Toyota GR86 Premium Review - The Car I Should Have Bought

[@jamesgrindle3521]

I drove this car back to back with a Supra…this was by far the better of the two. It clearly could use more torque, but the chassis, steering and suspension were so intuitive. It was so much fun to drive.

[@scottclark2156]

I did the same. Test drove a manual Supra and then a manual GR86. The Supra was more powerful, but nowhere near as fun. I went with the GR86.

[@Mr99Burns]

Supra is too refined. It’s ironic but you want a car that’s less refined if you like driving and feeling the road.

[@immunity4soul]

@@jamesgrindle3521 i traded an zf8 m235i for the Manual 86. M235i basically was a supra. I am not saying the m235i was not as good as an 86 but its definitely not as fun to drive hard as an 86 in corners. The weight of the car makes all the difference. The n235i was very refined and stupid fast with that gearbox. Shifts in sport mode felt like duel clutch somehow. It would get to 140mph like it was nothing but was not a good track or canyon car stock. The suspension was more set up for straight line stuff and high speed sweepers. If you pushed it hard for lower speed tights turns it would understeer and felt like the tires didn’t like it. And it had a ediff so exists were not as easy to modulate. If you had camber plates and a lsd the m235i was an animal but even then the weight was a factor and could be felt at autocross. I like the 86 for auto cross and driving hard around town it just feels fun every time and you can wash the rear end out in second gear around town without feeling like its going to loose control. Fun factor and corner feel out the box without any mods, really no car out there like it at the price. Also the seating position and how low it sits feels like an actual sports car. Never driven the super but it had a lot of the same stuff as the m235i. Wish i could have kept it to be honest and still have the 86. Was more of a luxury sports daily coup that did a little of everything. The 86 feels more like a sports car that can be daily driven and can get your adrenaline flowing. Parking lot at work has this turn i can powerslide it in second gear and feels safe and car feels like its designed to do that. Just makes my day. If it drizzles you can do parking lot drifts on that blacktop stuff so easy its total shenanigan car.

[@dhaug]

Old guy here. I had the exact same WRX as you (a '22 in Solar Orange), and recently changed to the '24 BRZ. As much as I enjoyed the WRX, the BRZ is a whole other level of enjoyment! Great video!

[@Roxas_DM]

Same here ❤❤❤ just a heads up the HKS turbo kit for this car sounds amazing!

[@laplantemichel709]

Old guy here also, would an old guy still appreciate this car at highway speed (cabin noise ) cant seem to find a dealer near a highway but the 23 i tried today was very acceptable in town .Thanks

[@hothatchpa]

54 here and ordering a 25 BRZ tS. Gen Xers refuse to grow up haha.

[@aroundomaha]

I got a 22 BRZ in late 2021, and after three years still love it. A few autocrosses , a 1,700 and daily commuting in Seattle have only made me appreciate it more. Power is fine but I gave up drag racing years ago. I get 23-25 around town and average 28 in high speed highway driving. 34 mpg if you go the speed limit lol. I unhooked the speaker that pipes in fake engine noise, added the OEM camber bolts, and a separate set of wheels with summer tires. One downside is that the passenger seat isn’t height adjustable which sucks for short passengers. All said I am still happy with the purchase.

[@user-m3w5g]

Nice one !

[@jenniferheredia2267]

My hubby just bought the Trueno edition. Love it.

[@sunnyvalentino]

86 is what Porsche would make if they did a small RWD front engined coupe. Except they would make it infinitely customizable and start the base at 58K

[@scarabmango]

I'll be picking up my '22 magnetite grey in a few days. It started as base but the last owner installed the premium spoiler, bigger wheels and air suspension. I had considered the Mustang Ecoboost as well, but the 86 won me over.

[@user-m3w5g]

Good score scarab , enjoy your wicked new beast.

[@scarabmango]

@richieroo4844 Can't wait to cruise with the windows down in some beautiful fall weather. A simple pleasure if ever there was one.

[@2ZH]

I recently got a 24 civic si, i really wish i got this car instead. The civic feels huge (length) to me and i prefer the 2 door style and feel. Also the si really needs more power

[@ScoutKing161]

I’m currently deciding between an si and 86 aswell

[@2ZH]

@@ScoutKing161 if you don't have people to bring with you I would go 86. The Si has a turbo but I guarantee you the 86 will feel more fun. And the engine will sound better in the 86

[@garrettwalden7195]

Yeah Honda really nurtured the Si to make room for the type R.

[@2ZH]

@@garrettwalden7195 for sure, just from the 10th to the 11th gen it lost a lot of stuff

[@donmiranda4645]

@@ScoutKing161I was on the same boat. I ended up getting a manual premium GR86. Best decision and I don’t regret it one bit.

[@immunity4soul]

Amazing fun to drive, its a good car. Feel like a go kart. Wish i could find a white one but i found a grey one with the brembos and grabbed it.

