Toyota 86 GTS – Anything else is just a price tag! – Review by Nujee86

Toyota 86 GTS AUTO Transmission – Review written by our forum member Nujee86.

The 86 has started a revolution that will force many to redefine the very fabric of a sports car. This is a review for the everyday man, by the everyday man, on a car for the everyday man…

THE DRIVE:

Ok so it’s amazingly zippy and fun to drive and the corners, my god the corners!!! I have driven a lot of cars previously, but this is a whole new experience even for me. Such turning precision might be expected in a six figure Ferrari, but from a modest sub 50k Toyota- well, what can you say? But it won’t always be on a track. How is it for the day to day grind? Pulling in and out of parking spots at work, at home, from heights and from different places? Well I have done a bit of this, and here are my two cents.

The driving position of the 86 is a great place to be in. I found that by sitting slightly higher in the car, I had generally better view right around the cabin and it worked well on all levels. The flappy paddle box is actually a proper 6 speed sequential which does not allow you to start on any other gear except the first (from standstill) and changes between gears happen in a blink of an eye.

For those of us who still want to feel like a professional racer in this mode- you can use the odometer button on the dash to set up a Rev light with a beep that advises you when you have reached your preset rev and it’s time to change gears. Great thing to have in a sequential auto!!

The turning circle is acceptable, although from some tight traffic lights, a u-turn will require advance planning and some nerves if you overshoot! The suspension is tight but not to the point of being uncomfortable and at normal city speeds, the 86 chugs along without any fuss and is actually very straight forward to drive. On the freeway at 100kms, you sit on a acceptable 2000rpm thanks to the 6 speed auto.

VISIBILITY:

This was always going to be a heated debate for a car that appealed and was affordable for the masses. What’s happened with the 86 is people who wouldn’t have usually gone for a two seater (for whatever reason- including price) have now sat up and taken notice of this offering from an old giant in the industry. The 86 however, is a mixed bag.

The side windows of the 86 follow the smooth body shape of the car, and as a result, sit at a slight angle. On rainy days, this is an issue as the angle causes the side windows to take on more rain and generally makes visibility an issue. The side view mirrors also need to be angled out a bit to compensate for the rather large (but sexy!) curvy behind of this car.

The plus side is the backseat side windows. Though smaller than the average sedan, the positioning of these with regards to the driving seat make shoulder checks a lot easier than other coupes on the market. This is a very important plus for the everyday driver.

Reversing the car is not bad; however the rear window ends a little too soon, and does not allow a full view of the top end of the boot, making reversing a bit of a roulette game. The frameless rear view mirror is more a fancy addition than a requirement; however has no negative impact so it’s a nice feature to have for the sake of it.

Fun feature – The back window in the GTS/GT goes a long way up, so much so that for back passengers, it’s almost like having your own sunroof! Enjoy the stars on a clear night while revelling in the presence of the glorious engine note

AESTHETICS AND COMFORT:

So the everyday driver will no doubt be stuck in traffic at some point, and if you’re going to be stuck, might as well be as comfortable as possible. The seats of the 86 GTS are designed to hold you in place. The leather interior is nice to have and the cabin layout is overall very good. Lighting provided from the instrument panel at night creates an atmosphere of excitement, while the interior lights while the doors are open are ample for the small cockpit.

The seats are snug and provide good grip for when you do end up going sideways, but even on a daily drive, are soft enough for you to relax as much as possible while in start stop traffic.

The Back seats are not the most comfortable and you would only use them if you really had no other option or didn’t call “shotgun” fast enough. Either way, 30+mins in the back deserves a medal as the seats are deep and comfortable, but the legroom is anything but. On the plus, the seats can of course be dropped for added practicality.

Interestingly, it’s not just the back seat passengers that suffer when you have more than 2 people in the car. The driver will almost certainly have to make an adjustment to their own driving chair when accommodating for another person in the back, and driving a little awkwardly can result in a bit of back pain when done for extended periods of time. Those not happy with the firmness of the leather seats can opt for a BRZ with cloth seats without compromising on the interior dash layout.

The buttons are all within good reach and the cabin is generally a comfortable place to be in, even if you are stuck in traffic!

THE TOYS:

Gone are the days when car manufacturers picked the bare minimum accessories and injected them in a perceptual ‘high end’ vehicle with a price tag to make most of us cringe. These days, the cost of technology is going down and the 86 benefits from this trend just as well as a family 4-door sedan. The centre entertainment unit is a great piece of tech, with easy to use features and smart technology to please even the nerds.

Whist the main interface requires using touch screen, three key buttons that you might be most likely to use, can be found at any time and are always at the same place where you left them. Audio, Map, and Voice Control. These buttons are on the device itself and not on the screens, and this is good! When driving with the GPS on, changing the radio station shouldn’t mean that you get lost. Two simple touches to the audio and then back to the map button will allow you to carry on without any issues.

The voice control is a nice feature to have as a separate button (even though you have to touch it to activate it in the first place!). Would not be much help if you had to take your eyes off the road and find THE button to not use any other buttons.

The GPS speaks street names, converts to 3D when coming up to multiple lane exits and also changes colour for day and night. The standard display is a 2D overview which is relatively easy to follow and shows street names and can also be zoomed in and out.

The Audio capability won’t rip your girlfriend’s clothes off, but it will satisfy majority of the population. Those with the hidden DJ’s in them can also satisfy themselves with a range of equalizer set ups- there is also an option to have up to 8 presets. One for each mood you might be in when driving this car! The Bluetooth functionality is exceptional and allows you to control the music with your Iphone without touching the entertainment device.

A personalised welcome screen can also be set up with proper information on an SD card.

Tip for extra Brownie points – this is where you can put a thank you note for your wife/ girlfriend/ significant other to make them feel special for saying yes and letting you have the car

One little extra thing that hasn’t been mentioned- the screen colour can also be changed with 5 colour options to pick from including green, blue and white. These act like a TV colour setting and add a nice warm (depending on the colour) glaze to the screen. A nice little feature to have.

FINAL VERDICT:

The 86 was designed to cater for the heart and the mind. It is an unpretentious pursuit of driving pleasure, a champion of the masses who simply cannot afford the ridiculous price tags that come with cars from a certain geographic location. To put it simply, the 86 has reduced the rule book on sports cars as something to stand on just to get a better view of it nice rear. But its not just the track that this car is catered for. Notwithstanding the forgettable rear seats, the 86 GTS is a comfortable and practical everyday car- albeit only for two people.

Admin edit: Actual pics of the car and video footage coming soon...

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