[Closed] Toyota GT86 - Anyone got one/driven one?

If your list includes GT86 and a BMW 1-series, I'd have to say go for the 1-series. The consensus appears to be (as noted above) that the GT86 is overpriced for what it gives you,

The GT-86 is more of a lower spec/power/price 370, Cayman. It's a GT really. If your considering it against a 1 series then the 1 series is certainly for you. I think the Toyota is great value.

I sat in one while waiting for the dealer to do a recall for my tedious family runabout.

It looks ace from outside but, when inside, I couldn't really see the point.

The back seats are unusable (for anyone over the age of 2). Taking these out of the equation it's basically a 2-seater, the rest of the inside wasn't as nice as my mother-in-law's MX5, I can't imagine it driving as well as her MX5 and it cost nearly £10k more.

Aristotle - Member

Fantombiker - Member

I was looking at them as well. Not going to go for it because it is underpowered.

Do you need/use more power or is it just a case of "because I can"?

I used to be in the "more power!" camp for cars and motorbikes, but I've seen the light and realise that ride, handling (and tyre & suspension setup) are more important

Agree ride and handling are important but you do need power and correct torque delivery. But I don't agree with using such cars for fun on the road, pointless and dangerous, so personally I need a practical, comfortable car that's a beast on track days. 200bhp in that weight will not cut it on a track day.

I just don't see the point for example of buying a Nissan GTR and never either tracking or racing it. It won't get you from Manchester to London any quicker...not in rush hour anyway....

I've got a BRZ, the better looking and faster equivalent:-)

As for space then it really depends on how tall you/the misses are?

I have 2 kids and we can get all four of us in it but it's a squeeze and i have to drive with my knees round my ears.

The main problem with smaller kids with it is that the back seat squab is actually too long for their little legs and they end up sticking straight out in to the back of the front seats.

My 4 or 7 yr old can fit behind the misses at 5'6 no problems and its actually more comfortable in the ride department than most hot hatches. But its not really family friendly and you ideally need a hatchback to go with it if you can.

As for performance, its not slow but its not going to rip your arms off. Its very similar to a clio 200/golf gti sort of performance. Most Yank car mags got 0-60 in 6.5 ish and 0-100 in the 16s which isn't bad.

nicko74 - Member
How do these things ALWAYS get onto the subject of Hora and his manhood?!

Because Hora always seizes the opportunity to mention his manhood?

beardo - Member
As for performance, its not slow but its not going to rip your arms off.

I should hope not, if the seat stays in place under acceleration 😉

I had the "mis-fortune" to be taken for a quick blast in a GT86 with my mate driving... frightened the sh*t out of me on country lanes, feels quicker than the paper statistics suggest and stuck well to the road (fortunately).

Would I buy one? For 20 to 25K I'd rather sink my money into a used Boxster, Caymen or even 911.

The benefit of the Toyota is that the running costs are likely to be low and reliability excellent.

I simply said the GTR excites me more.

Lower running costs? Toyota wont be cheap.

However I would rather own a Cayman etc. It just has no presence. No sense of drama/adventure. Its just a two door car.

Toyota's influence is spreading into Subaru and I dont like it.

My definition of cheap running costs is cheaper than Audi or BMW, plus the small tyres can't be too expensive either.

that 3dr brake sod how many bodys how many bikes in the boot,looks nice,nearly as nice as an aged Volvo

It has a lower COG than a Cayman.
It has an LSD.
It runs Prius tyres.
The driving position is perfect.
It has revy, normally aspirated Boxer 2.0 litlre.
It has a peach of a 6 speed manual.

The concept is exactly what the performance car market needed.

My GT86 now has 4000 miles on the clock, and after every drive I'm still smiling just as much now as I was when I first got the car. It's great FUN to drive - and with the traction/stability stuff turned on its as easy to drive as any other boring car. Turn the electronic aids down though and it is sublimely engaging at sensible (legal) road speeds. Agree that the rear seats are of limited value (I'm 6' 2" and a baby seat is all that would fit behind me when I'm sitting comfortably behind the wheel) but having said that I reckon that four 5' 6" people could fit in reasonably comfortably. Practicality ? - fold the seat back down, take the bike wheels off and a full suspension bike (XL size Stumpjumper 120) fits in through the boot opening quite easily, with lots of room left for other luggage. Surprisingly reasonable to insure, and getting 40 mpg on a run (but this dips to 35 or so if you're driving enthusiastically). Experience of local Toyota dealership has been good so far. Looking forward to driving many more miles . . . . . .

Nice to see some sensible grounded opinions appear on this thread. Tonyplym, how easy are getting bikes in? Could it take two? I won't be fortunate enough to buy one for a couple of years, but can't see anything else other than a BRZ/86 I would replace my celica with. Im not too fussed about rear seats as they rarely get used & have no intention of planning a family. Sounds like your enjoying it too!

