Item: Toyota GT86 2012-2021
Rating: 5

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Small, fun sports cars with rear-wheel drive and a proper manual gearbox are a rarity in new car showrooms these days, and prices of second-hand examples are holding strong as a result.

But one of the best of the breed from recent times still looks like sensible value, so now’s the time to get in before it attains full-on collectible status.

The Toyota GT86 feels light and compact, a bit like a Mazda MX-5
Matt Prior
Editor-at-large

With its lightweight chassis, communicative steering and responsive, naturally aspirated engine, the athletic Toyota GT86 is a proper driver’s car, but one that remains eminently suitable for everyday use, as proven by its five-star Autocar road test verdict.

You have to work the 197bhp 2.0-litre boxer engine quite hard: with peak power coming in at 7000rpm and (a not very whopping) 151lb ft of torque delivered at 6400rpm, 0-60mph takes 7.4sec, so it looks a bit undernourished next to the hardcore hot hatches and baby GTs you could have for the same money.

But outright pace is not the aim here: this is characterful and accessible performance that you can deploy in the real world at will.

The free-breathing boxer delivers a throaty punch all the way to the 7400rpm redline and, if you keep it on the boil, it has no trouble hustling this sub-1300kg coupé along at pace.

If you want more gusto, turbos, superchargers and intake kits are widely available, but if you’re buying a used one that has already been given a boost, check the parts have been sourced and fitted by a reputable company – and watch out for lairy bodykits and wings, a telltale of a life well lived.

It’s these cars, along with leggy, well-used examples, that prop up the GT86 market at around the £7500 mark. If you can stretch to around £11,000, you’ll find a more pampered car with reasonable miles and a low owner count.

Snap up a manual car and thank us later, because that slick, six-speed stick-shift is a big part of what makes the sweet-handling GT86 so engaging and tactile to drive. There is a six-speed auto, but it will sap some of the driver appeal.

The GT86 is probably best known for the willingness of its rear end to break traction and slide around, thanks to its skinny, Prius-spec Michelin tyres.

Despite the limited grip, though, it never feels uncontrolled, remaining balanced and secure when you pilot it briskly down a country road, and it’s easy to straighten out when things head sideways.

This is a lightweight sports car so you can forgive it for not feeling quite as well isolated as rivals. And although it isn’t the plushest ambience, the cabin offers more than enough creature comforts for daily living, with many GT86s having heated seats and sat-nav.

Plus the driving position is excellent and all the controls are exactly where you would want them.

A post-2017 facelifted car, which has revised styling and an updated interior, will cost you closer to £20,000, and it feels no different, despite some tweaks to the steering and dampers.

With the newer (but tellingly similar) GR86 now off sale in the UK – and not much on offer by way of a direct alternative – the GT86 is looking like a nailed-on future classic.

Our advice would be to pick one up before the clean examples are all scurried away into hermetically sealed bubbles and prices head northwards.

Just make sure you drive it like it’s meant to be driven.

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 10

Used Toyota GT86 2012-2021 review

The sharpest, most enjoyable small sports car for a generation

Good

Balletic balance

Driver-focused and comfortable cabin

Characterful engine

Bad

Lack of low-rev torque

Cabin noise

Perceived quality of some of the cabin trim

RELIABILITY

Is the Toyota GT86 reliable?

The GT86 is a reliable car and shouldn't present any major issues if it is regularly maintained with oil changes and a service. Indeed, it isn't totally free of issues (see below) but theses are all well known and repairable.

Many owners if forums have shared stories of driving their cars well over 100,000 miles without any problems.

Engine: High oil consumption is a common trait of the 4U-GSE engine so be prepared to top it up every 1000-2000 miles. Make sure you use the recommended synthetic oil too.

Oil can leak from the camshaft blanking plate or the cam chain cover. If it’s the former, a new gasket will fix it, but if it’s the latter, then it’s a much bigger, engine-out job to replace it.

Knocking from the engine could signal an issue with either the rod bearings or crankshaft bearings, often caused by a lack of lubrication. If the car sounds like a tractor, run away because the cost to repair it can be around £2500 – and in the worst case you might need a new engine.

