6-speed manual is slick and offers short and precise shifts. The 6-speed automatic is pretty fast in response times, too.
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The handling is amazing as expected and tackling winding country roads and racetracks in the 2022 Toyota GR86 offers so much fun to the driver. More than adequate performance on offer, a strong chassis and well-calibrated suspension makes it an even more capable corner carver, similar to the older generation.
The steering offers a top-notch feel and feedback to the driver. It is pretty light at slow speeds and weighs up significantly well as the speeds rise. We also loved how precise the steering is. The independent front and rear suspension are on the stiffer side, and that coupled with almost equal weight distribution means that the car feels glued to the road when taking corners a bit too enthusiastically.
Even though the refinement level has seen a major improvement from the first generation of the Toyota 86, it is still not something that you would be happy with while on a long road trip. The sound deadening is definitely on the lower side, and that could be easily identified from the amplified external noises that creep into the cabin.
The build quality cannot be compared to the compact sedans offered for the same price, and you would feel wanting more if you are not accustomed to driving a sports coupe. The road noise, tire noise, and wind noise are on the higher side too. However, we found the overall refinement to be slightly superior to the MX-5 Miata. The flat-4 motor sounds better too.
The first thing that you would notice is that getting in and out of the cabin is not as hard as that of the MX-5 Miata, and the doors open pretty wide. We also loved the Alcantara upholstery with contrast stitching and thick bolstering on offer for the Premium trim. It holds you in place when driven around racetracks and the front seats are reasonably spacious for even the taller folks too.
Being a 4-seater, you would expect the 2022 Toyota GR86 to be decent for the rear seat passengers. However, the rear seat is a joke and cannot even be accommodated by kids. The rear seat offers 29.9" of legroom and headroom of 33.5", similar to that of the BRZ, and it is simply unusable. The trunk capacity of 6.3 cu ft is not the best either.
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The Premium trim of the 2022 Toyota GR86 is worth the premium, especially when it comes to its interior. In comparison to the base trim, the Premium trim comes with Alcantara upholstery with contrast stitching, Alcantara and leather inserts on the door cards and gauge cluster cowl, and soft-touch injection molded plastics and sporty accents on the dashboard.
The overall quality is much superior to the outgoing model year, and we couldn't find any uneven panel gaps and fitment issues anywhere in this cabin. The chunky leather-wrapped steering wheels with neat GR accent and the solid feeling climate control buttons feel like they came off some of the more premium offerings of this Japanese brand.
The ride quality has always been the Achilles heel of both the 86 and the BRZ ever since its initial launch back in 2012. Even though we expected the ride quality to be better with this new generation, we were quite wrong. The ride quality offered by the sport-tuned suspension of the GR86 was a bit harsh due to its stiffer tuning.
The ride does take a toll on the passengers at slow speeds, as it transmits most of the road irregularities to the cabin. When met with bigger potholes, the car manages to jostle the passengers more than we would like. However, the ride does improve tremendously at higher speeds. The body roll is well under control too.
The 2022 Toyota GR86 is one of the best-looking sports cars out there, and it gets multiple elements from the Supra MK5 as well. All the 7 exterior colors look cool on the 2022 GR86, especially the brighter shades, and the overall proportions of the exterior are spot-on for a sports coupe. Even though the 2022 BRZ is almost identical in design, the GR86 feels a bit more sporty.
The front end gets the quintessential blacked-out grille, beautifully incorporated air vents, and mean-looking LED headlights with LED DRLs. Neat GR badging, low ground clearance and height, and clean character lines also highlight the design well. The 17" or 18" alloy wheels and the sloping roofline give it the proper stance. The rear end gets LED taillights, a trunk lid spoiler, and the dual exhaust outlet adds to the sportiness.
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Many buyers would be opting for the manual transmission variant of the GR86, mainly due to the brilliant 6-speed manual on offer. However, the fuel efficiency sees a slight drop from the manual variant, with 20 MPG city, 27 MPG highway, and a combined 22 MPG. With a 13.2-gallon fuel tank capacity, it could do 356 miles on the highways with a tank full.
If you want even better gas mileage, the 6-speed automatic variant is the one to get. It could do 21 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway, equating to a combined 25 MPG. In comparison, the Mazda MX-5 Miata could do 29 MPG combined. With a smaller fuel tank capacity, the tank range isn't the best either.
Unlike most of the other offerings from the Toyota stable, the 2022 GR86 misses out on all the driver-assistance features if you opt for the manual trim. However, get the automatic variant, and you would get all the bells and whistles like automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blindspot monitoring, auto high beams, and adaptive cruise control.
However, the basic safety features like ABS, airbags, stability control, traction control, side-impact beams, Safety Connect, tire pressure monitoring system, and backup camera are standard for all the trim and transmission combinations. When it comes to the IIHS crash test, the 2022 GR86 received the 2022 top safety pick + title in the small car segment.
The 7" digital gauge cluster is offered as standard with both the trims, and it provides all the necessary information. Even though it is not the biggest display out there, the screen quality is excellent, and the brightness level is adequate. It is pretty interactive too. We also loved the chunky steering wheel which offers many buttons, all of which make life much easier.
The 8" touchscreen infotainment system feels a bit old-school, especially in comparison to the Subaru BRZ. The display quality is not as good as we expected, and the interface leaves a lot to be desired. This is a resistive touchscreen as well, and that results in mediocre touch sensitivity. However, all the features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, Bluetooth, and voice recognition are standard. The audio quality offered by the 8-speaker audio system with the Premium trim is not bad either.