Summary
The Toyota GT86 was a compact sports car, only available as a 2+2 coupé, that first arrived on UK roads in 2012. Discontinued in 2021, it was replaced by the GR86 coupé.
The fruit of a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru, the GT86 is essentially identical to the Subaru BRZ coupé, using the same 200hp 2.0-litre petrol engine from launch, which received further tuning to increase its output to 205hp after the GT86’s mid-life facelift in 2017. Drive went to the rear wheels and produced a 0-60mph sprint time of around six seconds.
Competitively priced at less than £25K when new, the Toyota GT86 was highly regarded by motoring journalists from the get go, winning three separate ‘Car of the Year’ awards during its first year on sale in the UK.
“The GT86 is hugely enjoyable and involving to drive, with great amounts of grip and superb handling”, said Honest John, while Parkers found that the coupé was “surprisingly comfortable” and “generously equipped”. Also impressed, Carwow predicted that the GT86 could be a future classic.
“While it is simply brilliant to drive, but it’s rather low on polish and finesse”, Carbuyer concluded, explaining in its review that while the GT86 was a value-for-money coupé, its interior design and on-board tech were dated, and the rear seating was cramped.
Other titles noted that the GT86 did not have the best fuel economy, and that there was not much opportunity for customers to personalise their cars through options or accessories. But as Car Keys summed up, “What the GT86 lacks in refinement, it makes up for in visceral personality.”
Although it is no longer in production, the Toyota GT86 still holds a Used Car Expert Rating of C with a score of 62%.
GT86 highlights
- Plenty of driver appeal
- Strong petrol engine
- Good levels of standard equipment
- Competitively priced
GT86 lowlights
- Not many personalisation options
- Rather cramped rear seating
- Dated interior and tech
- Not an economical choice
Key specifications
Body style: Small coupé
Engines: petrol
Price: From £22,815 on-road
Launched: Summer 2012
Last updated: Spring 2017
Discontinued: Summer 2020
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
The Car Expert
Model reviewed:
“The chassis remains composed while offering so much feedback that, in the driver’s seat, you can almost feel it at work through your backside.”
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Auto Express
Model reviewed:
“The GT96 shows that just 197bhp is plenty to create a fun coupe.”
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Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The Toyota GT86 combines great fun and excellent value in a good-looking package.”
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Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“Minor tweaks to the GT 86 formula ensure that it stays at the top of the handling pecking order.”
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Auto Trader
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“For the price of a hot hatch the Toyota GT86 offers a true sports coupe experience. Its entertaining handling, distinctive looks and purist focus restrict its appeal to a hardcore of enthusiasts and it suffers in comparison on performance, practicality and running costs.”
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Autocar
Model reviewed: 2.0 Pro
Score: 9 / 10
“With minor chassis revisions, Toyota’s latest GT86 improves what was already one of the most rewarding rear-wheel-drive coupés on sale.”
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Model reviewed:
Score: 10 / 10
“The GT86 is the keenest, sharpest, most enjoyable and loveable small sports car for a generation.”
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Model reviewed:
“At its best, the driving experience of the Toyota GT86 is match for the likes of a Porsche Cayman, but it can’t reach those heights across as broad a range of conditions.”
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Car
Model reviewed: Aero (2015)
Score: 6 / 10
“The Toyota GT86 Aero has essentially taken a very good car, not addressed any of its flaws and made it less likable.”
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Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“What we have here a is very fine sports car indeed, actually shackled by the quality of its own dynamic abilities: amateurs will want more grunt to extract traction-free entertainment at lower speeds, the more talented will want more grunt because… Well, they always do.”
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Car Keys
Model reviewed:
Score: 7 / 10
“Unless Toyota comes up with a more flexible engine and sorts out the front suspension we’d rather have a Mazda MX-5 instead.”
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Model reviewed: 2.0-litre
Score: 8 / 10
“What the GT86 lacks in refinement it makes up for in visceral personality.”
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Score: 8 / 10
“You either get the Toyota GT86, or you don’t. Sure, its interior is lacking some polish, there’s not much practicality and it’s not the fastest coupe on the market, but for what it lacks in refinement it makes up for in visceral personality.”
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Model reviewed: Automatic
Score: 8 / 10
“Another few days’ work on the suspension and you’d have something that would be both easier and better to drive.”
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed:
Score: 9.8 / 10
“The Toyota GT 86 is a real back-to-basics sports coupe. It’s rather low on polish and finesse, but is simply brilliant to drive.”
