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2025 Buick Enclave vs Honda Pilot2023 Toyota GR86: Nothing Else Like It
What do our experts think of the 2023 Toyota GR86? We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
What’s New for the 2023 Toyota GR86?
The 2023 Toyota GR86 is part of the model’s second generation launched just a year previous. All three trim levels come with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and the buyer’s choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic gearbox.
The 2023 Toyota GR86 is identical to the one from 2022 but with one small caveat. Introduced just for the 2023 model year is a 10th Anniversary Special Edition with unique orange paint, special wheels, racing stripes, and a cat-back performance exhaust.
2023 Toyota GR86 10th Anniversary Special Edition – toyota.com | Shop 2023 Toyota GR86 on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Outstanding performance
Great quality
Excellent handling
Cramped trunk
Tiny back seats
Noisy cabin
A fantastic value
2023 Toyota Specs
- 228 horsepower from base engine
- 184 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 3 available trims
- 6.3 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Android and Apple connectivity
- Standard adaptive cruise control
- 2 years of free maintenance
2023 Toyota GR86 Powertrain
Under the hood of every GR86 is a naturally aspirated flat-four engine that develops 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. That’s not a ton of power but this car isn’t about winning drag races. Handling and driver engagement are at the top of the priority list and that’s clear from the moment you take a curve in this car.
The steering feedback is fantastic and the pedals provide great communication too. Manual-transmission-equipped cars benefit from a very precise shifter action. Automatic cars have paddle shifters but they’re a bit slower to swap cogs than in the manual.
What makes all of this so much fun though is that the GR86 sits atop a chassis that can handle curves with aplomb. In fact, the sports suspension is so sharp that some may find it a bit too jarring for everyday driving. Ultimately, we think the GR86 is one of the best pure-driving cars for the cash. Those who want a bit more performance can look at Toyota’s other sports car, the GR Supra.
2023 Toyota GR86 Fuel Economy & MPG
According to the EPA, the 2023 Toyota GR86 gets up to 21 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway. Those figures drop to 20 and 27 respectively when the GR86 is equipped with a manual transmission. Those figures are fine for a car in this segment as they’re not particularly impressive or appalling either.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
The interior of the GR86 is very focused on driver engagement. The driver information display stares back clearly and the steering wheel and gear knob feel perfectly placed for natural use on the limit. The seats themselves are supportive, nicely bolstered, and highly adjustable. Visibility is good too thanks to a low dashboard and even tall drivers will find ingress and egress quite simple.
Compared to the Mazda Miata, the GR86 offers considerably more space. Keep in mind too that it technically has back seats which really do better as a place for cargo than they do as seats for anything but kids.
The trunk isn’t anything to write home about but this is a sports car after all. It’ll carry up to 6.3 cubic feet worth of cargo back there. The only thing we don’t like about the cabin of the GR86 is the road noise which is surprisingly high even with the stereo on.
Entertainment & Technology
Toyota addresses technology in the GR86 in a practical manner without much flash. An 8-inch infotainment system manages most features and while it works fine it’s not particularly beautiful or engaging.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both standard features and buyers get three free months of satellite radio as well. Six speakers come standard in the car but an eight-speaker Premium audio system is available.
The driver information display is also fully digital and offers three drive modes, normal, sport, and track. Drivers can also reduce traction control or turn it off altogether if they want to have a bit more fun.
Safety Features
Every GR86 comes with adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, and lane-departure warning.
Those who want additional features like blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, rearward automatic braking, and adaptive headlights will have to spend a bit more on the Premium trim as those features aren’t available on the base car.
Notably, those who are debating between the Subaru BRZ and the GR86 should consider that Subaru doesn’t offer adaptive cruise control on manually-equipped BRZs no matter how much you spend.
2023 Toyota GR86 Trims & Pricing
Base – $28,400
The base GR86 comes with 17-inch wheels, a limited-slip differential, heated power-adjustable mirrors, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cloth upholstery, an 8-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, six speakers, and a 7-inch driver information display.
Premium – $31,000
Stepping up to the Premium trim adds 18-inch wheels, high-performance summer tires, adaptive headlights, a duckbill-style spoiler, aluminum pedals, faux suede and leather upholstery, heated front seats, and eight speakers.
10th Anniversary Special Edition – $34,360
This limited edition comes with unique Solar Shift paint, matte black 18-inch forged aluminum wheels, racing stripes, a cat-back performance exhaust, and a special edition badge.
Warranties
They Toyota GR86 comes with a 3 year / 36,000 mile limited warranty and a 6 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty. Toyota covers the first 2 years / 25,000 miles of scheduled maintenance and roadside assistance for the first 2 years of ownership.
What we think
2023 Toyota GR86 – toyota.com | Shop 2023 Toyota GR86 on Carsforsale.com
Take a long look around the sports car market and you’ll find that almost nothing is available at this price point with these types of classic features. That makes the GR86 sort of a dying breed but it’s the best of that family for now. The Mazda Miata and Subaru BRZ are the only other competitors and each one lacks something that the Toyota provides.
The GR86 gives up nothing to the others though and offers complimentary maintenance, better safety tech, and practical cargo space too. It’s a good time to review new car incentives and find yourself your own GR86.
