The smallest Toyota car in the brand’s lineup is also its most fun
Americans don’t care for tiny cars. The star-spangled car market rejected the tiniest of automotive offerings, like the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris, and Chevrolet Spark, in favor of compact SUVs. As a result, the smallest car you’ll find with a Toyota badge isn’t a practical hatchback. No, it’s the GR86, a no-frills, all-fun take on the small sports car.
The Toyota GR86 might be small in size, but the little car doesn’t compromise on fun
There’s an adage among the small sports car faithful in the United States: Miata is always the answer. For the most part, it’s difficult to fight that claim with any evolved argument. But for those car buyers who want cheap and cheerful without the convertible element, the Miata isn’t the answer. Instead, Toyota’s smallest car, the GR86, checks all the boxes.
The GR86 shrugs off the assertion that a sports car needs to be muscle-bound to be fun. Instead, the rumbly little 2.4L four-cylinder boxer engine produces 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. But with razor-sharp driving dynamics, a six-speed manual transmission, and a curb weight well under 3,000 lbs, the GR86 is an eager corner carver or track day companion. Even without gobs of power up front.
Oh, and in almost daytime soap opera fashion, it’s a twin. The GR86 has a mechanical sibling in the Subaru BRZ. Aside from some minute differences, the two are nearly identical. It’ll take a degree in small car-ology to tell them apart from a difference. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The growly little sports car is available in two flavors: Toyota and Subaru. Take your pick.
Of course, there are compromises with such a lean, mean little sports car. For starters, although the GR86 and BRZ have back seats, they’re better suited for luggage overflow. Short of a Kentucky Derby jockey, you’re not fitting adults behind the front seats.
And, at the mention of luggage, the GR86 has just 6.3 cubic feet of trunk capacity. Not exactly cavernous, but more than its oft-compared rival, the Mazda MX-5. But you don’t buy the GR86 for its grand tourer credentials (or lack thereof). The GR86 is a sports car in the purest sense of the term.
| 2025 Toyota GR86 | |
|---|---|
| Starting price | $31,135 |
| Engine | Naturally aspirated 2.4L H4 |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual, six-speed automatic |
| Curb weight | 2,811 lbs (manual) |
| Length, width, height | 167.6 in, 69.9 in, 51.6 in |
| Horsepower, torque | 228 HP at 7,000 RPM, 184 lb-ft at 3,700 RPM |
| 0-60 mph | 5.4 seconds (manual) |
| ¼ mile | 14.0 seconds (manual) |
