4 Reasons why the Toyota GT86 is a bad buy

Because people don’t seem to realise this: I do live in the UK. So it is rather UK centric.

Because people don’t seem to realise this: I do live in the UK. So it is rather UK centric.

The Toyota GT86 (aka Subaru BRZ, Scion FRS) when released was heralded as the return of inexpensive, rear wheel drive sports cars. I may be in the minority, but upon release what I clapped my eyes on was an admittedly very pretty car with too many drawbacks to even register on my shortlist. I test drove the GT86 over a year ago before putting my money down on a Mustang, but I was hoping to come away throwing money at my local Toyota dealership instead given all the hype.

I’ve been meaning to write this for a long time, I still have my notes from when I drove it to hand if you can believe that, but yet another video on YouTube from someone even younger than me proclaiming the GT86 to be an excellent car, when they’ve probably never driven anything other than a Chevy Spark, finally prompted me to write this small article.

So here are my four reasons why your money is best spent elsewhere. If you like the car or own one, then don’t take this as me attacking you – this is simply why I wouldn’t spend my own money on a GT86.

1. The engine is terrible

Engine
I can hear people calling out to the heavens even as I type this. “Ben, you don’t need a lot of horsepower to have fun!” – you’re correct, you don’t need a lot of power at all to have fun. Just look at the Suzuki Swift Sport with 130hp, the Fiesta with 197hp or any Japanese Kei car with a maximum of 64hp.

You don’t need a lot of power to have fun. What you do need, however, is Torque, and the GT86 rivals Honda in the low Torque battle. However, unlike Honda you don’t have a stupid high red-line to make up for the Torque deficit.

Sure, the Suzuki Swift only makes 118lb-ft, but the major difference is that there isn’t a drop in the Torque output equivalent to the Marianas Trench slap bang in the middle of the rev range like on the GT86, and its here that the Toyota’s engine falls completely flat (figuratively and literally).

When I drove it I recall my foot being flat to the floor without much “go” happening. Yes, its fun to rev a car to the redline but with the GT86 it wasn’t fun, it was necessary or else you weren’t going to have any fun at all. It was a chore to wind it up to the red-line and a buzzkill if you fell even a fraction outside of its comfort zone. The engine is in dire need of a retune or a factory fitted turbo.

People constantly state that you can make the car better by doing XYZ modification as soon as you buy it. If you have to modify a car to actually be good the second it exits the showroom, then its not a good car.

2. The entire car is a cost cutting exercise

EcoBoost Mustang
Yes, I do have a Mustang on order and yes, the interior even with the premium package is filled with cheap plastics and fake chrome, but the GT86 is on another level of cheap. Everything is horrible plastic, none of the HVAC controls have any real weight to them, the wheels are covered in really cheap rubber attempting to pass for tyres, the suspension makes zero effort to be comfortable with no real benefit (rock solid suspension doesn’t equal better handling) and the equipment levels are pretty low.

Aside from the exterior styling being rather pretty the rest of the car screams budget, and when you consider the price of the vehicle you start to question why you didn’t just go with something else.

It is not a nice place to sit. Its dark and cramped. Even the steering wheel is cheap to look at with chintzy plastics and no buttons what-so-ever, despite there clearly being areas where buttons should go.

Excuses have been made as to why the GT86 has economy tyres. Said tyres giving up early so you can enjoy its limits at legal speeds is the most common reason, which is backwards in every sense of the word – in reality its because Toyota has a surplus of Prius tyres since they sell so many of that loathsome little box.

3. Its expensive

Porsche Boxster
When the car was released it cost a pretty penny. £25,000 to be precise. To put that into perspective, that could get you into a Megane RS, which is cited as one of the best driver’s cars on a regular basis where the GT86 is not. Spend £27,000 and you’ll be in a Nissan 370Z with a screaming V6, spend £28,000 and you’ll be in a Porsche Boxster. Since 99% of new cars are bought on finance it wouldn’t cost much more per month (if anything more per month) to buy the Nissan or Porsche, and you are far more likely to haggle a discount out of Porsche. If you are hell bent on spending less, get a BMW 1-series hatchback instead.

Whichever one of those alternatives you go for, you’ll end up with a more engaging car.

In 2015 Toyota lowered the prices to £22,500 by sacrificing equipment, they called it the “Primo” trim. Seriously, the list is so barren that a Radio Antenna is one of the highlighted features. If you must have the cheapest GT86 possible, then buy a Primo, but its as empty inside as a Dacia Sandero.

If you live in the states, the Nissan and Porsche will be well outside your price range and the 1-series hatch doesn’t exist – what options are open to those on the other side of the pond? Pony Cars. The new Camaro is a hair over $25,000 with a 275hp Turbo-4 and the underpinnings from the Cadillac ATS, a car which is presently giving BMW a good kicking on the handling front. The FRS is actually the more expensive vehicle at $26,100. You’ve also got the V6 and EcoBoost Mustangs both at less than $26,000, with an EcoBoost performance pack tallying in at $28,290 which is far better value for money.

4. The Mazda MX5 exists

Mazda MX5
This is where the Toyota doesn’t have a leg to stand on. The MX5 is cheaper than even the Primo trim GT86, has peppier engines, is lighter, is the tiny-car handling benchmark and is better built. There really is nothing more to be said. If you want cheap, rear drive thrills, just buy the MX5. Its been the hallmark of tiny sports cars since 1989 for a reason, and this is coming from someone who isn’t particularly a fan of the MX5.

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Comments

Anonymous

Well, it’s far from perfect, but it might still be my next car to replace the Boxster !

