First launched as the Toyota 86 in 2012 as a badge-engineered twin to the Subaru BRZ, the two-door, four-seat sports car is now in its second generation, known as the GR86 to fit Toyota GR’s branding.
With a naturally aspirated four-cylinder flat-four Subaru engine under the bonnet (2.0-litres in the first generation, 2.4-litres now), the rear-wheel drive GR86 remains a relatively affordable (but hard-topped) rival to another wallet-friendly classic, the Mazda MX-5.
With its name derived from the AE86 rear-wheel drive variants of the fifth generation Toyota Corolla (made famous in pop-culture by the Initial D Manga and Anime), it was aimed at younger buyers and thus was originally available for less than $30,000 in its base GT manual.
Now unavailable for less than $40,000 (the GR86 launched with a base price of $43,240), its popularity isn’t what it used to be, though the dwindling ‘cheap sports car market’ means it remains one of the best value options despite its increase.
The line-up currently starts at $43,240 for the GR86 GT and ranges through to $47,590 for the range-topping GR86 GTS + RED Interior.
