2022 Toyota GR 86 Photos, Specs Reveal a Fun, Affordable Sports Car
Driving enthusiasts often assert that it is better to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.
Why? Because unless you are driving on a race track or otherwise closed course, you can’t legally explore the capabilities of a high-powered performance car on public streets. But you can enjoy the more modest limits and thrilling dynamics of a vehicle like the Mazda MX-5 Miata or Volkswagen GTI without endangering yourself, the motoring public, or your driver’s license.
This philosophy also applies to the Subaru BRZ sports coupe and its twin, the Toyota 86. The second-generation versions of each are about to arrive, and the redesigned 2022 Toyota GR 86 follows the lead established by the already-revealed 2022 Subaru BRZ.
2022 Toyota GR 86 Specs - Find the best Toyota deals!
As was true previously, the new Toyota GR 86 is a mechanical twin to the Subaru BRZ and sits on a MacPherson strut front and double-wishbone rear suspension. To give each version of the car its own character, Toyota and Subaru separately tune the vehicles to deliver different driving dynamics.
Equipped with a new 232-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, the redesigned GR 86 supplies much faster acceleration than before, with Toyota claiming zero-to-60-mph times of 6.3 seconds. That’s a vast improvement over the 7.4-second run of last year’s 86.
Peak horsepower arrives at 7,000 rpm, though, so to access it, you’ll need to wring the engine out. You do get 184 lb.-ft. of torque at a relatively low 3,700 rpm. And thankfully, you still have a choice between a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmission, powering the rear wheels.
The cars’ shared roots are also evident in their similar designs and technologies. For example, they feature the same digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Toyota even maintains Subaru’s EyeSight name for its suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) rather than use its Toyota Safety Sense moniker.
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