[@marcuss.9496]

I just picked up a premium 3 months ago but it took 3 months of active looking in a hundred mile radius to find a manual one. Auto is still great in these cars, definitely better on track.. but manual the world

[@Fubbzie]

That’s so crazy to me, I walked into a dealer and got a premium with brembos same day. I’m sorry brother

[@enkay110]

Reminds me of both my Audi TTs, which Audi has now discontinued, shamefully not selling a m/t after the 2008 second gen. Does it have wireless carplay/androidauto? Does the turn signal return to neutral automatically?

[@bobbyjones2112]

Love it! It reminds me of a poor man’s 911 the way it looks!

[@eta9997]

I noticed what looks to be an aux port. Interesting to see a car that still has that

[@troynewton5833]

Nice review. These cars aren't about 0-60 times but it is one of the few remaining where the manual is still quicker.

[@RandyJM21]

Body wise this is way nicer then a supra . Supra is an odd looking car . This is classicly styled . There is only one reason to want a WRX for sport driving which is if your gonna rip it on loose surfaces in which case it will reduculously fun . If you want to drive hard on twisties this car is far superior to wrx and obviously better looking then a WRX or Civic . You can go faster then anybody should in canyons and twisties with good tires in a Civic Si despite being FWD , You will scare yourself silly trying to find the limit and drive 9/10s in an Si on public roads, this should be looser and of course be able to oversteer if your going raped ape and may not be much faster onn twisties but will be more fun to drive with throttle and more drama , with minimal power the 86 wont be too much car and less likely to get away from you looking for/ approaching its limits like in something with big power where you can easily overcook stuff / gain speed between turns . If your an actual enthusiast this is still enough to be anti social and practice bad impulse control with but more overhead for aggression without over stepping your ability . I find grippy FWD cars harder to drive hard and find understeer scarrier then oversteer and these are supposed to be balanced , easy to drive and will come back with throttle / not snap oversteer you , so will be way more fun then anything FWD or AWD if you want some drama and fun , want to learn car control / driving with throttle . The only reason for the Civic is if you have kids or friends who dont own cars and need practicality . For driving and for aesthetics this is infinitely better , more fun and sexier car . Even being a Subaru essentially and comparing a honda engine vs subaru the wee honda engine is nearly 1/2 the size and makes its power via boost , so even being a Honda engine is stressed quite a bit more and if you beat on a teeny high boost engine its not gonna last like a regular NA hohda engine in a appliance car so the Honda ve Subaru engine is not as big an argument . If you keep cars a long time and you outgrow the 86s performance , after its paid off you could upgrade the brakes , maybe find somebody who blew theirs up with a SC OR Turbo kit and get one used and get more power on the cheap . I think its one of the best looking actual sports car you can find . 32 K is only inexpensive today post covid paying off the millions in money transfers via inflation and a lot of money for NA 4 cyl little car but by todays new standards inexpensive in relative terms and better looking then many more expensive cars that have fancier interiors , bigger wheels , brakes and power but are also heavier . So the lightness and simplicity pays off and you look good and the mild 228 HP and 4 low torque goes pretty far so that the unimpressive #s are not as low as they sound and if your a savage and learn to drive the dick off it somebody is a faster car might have trouble chasing you on technical roads if you can push it . Still plaenty enough to scare yourself shitless on tricky roads and be fun atbautocross with good tires . But for sure much cooler then Si or WRX to pick a date up in unless she wants kids tomorrow and turned on by practical cars and doesnt think you hanging the ass out a bit makes you James Dean or James Bond cool and just thinks your a pyscho and not want to drive with you . Its a classic long nose , short deck 2 door and kinda like the 240Z was in the day , more so then current Z in fact which is now 60k+ if you get the good ones you want that dont have the stupid front end . Miata is great and proper sports car but still has the goofy smiley face thing and this looks better . Particularly the toyota . Cars a Subaru but Toyota made sure their version was a little more classicly good looking , although you pay a little extra to get the minor ugly removed and i guess style preference is arguable and to taste but i think the toyota is objectively better looking . If they were a few grand cheaper and you could throw money for upgrades they would be even more appealing but it costs too much to get them there and you better off buying a base Z or 2.0 supra at that point even if BMW suora looks weird with a blob fish nose and strange hips and ass and this hwving a more classic body . With costs today and basically no real choices for affordwble brand new sports car a manual 86 is really the only car in the shrinking category .

[@thevics123]

I ain't reading all that. So I'm gonna assume you think this car is great.

[@user-m3w5g]

JM21 I like the cut of your gib.

[@brianreardon7700]

Also not as bad in the snow last winter as I thought… put a good set of snow tires on..and 160lbs of sand bags in the trunk.. it does ok.. if you dont get to cute

[@roustabout4fun]

I might watch and digest this a few times...the tossability or lack of, I might miss. Anyway...thanks for the video!

[@raymond_sycamore]

Nobody cares what you drive, especially women. Just buy what you like and want.

[@Fubbzie]

I live on cape and just bought my manual 86 while it was still on the boat. Edit: mines from Ira as well lol.

