Overview
If we gave out an award for Most Improved Sports Car, the Toyota GR86 would very possibly be the big winner. This eminently entertaining rear-wheel drive coupe’s second generation arrived in 2022 and addressed the big issue we had with the original model: a weak engine. The second time around, power comes from a 228-hp flat-four with plenty of mid-range power and, although a six-speed manual comes standard (and is the only way to go) a six-speed automatic is available. You won’t hear us telling you to opt for it. The GR86 is small and affordable like, say, a Mazda MX-5 Miata, only with a tiny Porsche 911-type rear seat that enables you to take small fry along. Its hatchback body also affords reasonable cargo space, which the Miata doesn’t offer, either. The GR86’s mechanical twin, the Subaru BRZ, offers a virtually identical experience, so choosing between them ultimately comes down to which badge you prefer. As a two-plus-two coupe built mainly for playtime, the GR86 does suffer from road noise, particularly on the highway, and the music produced by the boxer engine isn’t exactly worth buying tickets to hear live. Still, plenty of cornering grip, great balance, sharp steering, and a rev-happy engine make the GR86 fun drive no matter where you’re going. It’s everything an entry-level sports car should be.

What's New for 2023?
Toyota hasn’t changed our favorite affordable sports car for 2023. Instead, it’s added a GR86 Special Edition. The Special Edition mixes GR86 Premium equipment with exclusive Solar Shift orange paint, a blatty cat-back performance exhaust with black chrome tips, and matte-black 18-inch wheels. The GR86 Special Edition will be limited to just 860 units. Wonder how they arrived at that number?

Pricing and Which One to Buy
Base $28,925
Special Edition $32,200 (est)
Premium $33,025

The marginal increase from the base price for the 2023 Toyota GR86 Premium is well worth it. Standard equipment on the Premium includes heated seats, stylish 18-inch wheels with summer performance tires, adaptive LED headlights, and a better eight-speaker audio system. The six-speed manual transmission is an obvious choice here too.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Like the first-generation model, the 2023 GR86 comes with a naturally aspirated horizontally opposed four-cylinder provided by Subaru. Acceleration was decently brisk in the previous generation at 6.2 seconds to 60 mph, but the last GR86 we tested achieved a 5.4-second to 60 mph and reached a quarter-of-a-mile in 14.0 seconds. That improvement is thanks to a more powerful 2.4-liter engine that makes 228 horsepower. A six-speed manual continues to serve as the GR86's standard transmission, while a six-speed automatic is optional. The six-speed automatic was slower to 60 mph than the manual by seven-tenths of a second. During our first test drive, we noted that the more powerful engine felt livelier and sounds better while the car's razor-sharp handling provided thrills both on the road and on the Monticello Motor Club race track. Despite the car's handling prowess, the suspension is forgiving enough to work as a daily driver.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates the Toyota GR86 can accomplish 21 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway when optioned with the six-speed automatic transmission. The GR86s using the six-speed manual get slightly lower EPA numbers at 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. When we get a chance to put the new model through our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test, we will update this story with results. For more information about the 86's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The 2023 GR86 retains the relative size and shape of the outgoing model. The GR86 and the Subaru BRZ are unique in the affordable sports-car market as the only two that offer seating for four. Not that the rear seats are all that comfortable or spacious, but they're nice to have. The Subaru and Toyota models appear to share their interiors, save for some changes on the dashboard surrounding the infotainment display.

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