I love the Mx5 but I want more space to carry my tools.

The mustang is good, definitely faster when stock, same insurance cost, but I don’t “feel” it.

Plastics quality ? I can’t care less about that :)
And since I plan on tracking it, the lighter BRZ/FR-S will eat tires and brakes slower along with them being cheaper.
Now, the engine is a joke, peak torque at 6600rpm ! But for 4500$ you get a supercharger kit with everything you need to have enough power (well, enough for me at least).

And sure, you can get the base mustang V8 for a 1000$ more then ! But one thing I’ve learned with the Porsche, is that it’s not about how much you pay for the car, but how much you pay to keep it running ;)
I still need to test drive a BRZ to make a decision though !

12/15/2015 - 00:33 |
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Anonymous

Still one of the best cars ive ever driven.

12/15/2015 - 00:38 |
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The Stigographer

Instead of the MX-5 you should have thrown in a photo of the Genesis. The newer MX-5s are terribly overpriced, but you can get into a 2010-2012 Genesis Coupe for about $15k
The Genesis is a much better car for the money.

12/15/2015 - 00:52 |
2 | 0

He’s referring to new cars.

12/15/2015 - 05:40 |
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Anonymous

I worked for toyota as a tech for two years and the amount of rebuilds and warranty I have seen on that boxer on cars under 100k is just crazy to put it into perspective We had one guest who had two full rebuild before 80k and it was the auto with the paddles… Yes he might have been a really bad drive and poop kicked(pg CT) the hell out of the car but still such low km out of a new car and 90% of the engine components where replaced under warranty is really kind of sad… I drive a 2000 Acura integra with a b20z swap as my daily driver and I have been redlining that car every time I hit a highway exit or see some nice open road for the past 3 years and 150kms! No I do not hate the GT86 I actually like driving the car even though the engine in between 3-4k rpm really has no go and if you are driving at highway speeds and shift to early you are really going to be disappointed! I think toyota and subaru really need to go back to the drawing board and Re-develop that engine Because the fact that as an owner and knowing my car was out of warranty and now a ticking time bomb for and expensive fix is really a sales deterrent! Yes the car could use more power but i think first and foremost the thing as to run…..

12/15/2015 - 01:05 |
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Anonymous

I have to disagree with this.

12/15/2015 - 01:25 |
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humdizzle

1) its not fast in a straight line, you’re missing the point. Turbo would only introduce more heat and turbo lag. Its got plenty of power for the stock tires. You can literally drift anywhere and everywhere. Or you can nail every apex and follow a proper line. By choosing a flat 4 over a V-config engine they have one of the lowest center of gravity of any car.

2) Its cheap on the inside but thats not why you buy this car. Would you buy a GT3 or GTR for the interior? The sound system is decent. Seats are way more supportive than other cars in the segment. It weighs 2700 pounds for crying out loud !! No other car aside from the miata comes close. Adding more weight for luxury and then adding more power to compensate is a losing game.

3) Your opinion. Again if you want a sub-3000 pound RWD car, hardtop, 6spd and reliable. Where else are you gonna go.

4) Miata is a great car. However I will never buy anything thats a convertible. Plus i think the FRS looks better

Nevermind that Clarkson, Chris Harris, Carlos Lago, and damn near every car reviewer think its the greatest thing since sliced bread. But what do I know…

12/15/2015 - 01:36 |
2 | 4

1) I agree that it’s chassis dynamics are on point, but I look at cars as a complete package. manufacturers also use twin scroll turbos now, meaning there wouldn’t be any real turbo lag unless you were sub 2000rpm.

2) If I have to be stuck in traffic in this thing I’d want a nicer place to sit for my money, OR it should’ve totally committed to being a lightweight car with nothing inside like an Elise

3) As I stated in the article, Porsche or Nissan. If you go with a hatchback instead you can get a BMW 1-series. I also forgot lower model BMW 2-series cars. They all fall in the sub £30k bracket. That’s what its like in the UK where I’m from, at least.

4) And I agree the GT86 looks better.

12/15/2015 - 07:45 |
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Anonymous

I’ve sat in a FR-S in a toyota dealership and it’s not so bad! The steering wheel, is basic, no buttons cluttering it up. You have that one bit of plastic but who cares? And it’s not like you’ll touch those plastics, you’ll be too busy enjoying the driving experience. You’ll simply say: “Who gives a f*ck.” The Mitsubishi evo has cheaper plastic, as do many american cars. and the tires are there so you can slide easier and drift.

12/15/2015 - 01:54 |
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SaltyRider23

I am in the market for one currently and will hopefully be trading in my veloster turbo in for it too. I love the veloster, but the fr-s has a better seating position and its RWD. However it had less torque than my car and it has the same power. I felt like it was a bit quicker, but I could be wrong about that. As far as modifying it to make it better goes I don’t mind that at all. For example, I use android and out of the box it wasn’t all that great and had some problems, but after I fixed those problems it was way better than before. Saying all of this I do respect your opinion, I just think that I should say mine as well. BTW enjoy your mustang!

12/15/2015 - 02:14 |
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Anthony F

Also, don’t forget the TRD model. Scion (or Toyota, depending on where you live) basically charges you an additional $4500 over the regular FR-S just for two extra exhaust pipes, a body kit and some TRD badging… And not a single modification to the N/A boxer 4, which still produces the exact same 200 horsepower.

12/15/2015 - 02:31 |
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495QED

The new TVR will cost around 25,000 pounds since they said the new TVRs will fall into the price range the same as before. Another reason not to buy a GT86

12/15/2015 - 05:59 |
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