Toyota GT86 driving report

[martinbo]

Small, light and agile is a safety virtue in its own right K-A. Let's not turn this driving review thread into another inconclusive safety debate.

 

[Zafiro]

I wonder what the driving differences are between GT86 and BRZ?
The price is the same but Subaru offer 3 years free services which Toyota doenst. Such things are important to consider when buying a car (at least to me).

 

[Centurion]

I am glad to hear that the car lives us to it's hype and accolades in magazines. It deserves world automotive heritage certification. Toyota didn't have to develop a car like this and I don't think we will see anything like it anytime soon. What has enabled it to come to fruition is the lack of internal family politics like at BMW, VAG and Mercedes where affordable high caliber sports cars are forgone in favour of more expensive models out of which they can make heaps of money on selling options. The Cayman is crippled and the 1-Series Coupe have more to give but the bigger siblings are more important and thus the smaller models are put in baby chairs as under achievers.

Given the warm words Subaru and Toyota are generating from this marriage I will de disappointed if either of them don't follow up on this marvel with future cars built to be driven and enjoyed.

 

[Hofmeister]

I wonder what the driving differences are between GT86 and BRZ?
The price is the same but Subaru offer 3 years free services which Toyota doenst. Such things are important to consider when buying a car (at least to me).

The BRZ has stiffer front, and softer rear springs This is quoted from an " evo " review of the GT-86. In the issue prior to the edition this review featured in, the BRZ lost to a Megane Trophy because it was "more entertaining and exciting on the road-utterly superior on track". According to Jethro Bovingdon, the '86 adresses some of these issues.
"the chassis is much more entertaining and gives you so many more options it's pretty hard to believe they're identical save for the tweaked springs" "Stay on the power and it'll oversteer nicely, progressively, with none of the snap-back exhibited by the BRZ " "Its a better car than the BRZ" Hope this helps And glad you've decided on the Toyobaru, sheer magnificence

 

[K-A]

I wish Toyota named it a TOYOTA in the States and not a stupid Scion.

 

[330CIZHP]

I wish Toyota named it a TOYOTA in the States and not a stupid Scion.

Yeah, if you had seen those commercials all of those years on TV with cr*p techno music playing in the back and the transformer animation of Scions with lots of strobe lights fast and the furious style, Scion was trying to hard to capture the teenager crowd. It completely established it as a brand intended for the immature crowd.

 

[K-A]

EXACTLY. Hard for a self respecting mature adult OR self respecting mature "kid", to want to drive a Scion with the cheeseball demographic they've tried so hard to align themselves with out here.

 

[martinbo]

That's why there's the BRZ...

 

[klier]

I went to the Toyota dealer to take it for a spin the other day, but they only had an automatic version, and I just didn't want to drive it without a proper manual gearbox. Better luck next time.

EXACTLY. Hard for a self respecting mature adult OR self respecting mature "kid", to want to drive a Scion with the cheeseball demographic they've tried so hard to align themselves with out here.

For a badge whore, sure. It's nothing for you K-A....
I mean, they could call it the Mr Bean machine and it would still be as great. A self respecting mature adult drives what he likes, and not something because others thinks it's nice.

 

[330CIZHP]

According to Subaru and Toyota, the BRZ is intended more for handling and has a stiffer front end and a softer rear end while the GT-86 is intended more for drifting so it comes with a softer front end, but stiffer rear end.

Motor Trend said, BRZ handled better and had a faster laptime with the same driver because you can go through corners with more grip. But, if someone's goal is to let the rear end slide out then GT-86 is the better choice.

The BRZ has stiffer front, and softer rear springs This is quoted from an " evo " review of the GT-86. In the issue prior to the edition this review featured in, the BRZ lost to a Megane Trophy because it was "more entertaining and exciting on the road-utterly superior on track". According to Jethro Bovingdon, the '86 adresses some of these issues.
"the chassis is much more entertaining and gives you so many more options it's pretty hard to believe they're identical save for the tweaked springs" "Stay on the power and it'll oversteer nicely, progressively, with none of the snap-back exhibited by the BRZ " "Its a better car than the BRZ" Hope this helps And glad you've decided on the Toyobaru, sheer magnificence

 

[Deckhook]

Is the BRZ available in the UK yet because I'm convinced I saw a metallic blue one yesterday. To me it looked identical to the Toyota apart from on the rear top right was the badge BRZ.

 

[Zafiro]

Is the BRZ available in the UK yet because I'm convinced I saw a metallic blue one yesterday. To me it looked identical to the Toyota apart from on the rear top right was the badge BRZ.

The car is already in Sweden so probably in UK too.

 

[Zafiro]

I drove GT86 for the second time now.
I wasn't as excited as the first time but it still a blast to drive. Also you need to keep the car from 5000 rpm-7000 rpm to really enjoy the car. Its obvious the car isnt turbocharged in lower rpm.

 

[Deckhook]

I drove GT86 for the second time now.
I wasn't as excited as the first time but it still a blast to drive. Also you need to keep the car from 5000 rpm-7000 rpm to really enjoy the car. Its obvious the car isnt turbocharged in lower rpm.

It's a great little car but I can't fully understand why it didn't excite as much as the first time, keeping an engine in the final quarter of its rev range is a chore on anything other than a track. I step intoy painter's GT86 and was mighty impressed in how it drove, just was underwhelmed by how hard the engine needed worked to get real forward progress.

 

[Levi68]

It's a great little car but I can't fully understand why it didn't excite as much as the first time, keeping an engine in the final quarter of its rev range is a chore on anything other than a track. I step intoy painter's GT86 and was mighty impressed in how it drove, just was underwhelmed by how hard the engine needed worked to get real forward progress.

It is a question of driving style. For 335i drivers the M3 E9X is the same bad.

 

[Zafiro]

I also drove the new 1-series (again) today. 118d with M-package. Much more power in the lower range compare to GT86. Anyway, I have no problem with cars that need to be reeved high, I find much joy in that too.

 

[Levi68]

Again, a GT86 is not a Golf, it is not a car for everybody but only for enthusiasts. There are some GT-R, ZR1 Porsche and Ferrari owners that have also bought the ZX6. That tells it everything. The GT86 is for fun, also fun at modding. GT86 is meant to be modified. ECU is open, no cracking.

 

[Zafiro]

I didnt say its a Golf. Levi, you know I love the GT86

BTW when I drove the car I met a Toyota Supra owner. Incredible how he was looking at me and the car.

 

[Zafiro]

Like I said I also drove this 118d with M-package today. Compare to my car with M-package , the new one has become softer which you can feel when you take a fast corner, not as planted to the road as mine. F20 M cope better with potholes and bumps than mine.
I think standard F20 is too soft for my taste but M-chassi is improving. I wouldn't get a F20 without M-package. And not with Valencia Orange like this car. Estorilblue is my choice.
I would love to drive a 125i with M-package. But a rare sight in Sweden since the best selling versions are 118d/120d.

I went to see the new Audi A3 today. I still think the exterior is bland and ordinary. Not my taste. Not a fan of the interior design either. Its not ugly but too simple. But I have to admit that the interior quality is the best in class. Pretty much soft plastics everywhere and all buttons are with a good touch feel. No testdrives allowed yet, I have to wait a few weeks more.

Thursday I have VIP invitation to Mercedes. To go and see the new A-class and eat free food. Also I car I will be driving in near future.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

Thanks for the reviews, Just_me. What about the new A-Class A 250 sport package? Isn't that an interesting option for you.