[@Mx5pro]

I bought nd2 rf 22 and leased 23 gr premium 😂 got tired of hearing the comparison but both cars are very affordable and fun to daily

[@ruturaj47]

Which one do you like more?

[@johnjfrederick]

It’s hard to overstate how much more enjoyable to drive the new twins are compared to their contemporary peers.

[@jukeboxzero1]

Pretty sure you got the 0-60 times reversed for auto vs. manual transmissions.

[@BostonAutoBlog]

Yes I did. Good catch

[@jukeboxzero1]

@@BostonAutoBlog Other than that - good review!

[@yourpalbobbyboi]

I think you made the right choice. Once you are over 30…. Coupes are just kind of pointless.

[@SilentKIla391]

I live in the midwest missouri to be exact our roads aren’t kept up the best would this be a good car stock to drive daily or if i get it change the suspension to something more fluid to handle uneven roads potholes speed bumps etc?

[@brianreardon7700]

After many years of gtis and I mean many.. I got the 10th anniversary edition gr 86 last summer down here in the Springfield mass area.. love love love this car!!! Have not had anything this low to the ground and small since my 1995 Mitsubishi eclipse gsx

[@williamshortreed7609]

Before my 6 spd 23 BRZ I use to drive a 97 Acura Integra 5 spd.

[@hossemadian7127]

Ill get this car when they bring the damn performance pckg to Canada. Tureno is so rare here and don't care for the graphics.

[@shanemurphy4399]

This guys favorite president? George Dubyuuhhh RX

[@bretrich]

How would you compare the ride comfort and road noise to the GTI or the WRX

[@inc1t3Ful]

From an owner perspective, ride quality is more harsh than the WRX or GTI- its as you would expect/ want from a lightweight 2door sports car. Road noise is on the louder side due to less insulation overall for such a small car built for the track. Tbh GTI or WRX arent really often cross-shopped options when looking at the GR86/BRZ. That being said, this car for the price is a really good one-car solution if you need something to commute, but also have fun with on the weekends. If you have a commuter already and want a second car for weekend-use only, the Miata would be the better option for fun

[@immunity4soul]

I have one and had the older wrx as well as a civic. 86 is pretty stiff and way less body roll than both other cars. You will feel the road but its not too much. As far as noise its louder inside on the highway than a civic but i would say same as wrx. At 80 on the hwy you can hear the tire noise but its not more than you would hear on a wrx. The si is more refined inside than both cars and the ride is as well. I wanted a 2 door sports coupe with manual weekend track car so i with the 86 but if you using as a daily you probably better getting the si. The 86 sucks gas especially at 85mph in sixth gear it will be at close to 5 rpm. The si will sip fuel be more practical quiet and also fun. The 86 is not my daily so for me its perfect but i dont think i could personally daily it. Would have to fill it up every few days and its not enjoyable going slow hitting red lights every few seconds. In that situation i would prefer the civic manual all day.

[@Mr99Burns]

GTI much better daily. I test drove both on the same day and went with GR86 SE. It’s a much more special car. GTI again is much more comfortable 4 doors and better quality interior

[@lachlanhodgkinson9246]

In the 2024 is the CarPlay wireless?

[@fattybumflake]

Nope. But you can buy a cheap aftermarket dongle to make it wireless.

[@rlopez3188]

It is only wired CarPlay. I own it and I purchased a CarPlay dongle from Amazon and it works great.

[@lachlanhodgkinson9246]

@@rlopez3188 thanks for the reply bro, just ordered an 86

[@kellyaustin7487]

Its definitely not for everyone.

[@BostonAutoBlog]

It’s an acquired taste for sure. Certainly more enticing than its predecessor though

[@ShortLifeHax]

*investment only if you buy it at invoice, which the end user doesn't and also you don't drive it for 20 years* *I'd rather be in an ETF paying monthly dividends for 20 years.*

[@user-cj7dv2kc6d]

Dude the 90s and 2000s isn't old school. That is the 70s and 80s before you were born. Though since you say alloy wheels maybe you were around in the 80s. In 2024 we just call them aluminum.

[@miguelm3676]

Both cars are Great Manual or Automatic ✅

[@johnlu9368]

did u try the brz ts,which one is better with similar price

[@miguelm3676]

6 speed manual transmission.

[@fightnight14]

Bro just give me your WRX and you get yourself a GR86. Problem solved!

[@miguelm3676]

I am selling mine $32,000 with 6000 miles AWE exhaust, few engine cosmetics, shift knob etc stop performance brake disc.

[@steelcowboy2751]

It’s not a sports car with a 0-60 time in the mid-6s to almost 7. Yes, it looks good but it has the worst interior quality and features, similar to all other economy cars. It’s simply popular because it’s cheap and it’s solely for young buyers. Also, no way it’s a true track car

[@LCculater]

Don’t forget no power 😂😂😂😂😂

[@shrimplypibbles7162]

Fake news, no one is driving a red coupe in New Hampshire winters over a WRX. I want a cut of this mans paycheck.

[@J_S209]

BRZ looks better at the front.

[@abcwarrior91]

90% disagree