Can't really see the place of the GT86/BRZ at its price point. If it was hovering around £20k it might make more sense, but for £25k the Megane 265 Cup looks a much better option. All the fun of the GT86, more power (for the all-important willy measuring contest down the pub) and useable back seats.

Can't really see the place of the GT86/BRZ at its price point. If it was hovering around £20k it might make more sense, but for £25k the Megane 265 Cup looks a much better option. All the fun of the GT86, more power (for the all-important willy measuring contest down the pub) and useable back seats.

But all that power is driving the wrong wheels...

Well, if Gran Turismo has provided the majority of your driving experiences, I suppose it is 😉

Seriously though, pretty much every road test comparison says the Megane is ace, the GT86/BRZ is balls. And anyway, FWD cars can provide some top-level fun.

It's academic for me either way. I've found the perfect blend of driven wheels, power, handling, seating arrangements, bike space, economy, etc.

bought mrs TLR a new MX5 roadster in July 2012 - most fun we've had in a car for years [ooh errr....]....

in fact, so good the VFR1200 is retired from touring duties.....

the BRZ / GT86 is a great car imo. back to basics, entertaining and an element more practicality than the mx5......no bad thing...

will a mountain bike fit in the boot easily ? also, what are the wheel PCD / offsets ? i have spare winter wheels in the shed on steelies - might buy one for fun :L)

Fun car that is practical enough to get 5 adults or Mtb inside. Easy.Golf R32 or whatever latest version is called. The best bit is it doesn't look like a knob's car either!

golf is a 4wd. feels numb in comparison, albeit faster with more outright grip and betterr materials. rather missing the point teamhurt.

King-ocelot - as the seat back folds in one piece to give a completely flat uninstructed boot floor you might be able to slide one frame in as far as it'll go, then the second . . . . If I get a minute later today I'll give it a try.

Shame that many seem to think that you can't have fun driving on UK public roads without having excessive amounts of power under you right foot, or without driving at excessive (illegal / license-threatening) speed. Me - I'm happy enough with 200 bhp going to the right pair of wheels, suspension which works well on the majority of road surfaces (so not rock-hard firm), and a nice selection of useful standard fit "goodies" (such as dual-zone climate control and HID headlights) to play with. Toyota/Subaru build quality is also pretty good, and their after-sales service has a good reputation - as my car purchases tend to be for the long term (last car kept for 11 years, 7 years for the one before that) factors such as reliability, warranty and service costs are all important to me too.

the BRZ / GT86 is a great car imo. back to basics, entertaining and an element more practicality than the mx5......no bad thing...

This^

Cheers Tony, I found the Toyota network to be fantastic too unlike Mazda which was another factor in replacing the MX5 with an MR2. The build quality is fantastic on both our celica and mr2, neither rattle inside despite age but plastics are cheap feeling, however that was never high up on my list of priorities.

4wd? Numb? Must be thinking of a different car! Anyway just trying to be helpful, if missing the point!

Some good interesting comments above!

I went and sat in a GT86 yesterday and liked the general cockpit etc. The back seats looked to be a bit of a joke though, im not sure you could even get a car seat for a 3yr old in there.

The sales man was crap, didn't even know how to open the boot! He couldn't tell me if the roof would take a bike rack either, does any one know if it can?

Also done more research about the Subaru. Apparently they handle quite differently so would have to drive both.

Re all the comments about the lack of speed. Its plenty for me, I prefer driving bends, rather than flying down a straight as fast as you can in a hot hatch which then disappoints in the corners. I've also driven some very fast Impreza's and a couple of 300 + BHP rwd cars and all great fun until you realise all you can do is drive them very fast in a straight line, but get no where near the edge of grip on the roads, which makes them dull IMO.

Having said that I had a Mk3 MX5. Technically it was flawless, but it had no soul or character, and I could never buy one again.

I'm going to give it another 6 months or so and see what 2nd hand values are like, see if it can actually takes roof rack and car seat etc,and then test drive the Toyota and Subaru versions.

Buy a turbo Forester

Roof rack - don't think so - no mounting points, and roof is aluminium (so suspect it could be vulnerable to damage). Also no towbar options (again, no fitting points). Might be possible to rig something like a Saris Bones, but the boot spoiler is almost bound to get in the way.

Boot opening - use the release button on the dash (next to interior lighting adjuster - above your right knee if you're in the driving seat; key/remote can also be used (button on key fob) - can also hold it close to the boot and the release button concealed above the number plate will work.

My experience of Toyota sales staff is that they've forgotten how to sell sports cars - their day-to-day customers buy Toyota solely for reliability - they struggle to cope with savvy customers.

