Do we love the Toyota 86?
Of course we do! But does that mean it is a car that you can really live with on a daily basis? It is, of course, a fairly specialised sports car, but then it is also a Toyota made by Subaru, suggesting that if anyone can make a sports car that is easy to live with on a daily basis, it would be those two.
We squeezed our ample backside into an 86 for a week to find out.
Outside
Likes: Looks like a proper sports car. The long nose, short boot coupe silhouette is perfectly balanced. Aggressive, yet not overly masculine. Not girly either.
Dislikes: Slightly fussy in some of the details, like the taillights and the silly “86” badges on the flanks. Grumpy mouth and upturned fog light cavities look strangely at odds with each other.
Inside
Likes: Brilliantly supportive sports seats. Nice sized steering wheel. Sensible control layout. Feels properly sporty from the low driver’s seat. The view out over the bonnet is fantastic. Everything is focussed on the actual activity of driving.
Dislikes: It is a bit cheap and hard in places. Clambering in and out can become a chore…
Under the bonnet
Likes: The 147kW/205Nm 2.0-litre boxer engine is a wonderfully charismatic little unit, with a nice urgency to it. Six-speed manual transmission is a tactile delight, with a fantastic shift action. Despite some reviewers (particularly overseas) saying it needs more power, we disagree – the 86 has just the perfect amount of power, even if it could easily handle more…
Dislikes: A tad more torque in the upper reaches would be nice though…
On the road
Likes: Find a nice twisty road anywhere and you will be in driving heaven. There is an almost telepathic feel about the handling that means the 86 will do pretty much anything you tell it to almost before you have told it. Rear end is beautifully progressive, while the front end is utterly confident and predictable.
Dislikes: Around town the firm ride can become tiresome.
Verdict
So, is the 86 a daily-driver prospect?
Well, it depends on your tolerance for low slung cars with firm rides, really, as those are pretty much the only two aspects of the 86 that aren’t completely user friendly.
That is actually untrue though, because the ride height and firmness ARE both user-friendly, just for a different purpose – they are part of the entire wonderful package that makes the 86 an absolute delight to throw around a winding road with enthusiasm.
Around town the steering is relatively hefty, but easy to manoeuvre with, the engine is happy to tool around at low revs without complaint and the clutch and manual transmission are slick, light and easy.
Like most sports cars, once the initial shine has worn off, day-to-day living can become a bit of a chore – especially clambering in and out of it and the lack of serious boot space – but regular back road blasts soon dispel any doubts about whether you made the right choice.
While the 86 is capable of living a relatively comfortable like as a daily driver, it is definitely at its best being thrashed on a winding road – or even a track – so just make sure you do that to it on a very regular basis as well…
Price: $41,986
Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder petrol
Power/torque: 147kW/205Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
0-100km/h: 7.6 seconds
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
CO2 emissions: 181g/km
