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The Toyota GT86 is a compact, two-seat and rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. It’s a lot of fun to drive and really easy to live with as an everyday car. If that sounds appealing (and it does), you’re in the right place to find out everything you need to know.
Other small sports cars you might want to consider include the Subaru BRZ (which is closely related to the Toyota GT86) and the Mazda MX-5. You might also look at small hot hatchbacks such as the Ford Fiesta ST. The Toyota GT86 stands out by offering something genuinely different, the likes of which hadn’t been seen for many years and probably won’t be seen again - unless you opt for its GR86 replacement. It is, by any standard, a great sports car.
Here, we’ll give you all the information you need about the Toyota GT86, including what it’s like to live with, the standard features it came with and the choices of engine you have. The Toyota GT86 was last sold in the UK in 2020, but there are lots of used examples available. Take a look at a Toyota GT86 for sale on heycar to discover just what’s on offer
If you’re thinking about getting a Toyota GT86, it’s likely that you love driving. And it’s great news on that score, because the GT86 is fantastic fun. It’s light and agile, so you can feel exactly what the state of the road is and how the car is moving along it.
It immerses you in the sensations of driving, but not to the extent that it’s tiring to spend time in. In fact, the Toyota GT86 is a surprisingly quiet and comfortable long-distance cruiser. It’s even easy to park; it’s shorter than it looks and you have a good view out from the driver’s seat.
The engine has enough power for the car to accelerate rapidly, but it’s not so fast that you’re constantly worrying about breaking the speed limit. The manual gearbox feels delightful to use and the automatic version is responsive and smooth.
Inside, there’s plenty of space in the front seats for two tall adults to stretch out and get comfortable. The back seats are best left to small children, or used as extra storage space, and the boot is on the small side. All the features you realistically need are fitted as standard and the whole interior feels robustly made. All this means the Toyota GT86 is one of the easiest small sports car to live with day-to-day.
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All Toyota GT86s are powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre boxer engine, mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. We’d recommend that manual, as it’s absolutely central to the driving experience. The automatic, while slick shifting enough, robs the GT86 of its core enthusiast appeal as well as blunting the performance – adding a not insignificant 0.6 seconds to the 0-62mph time.
A basic GT86 loses nothing significant in relation to specification over its GT86 Pro alternative, save a few finer interior finishes and heated front seats, so it’s really down to your budget.
There’s only one engine available in the Toyota GT86: a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit. It’s called a ‘boxer’ because it has two pairs of cylinders on their sides and facing each other. When the pistons in those cylinders move, they look like a boxer’s arms punching out. The only option you have is between a manual or automatic gearbox.
Here, we’re looking at the Toyota GT86 trims and there were three to choose from, although there were a number of limited editions over the years, too. Throughout, the standard model was known simply as the Toyota GT86.
The Toyota GT86’s exterior dimensions are:
The Toyota GT86’s boot capacity is 237 litres.
Earlier examples of the Toyota GT86 registered before 1 April 2017 will pay £365 for 12 months of road tax. For cars put on the road after this date, the standard flat rate of £180 applies for a year's tax.
Because it’s a proper sports car, insurance premiums for the Toyota GT86 can be quite costly. Depending on exactly which model you choose, it’s ranked in insurance groups 30 to 35 (out of 50 groups in total).
Read our full Toyota GT86 review