Majority of cars destined for UK are Toyota GT86; Subaru BRZ has long delivery schedules and will be much rarer - probably would have bought one myself but didn't want to wait 4 months or more for it.

Try finding a Subaru dealer. My local official one operates out of a tiny industrial estate and charges BMW main dealer rates.

Insulting as he doesnt have a glossy showroom/reason to justify the pricing.

Tony what's under the rubber strips on the roof line? Didn't think it was wise to start pulling the car apart in the showroom.

I've seen pics of a rack in the states that apparently is GT specific, but it does not fit rails but uses in a sense the door frame as leaver to create pressure on the side of the roof. Would be much nicer just to use a Thule rack!

I doubt weight would be an issue as there must be some solid stuff under any thin ally body.

There's a Subaru dealer in Peterborough.

I've seen a rack somewhere on google that sounds as described above that goes horizontal over the roof from the door opening.

Subaru dealer in Chester too.

Asked mate Toyota Mechanic said the rubber strips protect the joining seem underneath its held in by 2 clips

wurzelcube - Member

I had the "mis-fortune" to be taken for a quick blast in a GT86 with my mate driving... frightened the sh*t out of me on country lanes, feels quicker than the paper statistics suggest and stuck well to the road (fortunately).

Other than www/pub bores, who cares which is theoretically "faster"?

To be honest, very few people these days are actually interested in cars -beyond image, gadgets, mpg and tax band.

I love the concept!

Regarding tyre size, 215/45 17" is only small compared to current marketing/styling led tyre choices. And more important is how large the contact patch is under hard cornering - a very low CoG and good suspension geometry means that you keep plenty of tyre on the road. And if the contact patch stays consistent then it's easier to drive close to the limit safely.

The classic Civic Type R wears 205/45 17" tyres, weighs ~80kg more than a GT86, had a higher CoG, similar power and I've never heard anyone bemoan its cornering ability. My car's on tyres another size smaller, and is a bit taller and heavier and is never short of grip on the road. Also, skinnier tyres make long motorway journeys in the wet a less scary prospect as they're less prone to aquaplaning.

chiefgrooveguru - Member

I love the concept!

Regarding tyre size, 215/45 17" is only small compared to current marketing/styling led tyre choices.

The classic Civic Type R wears 205/45 17" tyres, weighs ~80kg more than a GT86, had a higher CoG, similar power and I've never heard anyone bemoan its cornering ability.

Another plus point is that less huge tyres and wheels and low-ish weight (and thus smaller discs) means lower unsprung mass which is such a good thing on British roads!

Can I have a 5-door hatchback wife-approval-friendly version please? 😉

less wheel, more tyre.

chiefgrooveguru - Member
Can I have a 5-door hatchback wife-approval-friendly version please?

I really applaud Toyota and Subaru for making this car, and going against the modern tradition which is to make cars heavier, with more outright grip but numb and dull as a result. The GT86 is a breath of fresh air and anyone saying it should have more power is totally and utterly missing the point.

The most fun I've ever had in a car was my old 205 Gti 1.6. Only 115hp (and wrong wheel drive according to those that have closed minds) but so connected, so alive. The GT86 would seem to be of similar ilk. Lightweight, adjustable, communicative and take it to the countryside and you'll be having far more fun than people in cars costing three times the amount, and with three times as much power.

As for that chap suggesting that his Golf R32 was the last word in fun and performance, has he read any of the reviews of the R32 in the motoring press? It would seem not.

As is the case with the R32 (and many other modern cars) many people seem to confuse outright grip and speed with 'handling'. Whereas handling is much more subtle than that. It's about adjustability, feedback from the chassis and steering, and that feeling of flow that you get when pressing on. In that respect, Renaultsports range of products would run rings round any Golf in terms of sheer fun factor and handling finesse. In fact (despite being wrong wheel drive) they would run rings handling wise round most of the current crop of rear wheel drive cars, BMW included.

Well done Toyota for making this car. Lets hope other manufacturers are brave enough to follow their lead and ditch outrageous performance figures and Nurburg ring times in search of something that is actually lightweight, nimble and fun to drive all of the time.

Going for a test drive in one next weekend. Can't wait and will report back.

So much blasphemy on this thread. Please stick to RWD comparisions and stop bringing in inferior "handling" ideas such as combining the steering with the driven axles. There are some good 4wd cars out the with rear bias but they are still spoiled 😆

I also applaud Toyota and Subaru for this and hope it brings further affordable fun cars to the market instead of the utter boredom out there.

I think this version would be good, no spoiler and black steel wheels:

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It probably wouldn't sell well in the UK, though.

A guy I worked with had a very modern car, but made like one of those 1920's soap dishes with pram wheels. He reckoned that was immense fun. (When he said tyres were tricky to get someone quick as a flash suggested mothercare! 😆 )

I think such cars can use old-style motorbike tyres.