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This section is truly an ode to automotive diversity. After the high-end Maserati and the cheap car from Dacia, here is one of the most profitable sports cars on the market.
By Stéphane Wamat
We can never thank the big boss of Toyota enough for having reinjected a good dose of fun and passion into the brand. It is thanks to him that the excellent surprise that was the GT86 was born in 2012. A simple and pure little sports car, which put fun within everyone’s reach. And we’re not just talking about prices, because anyone can really have fun in this car, without needing great driving skills.
Its replacement, the GR86, is the same thing but a little better. We find this same sense of the essential. Of course, we have a connected multimedia system, but it is about the only technological concession of the car. As for driving aids, for example, we will be satisfied with ABS, ESP and a “basic” cruise control. There is also an interior dressed in not really noble plastics, which give a somewhat dated look but above all contribute to the essential asset of a sports car: lightness. Finally, there is a good old 6-speed manual gearbox, as it should be in a pure sports car. From there, let’s see what is better about this novelty.
There is the engine, still the 4-cylinder flat from Subaru, which goes from 2 to 2.4 liters and from 200 to 230 horsepower. Nothing transcendent, but it’s still very nice in a car of 1,340 kilos. Of course, there are a host of other small improvements, notably to the chassis, but nothing that fundamentally transforms the car, and that’s good. However, a major improvement of the GR86 over the GT86 is its looks. Fluid, harmonious and at the same time very expressive, it is the pretty car that its predecessor was not really.
All this results in a car that is both faster in sporty driving and more flexible in everyday life. There is not a second spent at the wheel, not a manipulation of the small gear lever, not a strong or light acceleration that is not a real pleasure. We forget the unflattering cabin as everything else is good, from the steering to the typical sound of this engine, from the clear straight line to the successions of roundabouts in town. Without forgetting that in case of rain, the sliding of the rear is quickly controlled by the ESP.
Here is the GR86. Pleasure everywhere, all the time, with an attack price: 34,600 euros including VAT.
THE OPINION OF THE LAMARCHE FAMILY
“We crack! The Maserati from two weeks ago was great, but a little intimidating for normal people like us. That’s really the little friendly sports car in which we feel at home. Well, it’s true that the interior design is quite basic. And above all, what are these rear seats? It’s very simple, if the driver is over 1.70 m tall, no one can sit behind him. In short, it’s more of a 3 than a 4-seater. OK, we split hairs, because we understand that the vocation of the GR86 is not to be a family. And frankly, at this price, it is indeed possible for some families to afford it as a second car, for fun. We really like this Toyota! »
THE OPINION OF THE EXPERT IN ECO-DRIVING
Every rule has its exception. I don’t think I’m lying when I say that for this section we managed to consume less than the official figure with all the petrol and diesel cars tested. Not this time… but not far: a real average of 9 l/100 km against 8.7 officially. The latter could have been reached based on the indications of the meter on the dashboard, which encourages you to move up a gear. But when I followed this advice, the engine would drop to very low revs, below 1500 rpm. If he managed to maintain the pace, the sound and the vibrations were unbearable. So I gave up. This Subaru engine, it’s wonderful when it sings. Not when he clears his throat!
TECHNICAL DATA
L/w/h (mm): 4,265 / 1,775 / 1,310 – 4 seats – 1,346 kg – 4 cyl. 2.4 l hybrid petrol – Power: 235 hp – Torque: 250 Nm – WLTP consumption: 8.7 l/100 km – WLTP CO2: 198 g/km – Price: 34,600 euros including VAT