Toyota GR86 - Review, Specs, Pricing, Features, Videos and More

The Toyota GR86 remains a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive sports car focused on balance and driver engagement. Powered by a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter flat-four engine, it produces 228 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque, with peak torque arriving at 3,700 RPM. The GR86 offers a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, both equipped with a Torsen limited-slip rear differential. Acceleration to 60 mph takes 6.1 seconds with the manual and 6.6 seconds with the automatic.

All models include a digital instrument panel, an 8-inch touchscreen, and standard active safety features, with additional driver aids on automatic models. The base GR86 comes with six-speaker audio and fabric seats, while the Premium grade adds Ultrasuede-trimmed heated front seats and an eight-speaker system. A weight-conscious design, with aluminum body panels and lightweight seating, keeps curb weight under 2,900 pounds.

The GR86 chassis, made of high-strength steel, hot-stamped steel, and aluminum, emphasizes rigidity. Structural adhesives and a strategically reinforced frame enhance responsiveness and ride quality. Standard safety includes Toyota’s Star Safety System and a suite of connected services with one-year trial access.

What’s New for 2026

For 2026, Toyota introduces the GR86 Yuzu Edition, limited to 860 units for North America. Based on the Premium trim, it features a unique Yuzu Yellow exterior, matte-black wheels, and black Ultrasuede seats with yellow accents. The Yuzu Edition includes a Performance Package as standard, with Brembo brakes and SACHS dampers. These components are now available as an option on the base and Premium trims. All models carry forward throttle tuning and engine control updates first introduced in 2025. Availability begins in fall 2025.

Mom was perplexed.

I was telling her about a recent assignment, where I’ll spend a day at the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit track testing a Toyota trio of spicy sports car offerings. “I didn’t know Toyota made sports cars”, she said. After all, Toyotas are largely sought out by shoppers after safety, sensibility, residual value and a fuss-free long-term ownership experience. The brand’s sales center around crossovers. pickups, and sensible compacts.

Cars are not dead at Toyota though. While leveraging some six decades of sports car history, the automaker now offers three thrilling sports models with 3 pedals, six manually-shifted gears, no electrification, and that all-important driver-to-car connection that lets owners jump in with both hands and both feet.

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In the spirit of the season, let’s take a moment to be thankful this car even exists.

The 2022 Toyota GR 86 didn’t need to happen, at least from a bean-counting perspective. Last year Toyota moved 2,486 of the little sports car in the US; it sold nearly 200 times as many RAV4s in the same period.

If there’s ever been a consistent message about the 86, it’s been that bald numbers aren’t everything. There are better-selling cars out there, just as there are more powerful, front-drive competitors. You don’t buy an 86 for headline figures, though; you buy one for its innate chassis balance, the communicative steering, and that sports car shape. The second-generation car now eliminates or minimizes some of the inherent sacrifices that choice comes with, resulting in an exciting, rear-drive coupe with all the magic of before, and less of the flaws. If Porsche made a front-engined sibling for its 718 Cayman, this would be it.

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We’re a practical bunch here at AutoGuide. We like when something serves dual purposes, like this three car comparison of the Toyota GR86 vs Subaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 Miata. It’s both a family rivalry and a rematch.

The last time we stuck the Toyota 86 (nee GR) up against the Mazda Miata, it was Mazda’s topless wonder that came out ahead. It was simply more fun. Toyota has thoroughly tweaked its two-door coupe on the way to its GR86 rebranding, dropping in a bigger-displacement engine, adding more creature comforts, modernizing the looks—and all the while, like the Miata, barely adding any weight.

But we couldn’t leave it at that. Since the introduction of the Toyobaru twins a decade ago, one of the most common questions is how the Toyota and Subaru iterations differ. So we brought along the BRZ too, to really get granular. A week with them all, between myself, managing editor Mike Schlee, and contributing writer (and photographer) Harry Zhou gave us the answers we were looking for.

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