Yahoo Lifestyle CAR REVIEW: Toyota 86
THE SOLUTION: Toyota 86
Define sports car . . .
We’re talking old school here: light, small, front-engined, rear-wheel drive. It’s a classic formula that’s inexplicably fallen from grace, with only Mazda’s magic MX-5 in recent years holding the torch.
Related: What your car says about you
Define affordable . . .
An astounding $29,990. To put this in perspective, the entry-level MX-5, albeit with folding roof, costs a tick over $44K. Hell, Nissan’s much-lamented 200SX cost $40K [ital.] 15 years ago [ital.]. But don’t think for a moment that the 86 is built down to a price; this is a beautifully made pure-bred sports car that offers equivalent driving pleasure to cars many times its asking price.
So what’s it like to drive?
If you enjoy driving, prepare to look like a Cheshire cat. The chassis is communicative and perfectly balanced, and its attitude through a corner can be finely adjusted via your right foot. Plus, because it sits so low, the 86 makes you feel like you’re going a lot faster than you are, so there’s every chance your licence will enjoy it, too. And if ever a car was going to get people falling back in love with changing their own gears, the 86, with its short, precise six-speed manual shift, is that car. The 2.0-litre boxer engine (the pistons lie flat and are horizontally opposed) was developed with Subaru and produces just enough power for the car’s 1222-kilo weight. Without wanting to gibber, the whole package is nigh-on perfect and finished off with a design that’s attractive from any angle.
How big’s the interior?
Fine for two tall adults. There are back seats, but you wouldn’t consign anyone you liked to them for long. Better to fold them forward, where the subsequent boot allows enough space for two large golf bags or, betraying Toyota’s understanding of how many 86s will be pressed into service, four wheels shod with racetrack rubber. In a pleasant surprise, a full-size spare is found beneath the boot floor.
Is there a more expensive model?
Entry level is the GT. Spend another $5500 on the GTS and you get nicer seat trim, bigger brakes and wheels (17 inches versus 16), Bluetooth and sat nav, plus daytime running lights. Because of the firm suspension, the cheaper model actually rides slightly better on its taller rubber. But either variant is still a car you could use for running down the shops.
Who’s going to buy it?
Toyota’s betting on everyone from 17 to 70, though the grey-haired and/or dodgy kneed of that spectrum will find getting in and out of the low driver’s seat a chore. Our bet is that any MH dads out there already in possession of a sensible family car might just start penning their “Dear Santa” letter early this year.
– Bruce Ritchie
How safe? | How thirsty? | How clean? | How much? |
|---|---|---|---|
Not tested | 7.8L/100km | 164g/km (CO2) | $29,990 MLP |
