Owner Review: 2013 Toyota 86 GT

I am: David T

I live in: Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne

My car: 2013 Toyota GT 86

I bought it in: 2013

I rate it as: 4/5

Four years down the track, driving enjoyment has not diminished

When it was time to upgrade my well-worn 1995 Toyota Corolla, the brief was clear: a fun to drive car capable of bringing enjoyment to otherwise boring hour-long work commutes. Once rational thinking and budgetary constraints quickly extinguished fanciful dreams of an old Porsche Boxster or BMW M3, there were only two options worthy of serious consideration – the Ford Fiesta ST and Toyota 86 GT. Both were (relatively) simple, fun-to-drive cars filled with character and a nod to yesteryear.

They offered affordable, accessible performance (albeit delivered in vastly different ways), a manual transmission, had won acclaim from the experts and scraped in under my budget.

In the end, it was the 86’s combination of rear-wheel drive dynamics, purposeful coupe styling, cheap servicing and Toyota reliability (real or perceived) which proved irresistible. An 86 GT won my heart, head and money — without a test drive.

Four years a fan
Nearly four years and 40,000kms later, I couldn’t be happier. The Toyota 86 still has me contemplating the long way home from work – everyday.

For performance car enthusiasts, the seating position in the 86 could sell the car alone. You feel mere millimetres from the road and, at traffic lights, hulking Toyota Landcruisers and Nissan Patrols appear like skyscrapers.

Then there’s the grippy button-less steering wheel, tactile gearshift knob and three perfectly sized and spaced pedals (count them – and, yes, on the left, that is a clutch) all of which combine to build anticipation even before starting the engine.

Once you’re on the move, the steering and dynamics dominate the experience. The steering is beautifully weighted, the clutch is light, visibility is good and, honestly, driving in heavy traffic is no real burden.

As soon as you venture to some twisty tarmac like the Black Spur or the Dandenongs (both outside Melbourne), you’ll instantly understand the addictive qualities of the Toyota 86. The cornering is nothing short of fantastic and the car always feels agile and hunkered down on the road.

Even the sporty ride is easy to live with on a daily basis.

The first four capped price services are priced at a reasonable $170, which helps reinforce the strong ownership proposition. And so far, reliability has been okay – save for a leaky damper (changed under warranty), some dodgy rear parking sensors which required recalibrating and a free fix for the steering fault which caused a nationwide recall in 2016.

Boot space is generous for a car of this nature and is capable of swallowing essentials such as the weekly grocery shopping or a couple of slabs.

Compromises necessary
Over time, you can identify where Toyota saved a few dollars here and there to squeeze the 86 under the all-important $30,000 mark.

Number one, the engine is certainly no screamer. If your KPIs for a sports car are zero to 100km/h and 1/4 mile times, the 86 will leave you disappointed. There’s no WRX- or GTi-like thrust or acoustic fireworks anywhere in the rev range and, despite that relatively modest power and torque, 98 RON fuel is mandatory – which does sting the wallet.

Fuel consumption hasn’t been flash. My car has remained consistently above 9.0L/100km which is certainly distant from the claims in the brochure.

However the most frustrating cost-cutting measure is the paint job. It’s very thin, appears poorly applied and minor scratches really stand out.

Interior plastics carry an unappealing mid-2000s Subaru Impreza vibe and are prone to scuffs on the lightest contact.

Another point worth noting is convenience because, despite its good looks, the coupe configuration isn’t without drawbacks. There’s some fun to be had watching passengers get in and out in an ungainly fashion, and the long doors mean tight parking spots will force you to contort your body in ways previously thought impossible.

You can also expect howls of protest and non-stop complaints the moment you need to squeeze one of your mates in the rear seat for a night out or trip to the footy. Contemplating a fourth person sitting behind the driver? Abandon such thoughts because, for adults, that pinch borders on being physically impossible.

Still on the shortlist
Without doubt the Toyota 86 is one of those cars with appeal exceeding the sum of the parts. It makes driving fun again, at acceptable speeds and reasonable costs. For not much more than a top-spec Corolla, my 86 GT has nailed the brief, proving great value for money and tremendous fun.

In many ways it feels like a very poor person’s Porsche – brilliant rear-drive dynamics, perfect seating position and a boxer engine all blending to deliver a useable every day sports car.

Sure it’s not perfect, but even after four years on the road, for those shopping for a sports car, I couldn’t provide a higher recommendation. Without doubt, the Toyota 86’s overall execution truly defies its price tag.

David Toscano