Toyota 86 GT manual 2017 review | road test
- Price N/A
What we like
- So much fun for so little money
- Recipe hasn't been spoiled by update
- GT now comes with more livable standard kit
What we don't
- Still the same alloys as 2012
- No steering wheel controls
- Tight '+2' rear seating
Rear-wheel drive, manual, two doors and a Toyota for around $30k. Every proper car nut on the face of the planet should be pretty grateful the HiLux you borrow from Bunnings isn't the only vehicle that fits this description.
Even close to half a decade after its Australian arrival, we should thank our lucky stars Toyota has given us the 86, and not just another Camry or Corolla-basedcoupe called Celica.
2017 Toyota 86 GTS manual.
Plenty of front-drivehot hatches have pipped the base GT's thrifty price since it first arrived, and even the topless MX-5 is now pretty close, but only the 86's Subaru BRZ twin comes close to matching the cheapest 86 for ultra-budget rear-drive thrills.
The fine balance behind the 86 formula means every update raises the eyebrows of purists, and November 2016 brought the most comprehensive revisions yet. Have they built a better 86 or have they jumped the shark?
Verdict
The 86 GT may not deliver its thrills in the same practical shape as a hot hatch, or as easily as one with a turbo attached, but if you need four seats (at a pinch) and crave rear-drive dynamics there's only one option available for just over $30k.
The 2016 update is a pretty comprehensive trim and tidy to keep it fresh, and while it's far from the newest kid on the block, it is a better 86.
Would you pick an 86 over a hot hatch? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Toyota 86 GT manual 2017 review | road test
What we like
- So much fun for so little money
- Recipe hasn't been spoiled by update
- GT now comes with more livable standard kit
What we don't
- Still the same alloys as 2012
- No steering wheel controls
- Tight '+2' rear seating
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