Clutch: The OEM clutch isn’t the strongest and can wear faster than expected. Check for a high bite point and that gearchanges are smooth. Upgrading to a performance clutch is worth considering: a kit from Toyota specialist Fensport is sub-£500.

Rust: Have a good look at the underside of the car for corrosion. The front and rear subframes are the main culprits. If the corrosion is severe enough, it will need a new subframe to pass its MOT. Budget around £200-£300 for a second-hand unit.

Body: Check for condensation in the headlights – a common issue. The GT86’s paint is quite soft and prone to chips, too, so consider adding paint protection film. Inspect the car carefully for signs of accident damage and repairs, given its propensity to wag its tail.

Tyres: Talking of which, check the tread of the tyres, paying close attention to the rears. Michelin Primacy tyres are standard fit.

An owner's view

Cat McGovern: “I’ve had my GT86 for three years and I have no intention of selling it. I like its no-nonsense interior, with just a small touchscreen being the only visible tech, and the big tachometer in front of you, which makes you think you’re in a true sports car. Its clutch pedal is extremely light, though, and takes a lot of getting used to, and the narrow tyres mean it’s pretty tail-happy. It’s no AMG, though, so you can still have lots of fun.”

Also worth knowing

If you want smartphone-mirroring functions like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it’s best to fit an aftermarket touchscreen to the GT86’s dashboard. There are plenty of different types, with prices varying from £200-£500.

The GT86 was co-developed with the Subaru BRZ and they are in many ways identical, sharing the same chassis and engine. The BRZ doesn’t look exactly the same and has a different interior trim. It also has a softer suspension set-up and feels more measured to drive, while the GT86 feels livelier.

DESIGN & STYLING

Pros

Torsen limited-slip differential for better traction on corner exit

Greater front weight bias for sweeter chassis balance

Cons

Toyota’s vast and intricate economies of scale have long influence its model line-up, but this wasn't the case for the GT86, with its use of common parts at just nine percent.

If proof was required of the manufacturing giant’s enthusiasm for the project back in 2012, it existed first and foremost in that figure.

Toyota went through five manual gearbox prototypes
Matt Prior
Editor-at-large

The next number to consider was 86. Just a hat-tip to the AE86, yes? No. The ‘square’ 86mm dimension of both the bore and the stroke of the 197bhp 2.0-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine previously featured in the in-line four that powered the Celica and MR2. Even the car’s prominent, chrome-tipped exhausts are 86mm in diameter.

Toyota’s anally retentive pursuit of numeral significance may seem somewhat trivial, but it was indicative of a wider effort to get everything on the car just so.

Subaru’s boxer engine was selected because its configuration meant that it was compact and light, and could be mounted closer to the ground (and further back) for an ultra-low 460mm centre of gravity.

A high-revving unit was specified, so the boxer was modified to allow it to spin to 7400rpm. Desperate to get the flick-of-the-wrist changes right on its reworked six-speed manual gearbox, Toyota went through five separate prototypes.

Underneath, nothing was permitted to muddy the virtues of the classic front-engined, rear-drive layout. Thinner, lighter body panels were used to keep the GT86’s burden under 1300kg.

The weight had been distributed 53 percent front, 47 percent rear – not because it was physically perfect, but because the engineers found that the slight front bias was ideal for the car’s handling balance.

Likewise, the suspension components, split between MacPherson struts at the front and double wishbones at the rear, were mounted to take further advantage of the low centre of gravity, and were tuned to allow an intuitive degree of roll on turn-in.

Finally, and encouragingly, there was a Torsen limited-slip differential to help apply a gung-ho degree of throttle on exit.

For 2017, the GT86 was given a facelift before its final hurrah, with Toyota revising the intake and exhaust system, while tweaking the shock absorbers for greater stability chief among the mechanical changes.

The rest of the car was given aerodynamic adjustments and more premium look inside.

