2022 Toyota GR 86 Gets Engine Upgrade
The Toyota 86 is finally entering its second generation and in the process earning the Gazoo Racing badge. Announced on the heels of the Subaru BRZ with which it was developed, the 2022 Toyota GR 86 will launch in Japan this fall and is expected to come to the United States shortly after.
Vehicle Buying Guide: What is the right car for you and your needs?
The Toyobaru twins are among the few remaining affordable sports cars you can buy. Lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, two-door coupes with naturally-aspirated engines (to the chagrin of some), they’ve long satisfied the needs of customers seeking budget-friendly fun. That said, the next-gen models are likely to start above the $30,000 mark rather than under it.
Though not turbocharged, the Toyota GR 86’s engine has nonetheless received an upgrade. It now displaces 2.4 instead of 2.0 liters and produces 232 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, a modest enhancement over the first-gen car. It’s expected to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 6.3 seconds, down from 7.4 seconds.
Toyota Safety Sense: Explore the automaker’s advanced suite of driver-assist features
Toyota says the new 86’s dimensions are “almost identical” to the previous model, and that it used aluminum roof panels to reduce the center of gravity as well as aluminum fenders and new front seats to reduce overall weight. It also aimed to give it a different handling feel compared to the BRZ — even though the two cars share a chassis — though the automaker has not revealed how this was done, or even what kind of handing feel it sought. Only that it was different.
The 2022 Toyota GR 86 will get a standard six-speed manual transmission and optional six-speed automatic, as well as Subaru’s EyeSight suite of driver-assist technologies rather than Toyota’s own. The interior of the two cars are also expected to be quite alike, meaning that it will be hard to tell the 86 from the BRZ outside of the grille and exterior trim pieces. Given their similarities, it’s no surprise Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda wanted to spend more time to differentiate the 86 from the BRZ.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.