Johannesburg - I was getting ready to pen this self-righteous-sounding piece about how those who criticise the Toyota GR86 for being too slow don’t understand what it’s really about.
I was about to launch into a long tangent about how its performance deficit is far outweighed by its perfectly balanced rear-wheel drive chassis, which delivers sublime roadholding and the ability to oversteer. Did I mention it can drift like a boss?
The gist was going to be that you don’t need to go fast to have a really good time behind the wheel, when you’re driving a car that was designed from the ground up for pure steering pleasure.
Sinking behind the wheel and driving it for a few kilometres, rowing my way through its slick-shifting, close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox, only cemented those sentiments. The somewhat angry, off-beat burble emanating from the Subaru-sourced flat-four naturally aspirated motor only added to the fun factor.
But when traffic cleared up and I planted the accelerator pedal, the unthinkable happened. I found myself wishing it had more push and shove. Had I, without realising it, become one of those car enthusiasts who obsesses over straight-line speed? Shock of horrors...
Maybe it’s because modern day performance cars have really moved the goalposts, with some hot hatchbacks offering acceleration that not too long ago was the preserve of supercars. Or today’s high-performance electric cars that suck you into your seat with their instantaneous torque delivery.
Either way, I felt less than satisfied with the performance offered by the new Toyota GR86, and that bothered me because I really love so many things about this car.
Not that this is a slow car by any stretch of the imagination. Compared to your everyday Uber sedan or school-run SUV it is really quite brisk. It’s also true that I tested it at Gauteng altitudes, and it is normally aspirated after all, so those at the coast will obviously have a better time behind the wheel.
Also, I had expected it to be faster. For starters, the previous-generation’s 2-litre motor, which produced 147kW and 205Nm, has been replaced by a larger 2.5-litre unit that’s now good for 173kW at 7 000rpm and 250Nm from 3700rpm.
Also, the second-generation Toyota GR86 is only 4kg heavier, despite all the improvements to its structure, which makes it more rigid than before. This means the power-to-weight ratio has effectively increased from 116kW per tonne to 136 kW/t. Technically it is faster, with Toyota claiming a 6.4-second 0-100km/h sprint time at the coast.
But, at altitude at least, it really doesn’t feel significantly faster than its predecessor.
Of course, we need to keep in mind the price positioning of the Toyota GR86. At R712 100 for the manual and R748 400 for the auto (in March 2023), it is South Africa’s least expensive rear-wheel drive coupe, with the BMW 2 Series starting at R842 590, and the Ford Mustang costing from R1 117 500.
So we’ve established that it handles brilliantly and that the performance is no better than adequate for everyday driving, but what is it like to live with the GR86?
Well, it is fairly difficult to get in and out of due to its low stance, but that’s a price that owners of true sports cars have always had to make.
The ride, of course, is certainly on the firm side, but I didn’t find it punishing on everyday surfaces. Of course, on today’s pothole-riddled roads, you do need to be more attentive than you would have with a car like this than you would have a few years back perhaps.
The seats are grippy and supportive, but are perhaps a little on the hard side and the rest of the cabin is quite satisfactory all round, with the redesigned cockpit achieving a good balance between digital and analogue.
The Toyota GR86 is a car that really deserves a better world. A world with no potholes and endless mountain passes that are not clogged with trucks, taxis and tourists in 1.4-litre Polo Vivos. And of course, a world without drivers who are obsessed with straight-line speed.
If you live in a small Western Cape town with easy access to uncluttered twisty roads, or if track days are a regular fixture on your weekend schedule, then the new Toyota could offer you loads of driving satisfaction.
But for those of us living in the real world, I can’t help but feel that a GR Yaris, which costs just R79 000 more, might be a better prospect.
FACTS: Toyota GR86 manual
Price: R712 100
Engine: 2.5-litre, 4-cyl normally aspirated petrol
Power: 174kW @ 7 000rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 3 700rpm
0-100km/h: 6.4 seconds (claimed, coastal)
Top speed: 226km/h (claimed, coastal)
Claimed fuel use - mixed use: 9.5 litres per 100km
Kerb weight: 1 280kg
Fuel tank capacity: 50 litres
Load volume: 199 litres
Warranty: 3-year/100 000km
Service plan: 4 services or 60 000km