INTERIOR

Pros

Excellent seating position

Logically configured dashboard

Cons

Material quality could be better

Pedals could be closer together

A cursory, showroom-floor introduction to the Toyota GT86 would likely reveal that the car’s cabin, while offering a concerted step up from the Subaru BRZ’s positively skeletal innards, lacked the plush, polished look that has come to define a European expectation of what sports cars should feel like inside,

The Toyota was hard-edged and flinty to the touch, and it looked it, too. But there was methodical precision to the interior that only really became apparent once the model was in motion.

The Toyota is hard-edged and flinty to the touch
Matt Saunders
Road test editor

Most manufacturers talked a fine game when it came to focusing their cockpits on the driver, but the GT86 was as nakedly purposeful as the tail-gunner seat in a B-52.

Characterised by an excellent seating position — offering the lowest hip-point of any Toyota production vehicle — the car traded gun sights for a large tachometer, with the rest of the cabin architechture designed around the driver's line of sight.

The attention to detail — so often the subject of empty marketing rhetoric — was comprehensive and remarkably effective. The steering wheel was the smallest ever attached to a Toyota, too.

Soft knee pads were built into the door trim and centre console to offer support under high lateral loads and there was a centre line mark on the upper edge of the dashboard that could be seen reflected in the windscreen.

Not every facet was a success. The pedals were positioned straight on but were too splayed to allow every size of right foot to heel and toe.

Nevertheless, the GT86 had an awful lot going for it. Further reinforcing its case was a decent list of kit across its two trims - GT86 and GT86 Pro.

The entry-level trim equipped the sports coupé with 17in alloy wheels, LED headlights, front foglights, folding door mirrors, cruise control and keyless entry on the outside as standard, while inside there was dual-zone climate control and Toyota's Touch 2 infotainment system complete with Bluetooth, DAB radio and USB connectivity.

Those who opted for the Pro got a revised aerodynamic bodykit, a rear spoiler, a suede dashboard, a part-leather and part-Alcantara upholstery and heated front seats thrown into the package.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Pros

Good throttle response

Great stopping power

Cons

Have to work it quite hard to get peak performance

Manual 'box a bit notchy

The Toyota GT86 fell into the same bracket as we grouped the Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 into. Both cars, though not fast, felt like they had a pleasing level of performance.

They were slow enough to be enjoyed on the road for more than just a second or two’s burst of throttle, but quick enough for necessary overtaking.

It's performance isn't about numbers. It's about feel, communication and enjoyment
Nic Cackett
Road tester

Therefore, we weren't put off by the fact that, on paper, it looked decidedly under-nourished compared with its price rivals, and dispatched the 0-60mph sprint in ‘just’ 7.4sec.

A similarly priced hot hatch like a Vauxhall Astra VXR or Renault Mégane RS not only gave you at least 60 extra bhp, but they also came to you more easily than in the Toyota, whose engine had to be worked up to 7000rpm for its peak 197bhp, and even to 6400rpm for its 151lb ft peak of torque.

Truth be told, a less costly Renault Clio RS or Ford Fiesta ST200 was a closer performance rival. But to dismiss the Toyota on that basis would be a mistake.

Its performance wasn’t about numbers; it was about feel, communication and enjoyment.

Make no mistake: the GT86’s performance was worth working for. And you certainly had to work it. Throttle response was crisp, the gearshift was positive and precise (if not entirely notch free) and the flat four made a solid rasp once you wound it up, as you had to, to make swift progress.

Thanks to its 1235kg tested weight, the GT86 stopped pretty well, too, and it resisted fade comfortably during heavy runs on track in warm weather.

Buyers interested in the automatic version would be well advised to test one first, however. It changed smoothly and relatively quickly but wasn't as crisp or as fast as a dual-clutch gearbox.

RIDE & HANDLING

Pros

Slick, nicely weight steering

Excellent chassis balance and adjustability

Cons

Ride can be a bit harsh at low speeds

You only needed to drive a short distance to know that you were in the presence of an exceptionally well sorted piece of kit with the Toyota GT86.

From the lowest of speeds, the GT86 rolled with a controlled comfort allowed by 215/45-section tyres and fine damping of its body. It steered with slickness, total linear accuracy and fine weighting.

