Toyota GR86 2023 Review | Goodwood Test

It’s more than ten years now since Toyota first teamed up with Subaru to develop a small and relatively affordable rear-wheel-drive sportscar. First introduced as the Toyota GT86 here in the UK, it quickly made headway and became the first genuine contender in a market that had spent decades under the control of the Mazda MX-5. It sold solidly throughout its nine-year stint, with drivers pointing to its spectacular handling, thanks in no small part to its brilliantly engineered chassis that incorporated a stiffer hardtop design compared to the convertible Mazda.

While other manufacturers have moved away from developing sportier low volume models, there was simply no way Toyota was going to walk away from the near-perfect formula it had delivered together with Subaru, so there was little surprise when a replacement to the GT86, the GR86, was announced.

Once again, the GR86 was developed in tandem with Subaru’s BRZ, and was designed to push the envelope even further, with a stiffer chassis and rigorous weight saving to ensure this would be a step up from the already brilliant GT86. We spent a week behind the wheel, and I’m pleased to report the effort was worth it. Was there ever any doubt?

Looking at it from the outside, the GR86 is very much an evolution of the GT86, but it’s taken on a more mature appearance, as though Toyota’s small sportscar is gaining wisdom with age. The fussy headlights and busy front end of the GT86 have been simplified, there are far more straight edges on the GR86. The large grille is surrounded by tidy bodywork, topped by a pair of simple headlights and accompanied by two small air intakes for brake cooling.

The sleek coupe shape is of course brilliantly proportioned with lines that complement each other as they all sweep uninterrupted from front to back. The rear wheel arches bulge but aren’t obnoxiously muscular, while the rear end and has again been simplified, working only to bring the design of the car to a stylish finish with an understated sculpted spoiler. A large plastic diffuser houses the pair of chrome tipped exhausts.

In terms of styling, the GR86 stands somewhat alone in the market these days when you consider how much it costs. You have to spend an awful lot more money before you can find something else that looks as dynamic and sporting as this does.

The Toyota GR86 doesn’t just look dynamic and sporting either. This is without doubt one of the best cars to drive pound for pound on the road today. It’s difficult to know where to start, because what Toyota has managed to do with this small and ridiculously affordable sportscar is simply sublime.

There’s not any single element that stands out either. It’s a synergy of each individual aspect combining to deliver what has to be awfully close the ultimate driving experience. The caveat of course is that you could go off and spend a chunk of money on a Porsche 911 GT3 RS and probably find something even better, but when you consider the money you’re spending, there is an argument to suggest you just don’t need to when you can have one of these.

Firstly, there’s the steering, which might as well have you holding on to the wheels themselves. It’s responsive and full of feel, but also so perfectly weighted that it really does feel as though your every input is being fed directly onto the road. The front end is so well connected and so keen to follow your every command that there is an element of autonomy to the experience of cornering in this car.

Then there’s that manual gearbox, which again provides a telepathic feel to the gearshift. The stick itself is short, slick and satisfying, and the clutch is silky smooth. It’s one of those where you just love to rattle and up and down the ‘box. A six-speed automatic is an option, but not one you should consider.

In terms of performance, the engine is another step up from the GT86. The Subaru boxer engine has grown to 2.4 litres, and power has risen from 200PS in the GT to 234PS (172kW) in the GR. It’s a naturally aspirated four-cylinder, so there’s no great sound to accompany the output, but you’ll need to reach all the way to the top of the rev range to get the most out of it, because peak power is only achieved at 7,000rpm. You’ll need to be on your game with the gearbox, too, because torque is not always easy to come by, 250Nm (184lb ft) is on tap from 3,500rpm.

All in, the GR86 is a car that rewards a driver that can maintain momentum. A sprint from 0-62mph takes 6.3 seconds with the manual ‘box, which is fast enough if not mind blowing, but the real enjoyment here is the speed that you can carry through corners. It’s perfectly balanced, and beautifully poised. You will struggle to get bored with this one.

A quick sweep of the interior will highlight how Toyota has been able to keep the cost of the GR86 down. It’s far from what you’d call a quality cabin, with evidence of cheap materials throughout and a general lack of polish in the fit and finish. It’s not terrible, and to be honest it’s a worthy sacrifice when you take into account the rest of the car.

The front seats are the strong point of the interior, which again points towards what’s important in this car. Upholstered in a combination of suede and leather, they’re not only comfortable, but also well shaped to maximise support when you’re moving on with gusto. They’re heated, too, which is a major boon if you’re planning to drive this all year round, which let’s face it, you probably won’t be able to resist.

A leather steering wheel and gearstick are the two key touch points that Toyota has, again, nailed, while the less said about the infotainment the better. The eight-inch screen with its bulky plastic surround looks like it’s been carried over from the GT86, it hasn’t, but the overall feel and design is reminiscent of the earliest days of interior touchscreens.

It’s also worth remembering that the GR86 is actually a four-seater, but that does come with a pretty substantial qualifier. The two rear seats are basically unusable if there is anyone sat in the front. Leg room is non-existent, but they are both equipped with Isofix points so there is at least the potential to sit a pair of small children in the back. They’re perhaps at their most useful when folded down to increase the amount of luggage space on offer. Boot size incidentally is 226 litres, that’s more than you get in an MX-5, but it’s a shallower space here that actually might prove to be less usable.

Realistically, any issues with interior are merely circumstantial because once you’re out on the road you’ll have not a single care in the world.

We’ve touched on the infotainment system, which does feel horribly outdated, but alongside that you have the digital instrument display, which has an almost retro look to the dials. What you see is pretty much what you get, a digital speed indicator and a trip computer. Again, its function is limited to what’s necessary, there’s nothing superfluous here.

Beneath the infotainment screen there are controls for the dual-zone air-conditioning and switches for drive mode selection. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available as standard, along with USB and aux sockets. There’s also a reversing camera.

This is by far and away the best car you can buy with a Toyota badge. Considering the act it followed in the GT86, there was plenty of opportunity for the GR86 to become the difficult second album. Whether Toyota has managed to completely outdo itself is a difficult question to answer. The GR86 is more powerful and more economical, and it manages to incorporate some modern technology without piling on the weight. It’s certainly no worse than the GT86, and that in itself can only be construed as a good thing. All things considered; this is one of the best sportscars on the market.

Toyota has just recently announced that the UK will be receiving another batch of GR86s in the near future, having sold all of the initial allocation within two hours, and that is best news we’ve heard for a long time. It’s such a shame that a car this good will never be widely available to the general public, but even that element of rarity adds to the draw of this car. If you ever get the opportunity to spend your money on one, do not hesitate.