Toyota GR86

The Grinch, played by Jim Carrey in the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, declares “All right, I’ll do it, but I’ll be fashionably late.” Not to be outdone by the Grinch’s antics, our late-to-the-party review of the Toyota GR86 echoes the same sentiment.

The official launch date for the Toyota GR86 was in September 2022, and I am sure this would have been a splendid event to attend… No doubt there were canapés and high tea, friendly banter with motoring writers plus the much anticipated unveiling of the GR. However, our invite got lost in the ether and here we are, almost a year post launch, finally with the keys to a shiny, red GR86.

The shiny, red GR86

The timing was perfect. In the midst of a typically bleak Auckland weekend there were few options for entertainment: either watch sideways rain transform my backyard into the city’s newest wetland or take the GR for a Sunday drive.

The experience was enhanced by the company of my seventeen-year-old offspring – wildly enthusiastic and incredibly Tik-Tok-knowledgeable about Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars. Full disclosure: the younger one owns a 2012 Toyota GT86 (the GR’s predecessor) and to say there is prevailing bias to JDM sports cars would be an understatement.

The first generation GT86 was originally designed to address dipping sales in the global youth market, so the younger one’s enthusiasm was a welcome addition to our GR86 experience. In fact, if not for him, I wouldn’t know about the former GT’s hidden gems that, thanks to social media, are now part of folklore. Apparently, the exhaust diameter, bore diameter and stroke length of the GT86 measure exactly 86mm. This serves as a clever conjunction and links the GT86 to former Toyota icons that share similar engine identifiers. The original MR2 Turbo, Celica GT-Four and fourth-gen Supra all had this same engine dynamic. The younger one is quick to point out, however, that the new generation GR86 ends the romanticism with ‘eighty-six. Moving to a larger 2.4 litre engine means the bore diameter now measures a less exciting 94mm.

GT86 (white) next to GR86 (red)

Our day started with a trip down memory lane. Nostalgic connections to AE86 chassis code had us reminiscing about the golden generation of Japanese vehicles. AE86 is an iconic acronym within the JDM community. It originates from the VIN number and refers to type of engine, model, generation and derivation (in the case of ‘8, 6’ this is means high performance rear wheel drive coupe). The mid-eighties AE86 models included the Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno coupes. These models have endured as cult classics, helped by the rising popularity of the competitive drifting scene, a motorsport dominated almost exclusively by rear-wheel-drive cars. Today, the 80s and 90s AE86 vehicles are worth a small fortune if you are lucky enough to find one.

Sentimental connections to the bygone era of iconic JDM cars is only possible because of a unique phenomenon that only a handful of countries have experienced: the 1980s witnessed the demise of the locally-manufactured new car industry in New Zealand. Subsequent deregulation allowed used vehicles to be imported tariff free, and Japan welcomed this trade with open arms.

With an abundance of right-hand drive used cars and a favourable exchange rate, the first two decades of Japanese imports were a veritable gold rush. Every person and their dog was boarding planes destined for the Land of the Rising Sun. The plan: nab as many JDM cars as the bank balance would allow, doubling your money when the car arrived in New Zealand. Even airline staff were side hustling as pseudo importers, using stopovers in Tokyo to broker deals for friends and family. This was before Kiwis could access the Japanese mega auctions like USS Tokyo, so Japanese Car Dealers were the beneficiaries of impressionable Kiwis paying full sticker price. This new sourcing pathway provided over 100,000 used vehicles for Kiwis annually. Without these pioneers of the Japanese import scene we may never have experienced this emotional connection with the original AE86 cars.

Back to the current day…

Given our affection for the GR’s cousin, it was impossible for us not to draw comparisons between the first and second generation 86s. The younger one’s GT86 is fitted with a (bone-shaking) aftermarket Invidia N1 exhaust, so the first thing we noticed was how peacefully quiet the GR was. It is a welcome break to be able to hear one’s own thoughts while driving, although the younger one still prefers being part of the ‘heard-before-seen’ fraternity.

The exhaust was surprisingly quiet

Another noticeable upgrade is in power. The GR’s 2.4 litre engine addresses the missing low-end torque issues of the GT’s 2.0 litre and adds just enough more go to give the car a feeling of spirited liveliness (147kW increases to 172kW; 205nM increases to 250nM).

Equally welcome is the GR’s new level of agility. When the GT was launched, pundits lauded the sharp steering and handling characteristics. Reviewers were quick to attach taglines usually reserved for sports cars worth triple the price. ‘Nimble', 'dynamic’, ‘agile’ and ‘best-handling’ are but a few of the keywords. But the GR actually raises the bar above these accolades. Torsional rigidity, suspension tuning and weight distribution is improved significantly over the GT, meaning balance and cornering are now go-cart-level awesome. The addition of Track Mode for the GR allows for adjustment of the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRC) – something we didn’t try mucking around with in very wet conditions!

It’s hard to think of a better bang-for-buck sports car that balances aesthetic appeal with performance at an entry level price. But, and it’s a big BUT, like anything that is too good to be true, there is a caveat!

Getting your hands on a GR86 is not easy. There were only 30 GR86s registered in New Zealand since it launched, which means that even catching a glimpse of one on the road is a bit like spotting a Yeti.  But Toyota assures us that the GR is still an important part of their line up, and that New Zealand will continue to receive a ‘steady niche allocation each month.’ Toyota Dealerships won’t take your order either, it’s more of a ‘register your interest’ situation, which, to be fair is not a phenomenon unique to Toyota. Most manufacturers with popular models are experiencing supply disruptions. Unfortunately, New Zealand will not see the exclusive GR86 Trueno Edition either, these will be limited to the US market with a run of just 860 units (there’s that clever 86 identifier again).

The downside to being fashionably late is finding something to say about a vehicle that hasn’t already been said, and there already is an ocean of reviews available on the GR. Traditionally, if you conduct a meta-analysis of any car review, you end up with a mishmash of mutually incompatible contradictions. But with the GR, the opposite is true. Overwhelmingly, reviewers loved this car and everything it represents. One reason for this is that the GR’s forerunner (GT86) laid the fertile groundwork for it to be a success-in-waiting. The design philosophy flows seamlessly between iterations and is enriched in this new incarnation. But the real story of the GR begins decades ago with the hero AE86 imports serendipitously landing on our shores, giving rise to a collective passion that started the legacy we enjoy today.

2023 Toyota GR86 specifications

Article and images by Avon Bailey

Avon has spent three long decades doing everything there is to do in the car universe, from the car auction podium to wrenching on a race car team he has seen it all. He brings an open mind and a sharp pencil to give an honest review of anything with four wheels.