From the lowest of speeds, the car rolls with a controlled comfort
Matt Prior
Editor-at-large

They all combined to make the GT86, ironically, one of the more relaxing sports cars to drive.

Because everything happened as you expect, and each control responded just so to each input you made, it was an extremely amiable companion, despite cabin noise levels that were much higher than average (forgivably, we suspected, because of a weight-saving reduction in sound proofing).

However, the really impressive stuff came when you asked more questions of the chassis. The GT86’s slickness of steering, tightness of chassis control and general love of corners wowed us all.

Key to it was its modest tyres. Glance at the 215/45 R17 Michelin Primacys and the GT86 looked a bit under-tyred. Yet on a track, it was still capable of holding 0.99g through corners on the dry handling circuit, on a steady throttle.

The fun came on less steady throttle openings. Lean on the brakes on the way into a bend, get busier with the right pedal mid-corner, and the GT86 displayed a willingness to adjust its line that made every quiet roundabout a joy.

And therein lied the Toyota GT86’s real brilliance. It was at once poised, precise and agile yet also willing to indulge its driver with oversteer. The choice was yours. Every corner was a blank page, and the cars that gave their drivers such options werer rare things indeed.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

If you drove it carefully, you'd be able to return more than 40mpg over a gentle touring route; a figure that, thanks to the absence of a turbocharger, dropped only to 15mpg on a track day (which didn't sound great, but was considerably better than we’d expect from a 260bhp-ish turbo four).

Overall, we returned a very respectable 30.2mpg and would expect most owners to better that. For the amount of entertainment you gott, that was a pretty good deal.

The GT86 comes relatively well equipped
Nic Cackett
Road tester

Buying a GT86 makes sense in several other respects too. It's not overly expensive (used examples start from around £7000) servicing won't be costly and its reliability should prove excellent. That means that the Toyota, as well as being fun to drive, will be simple to live with and easy to enjoy.

VERDICT

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 10

Used Toyota GT86 2012-2021 review

The sharpest, most enjoyable small sports car for a generation

Good

Balletic balance

Driver-focused and comfortable cabin

Characterful engine

Bad

Lack of low-rev torque

Cabin noise

Perceived quality of some of the cabin trim

As with all cars, there were areas of the Toyota GT86 that could be improved. But, in this car’s case, where would answering the criticisms take you?

We’d have liked a bit more torque, but we didn't want a turbo making it heavier or spoiling the response of the naturally aspirated motor.

The affordable performance car that we’ve been waiting for
Matt Prior
Editor-at-large

Some would have preferred less interior noise and some more solid-feeling interior materials, but we loved the fact that the Toyota GT86 tipped our scales at only 1235kg.

We also through that the GT86's tyres looked a little under-nourished too, but the poise, balance and, crucially, accessibility of its chassis would surely be compromised by adding wider rubber.

With the GT86, then, it was necessary not just to accept a few compromises but, as with a Caterham Seven, positively embrace them, for they made the car what it was.

They were visible, audible, tangible characteristics that served to remind you that you were driving the keenest, sharpest, most enjoyable and loveable small sports car for a generation.

Importantly, it was an accessible sports car - one which wouldn't break the bank to run either - and it was a refreshing alternative to the likes of the Mazda MX-5 for those seeking lightweight rear-drive fun.

The Toyota GT86 was a gem, and we adored it.

Matt Prior

Title: Editor-at-large

Matt is Autocar’s lead features writer and presenter, is the main face of Autocar’s YouTube channel, presents the My Week In Cars podcast and has written his weekly column, Tester’s Notes, since 2013.

Matt is an automotive engineer who has been writing and talking about cars since 1997. He joined Autocar in 2005 as deputy road test editor, prior to which he was road test editor and world rally editor for Channel 4’s automotive website, 4Car.

Into all things engineering and automotive from any era, Matt is as comfortable regularly contributing to sibling titles Move Electric and Classic & Sports Car as he is writing for Autocar. He has a racing licence, and some malfunctioning classic cars and motorbikes.