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Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Toyota GT86 was developed by a team that wanted to produce the best driver’s car – and very effective they’ve been. But, it’s not the easiest thing to live with in everyday life.”
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Daily Mirror
Model reviewed:
“The revised Toyota GT86 has the characteristics every self-proclaimed petrol head should lust after.”
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Eurekar
Model reviewed: 2.0
“In busy town centres, the car is guaranteed to turn heads as it coasts by and out on faster lanes, it eats up the miles with ease.”
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Model reviewed:
“The shape of the GT86 compared to the AE86 is much more rakish but the formula of pedigree road holding, bags of fun and a reasonable price tag remains consistent.”
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Model reviewed: 2.0
“The GT86 is the almost perfect combination of style, power, economy and desirability.”
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Evo
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8 / 10
“Rarely does something in the motoring world feel ‘just right’ and while the GT86 isn’t without its issues, it comes very close.”
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Fleetworld
Model reviewed:
“The GT86 is a reminder that huge power really isn’t the base requirement for an entertaining driver’s car.”
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed:
Score: 10 / 10
“The Toyota GT86 may not be an obvious green car , but it’s one of the best driver’s cars currently on sale , it’s a fraction of the cost of many sports cars, and we managed to get 50mpg out of it – so it gets a 10 out of 10 rating.”
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Heycar
Model reviewed:
Score: 7 / 10
“The GT86 is a purist, joyous, Toyota sports car.”
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Honest John
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The GT86 is hugely enjoyable and involving to drive, with great amounts of grip and superb handling.”
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Motoring Research
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The GT86 costs around half the price of a new Toyota Supra, but it doesn’t deliver half the thrills.”
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Model reviewed:
“For a generation who grew up playing Need for Speed, there is simply nothing currently for sale that has the same potential to reward enthusiastic driving than the GT86.”
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Motors.co.uk
Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“The GT86 coupe uses the classic sports car layout – front-engine, rear-drive – while also boasting low centre of gravity and good weight balance to achieve the most smiles-per-gallon possible.”
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 8.4 / 10
“Enthusiast-sating sports coupe with a degree of practicality”
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The Sun
Model reviewed:
“Sensible has made way for sensational and this is it… the much-awaited GT86.”
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Model reviewed:
“The GT86 is a motor that puts a bloody big smile on your face.”
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed:
Score: 10 / 10
“The GT86 is a simply phenomenal drive.”
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The Telegraph
Score: 6 / 10
“The Toyota GT86 brings slithery, nimble, rear-wheel-drive entertainment into the realm of road-legal speeds. It’s a fabulous enthusiast’s car and an absolute hoot to drive on the right road. Unfortunately, on every other road it’s a bit of a chore.”
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: Blue
Score: 9 / 10
“The GT86 may be more fun eight years on from launch.”
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The simplest and most exciting Toyota in years is also a real pleasure to drive.”
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What Car?
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The GT86 is still quite comfortable as sports cars go, with a ride that manages to soak up large shocks from speed bumps, potholes and even motorway expansion joints, yet isn’t so soft that it allows the car to roll a great deal in the bends.”
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Safety rating
No safety rating
As of May 2024, the Toyota GT86 has not been crash tested by Euro NCAP. As this model is no longer on sale, such tests are now unlikely to take place.
Eco rating
No eco rating
As of May 2024, the Toyota GT86 has not been lab tested by Green NCAP. As this model is no longer on sale, such tests are now unlikely to take place.
Reliability rating
As of May 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Toyota GT86 to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusive from extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the GT86, we’ll publish the score here.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Toyota GT86 has received
2014
- Carbuyer Awards – Best Coupé
- Honest John Awards – Best Performance Car
- The Telegraph Motoring Awards – Best Sports Car
2013
- Auto Express Awards – Best Performance Car
- Carbuyer Awards – Best Coupé
- Fleet World Awards – Road Test Editor’s Award
2012
- Auto Express Awards – Best Performance Car
- Autocar Awards – Best Driver’s Car
- Pistonheads Awards – Car of the Year
- Scottish Car of the Year Awards – Best Coupé
- Top Gear Awards – Car of the Year + Best Coupé
- Vehicle Dynamics International Awards – Car of the Year
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Toyota GT86, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Abarth 124 Spider | Alpine A110 | Audi TT | BMW Z4 | Fiat 124 Spider | Mazda MX-5 | Mercedes-Benz SLC | Subaru BRZ
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