IT'S BACK

WE CUT LOOSE IN ONE OF THE MOST EAGERLY AWAITED CARS OF 2021, TOYOTA’S GR 86. AND WE HAVE QUESTIONS

- PETER NELSON

AFTER A DECADE’S worth of getting acquainted with the Toyota 86, the Aichi, Japan automaker has officially debuted its ground-up replacement: the 2022 GR 86. Well actually, it’s not really a ground-up replacement, but rather a pretty substantial checklist.

The previous ZN6/ZC6 generation had some rough edges, and wasn’t the quickest thing on the road, but all things considered it was a fun, engaging, and inexpensive little sports car that was tailor-engineered for anyone who wanted to have any amount of fun behind the wheel. Nobody ever loved that FA20 engine though.

This brand new 2022 model takes the old 86’s basic formula and rounds off these edges. Toyota (and its platform-sharing pal Subaru) have taken criticisms from both journalists and enthusiasts into consideration, and have visited upon the 86 some substantial updates. There’s more power, more overall refinement, some increased dimensions, and the styling and design has been refreshed to keep it relevant for years to come. But is this enough?

We recently attended the 2022 Toyota GR 86’s official North American Launch at Monticello Motor Club, a wonderful track complex that’s just a hop and a skip outside of New York City, to give it a thorough going over. Well played on Toyota’s part, they had a few old 86 models on hand to help underscore the improvements.