Chris Harris drives the Toyota GR86 both on and off track, taking it through its paces as the enthusiast’s driving machine it claims to be as well as testing it as a mode of transport for the real world it needs to be.
Is this £32K+ second modern interpretation of the AE86 worth it?
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if only they had spent a bit of time on the NVH this really would have been the perfect car, the interior quality is good enough it does give a premium feel (for the price) the drive is obviously excellent but the noise while driving is awful, it would make me resent spending 30k on it every time I got in it. meaning it could only ever be a second car then you might as well buy something like a BMW 230 or 240 that does the job just as well but is usable on a daily commute
It’s bothering me much more than it should that the popper on the shoulder of the drivers seat was undone the whole time.
Having driven all versions of the old and new chassis here is my take.
The power is finally enough where you wont complain about the lack of it every time you go for a drive. The fake engine noise is terrible but easy to remove. Rear seats cant be used by anyone with legs.
Where the mx5 has double wishbone front suspension and aluminum, most of the gr86 is steel and fronts are mcpherson. The rear subframe and suspension is almost identical to any other subaru.
However the handling is spot on. The wheelbase, steering rack ratio and stock damping feel just right. I have always said that this car is the modern s chassis. You could stick a SR20DET in it and call it a Silvia.
“Why haven’t I driven one of these before” because you have gotten out of touch Mr. Harris.
Who would have thought that Subaru could make an incredible sports car.
I love mine. Had it since Christmas 22 and it's been a breath of fresh air. And being similar to the last one, the mod market is huge. I'll never sell it.
Wrong wrong wrong . Dead steering, over servoed brakes, Rough engine.. relatively slow. Vastly overrated.
Great review, thanks Chris. Its like a hardtop MX-5, but more powerful at 231bhp, only £2k more.
Toyota could make it even better by putting in roll up windows,a very basic radio…even a ac delete if optioned.
More Harris ‘In reasonably priced cars’ please and thank you.
"The older we the more accommodating we become"
Bro. No. It's the EXACT other way around. Look at the way old people vote as opposed to young adults. "Fuck you I got mine."
F2? What the hell is an F2? Idk, but I know that I need one.
Crazy that we only really have this and the Miata as light cheap RWD sports cars atm
Have the BRZ version and it reminds me a lot of my old air-cooled 911s (had 4)… similar power/weight, cabin ergonomics. Only complaint is the very instrusive 'collision warning system' which has to be turned off every time you start the engine (thanks lawyers!).
I’ve owned every version of 911 GT3 (except 996) as well every LT Mclaren and bought a 23’ BRZ as a fun run around car after seeing all the rave reviews and this car has blown my mind. I can’t believe how much fun it is for such a reasonable price. The handling is so agile and controllable it’s laughable, you can literally overdrive it and when it runs out of grip it just smears its tires across the pavement in a totally non threatening way. I enjoy it way more than I should for $32,800 OTD
GR86 owner here. Change the PS4 tires to literally anything else, and 60% of the road noise goes away. Also unplugging the fake sound takes 20 seconds and improves the experience by exactly 69%.
In the theme of driver's cars, Chris needs to do a proper review of the Honda S2000. Ideally an AP1. He has praised its drivetrain and gear box.
How's the performance of the twins (BRZ/GR86) compares to the Elantra N?
For the more knowledge ppl in the common section: why are there more reviews of the Toyota version than the Subaru BRZ? Is there a big difference between them or pretty much the same?
Mazda MX-5 = the answer to everything.
More of this please Mr Harris, relatable content we all love to watch alongside the expensive stuff
Curious what other cars are on the C. Harris list for non-GT3 Touring alternatives aside from this and the M2…. don't think I've ever heard/seen him list any other alternatives….
Spot on, love my ZD8 BRZ! Fun car to drive everywhere I've taken it (commuting, track, canyons, mountains, short roadtrips). The mix of sport and refinement reminds me of my old 987.2 Boxster S, but with less power and more driver engagement. It also rewards the harder you push it, which is fantastic IMO and different than cars like the current Miata and even the 986/987. It's a gem.
Chris Harris: national treasure. His book is a terrific read.
And this review is a proper real world critique of a car you’re likely to be parked next to in a Tesco car park next week.
As I write, there are 42 of these gems for sale on the Autotrader platform in the UK. A couple of unregistered ones, but mostly pre-owned examples with prices ranging from £28,500 to £37,200.
I suspect that quantity may well whittle down considerably over the coming days.
More of this content, please.
I have a GR86 and can confirm: this is such a great car! Already did 20.000 km in it and it never disappoints. Would like to buy a GT3 someday but I’m sure it wouldn’t give me more enjoyment.
I wish the engine in this car was just a bit more special, a small NA V6 or something
I'm amazed you drove it on the track; that left bank of cylinders is probably due for repairs now haha
Bro violated the handbrake in the beginning
14k Miles on in mine, this was the review I was waiting for, not for justification of buying it…just for confirmation from a respected reviewer that "She's a Banger"!!
We need people like chris Harris running car companies again. People who actually love cars not hate them and want to pander to SUVs
GR86 or GR Yaris – which is more fun?
Never thought id ever hear Chris utter the phrase “she’s a baddie” but here we are