Sporty GT86 puts Toyota in the fast lane

Toyota reckons it has put the passion back into driving with the new Toyota GT86

The Toyota GT86 is the epitome of simplicity, from the undulating exterior curves, to the interior styling, to the way it drives.

But then again, that’s the feeling Toyota was going for – built for those for whom driving is a pleasure rather than a necessity.

By design, driver aids are conspicuous by their absence in this, Toyota’s latest sports car, with cruise control really the only one.

It’s a beautiful looking car, both inside and out. Small and bullet-like, this low slung stunner has a short and stubby rear end, with a rear spoiler, and a long and elegant-looking nose. Both the front and rear are nicely curved, which can be seen from the driver’s seat.

The instrument panel in the Toyota GT86 is striking to look at, with the rev counter given pride of place in the centre

This three-door rear wheel drive sports car sits very low, so you need a certain amount of agility to get in and out of it.

I liked the interior styling, the suede-like sports seats were comfortable and really hug your frame, in a good way, when you sit in to them. They’re also designed to reduce whiplash injuries. I also liked the red stitching on the doors and on the leather steering wheel.

Legroom in the front was good, but the rear seats are strictly the reserve of the smallies in your life. I didn’t have room to stow a small bag behind my seat and, at 5’5”, I wouldn’t be considered particularly tall.

The Toyota GT86 had loads of storage cubbies, though, including bottle shaped ones on the doors, which I liked. The boot is long rather than deep, with additional storage under the floor.

The cockpit has a lovely old style charm to it, with knobs for the heating and flick switches to work features such as air conditioning and rear window demister. A touch screen radio/CD unit, as well as USB/aux ports and BlueTooth are a nod to modernity.

The comfortable front seats are designed to reduce whiplash injuries

I loved the control panel, which was clean and simple and very easy to read at a glance. With three circular data points, the rev counter, in the middle, was the main one. It incorporated a digital speed readout.

The circle to the left was also a speedometer, with the fuel gauge and coolant temperature sharing the third circular space.

As previously mentioned, the only real driver-operated aid is cruise control – and it was a good call on Toyota’s part – this car is a flyer and really owns the open road.

The test car was a six-speed manual with manual handbrake and a 2.0-litre petrol engine, with a push button start.
From the second you fired it up it had a wonderful growl, which unfortunately turned the neighbourhood moggy into a scardy cat, running away after much vocal protest.

However, just a little tap on the accelerator made daydreaming about-to-walk-out-in-front-of-you-when-your-light-turned-green pedestrians pay attention. In fact, as it’s a stunning looking car it attracted many admiring glances.

While the motorway is the obvious home for a sports car, being city slickers, we had to negotiate city streets and suburban routes also.

While these were fun for posing purposes, as the GT86 is low slung, you really did notice the blight that the unfortunately necessary speed ramps are on Dublin’s roads. The GT86 performed well though and I was perhaps a bit too cautious with my approach to the bumps, slowing to a crawl to drive over them.

The Toyota GT86 has a very distinctive badge

The GT86 is made for the open road and it was here that it really excelled. The gears in this car are quite close together and gear changes were quick and smooth. Acceleration was beautiful and you could really work through the gears. The car also handled beautifully on bends and winding roads.

At the lights, it’s really fast when you put your foot down and outclassed all rivals. Needless to say, it’s not the most economical to run.

Overall, I loved it. It’s a stunning looking car, really good fun to drive and handles really well.

The Toyota GT86 is available now, with prices starting from €39,895.

It is also in the running for the Continental Irish Car of the Year award, which will be announced tomorrow.

Tech Spec
Engine: 2.0-litre 200bhp petrol, flat 4-cylinder layout with D-4S direct injection technology (rear wheel drive)
Acceleration: 0-100km/h in 7.6seconds
Maximum Speed: 226km/h
Combined fuel consumption: 7.8l/100km
CO2 emissions: 181g/km
Annual road tax: €677

Visit the Toyota Ireland website or its Facebook page for further details.

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