A future classic? Why Toyota's beautifully balanced GT86 is a masterpiece in the making

David Ross, Editor
Fri, 29 May 2026

Toyota is a brand that for many people represents the ‘car as a domestic appliance’ theory all too well. Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course – lots of people just want a car that works, and the Japanese manufacturer has got where it is today by doing just that.

But they’ve also made some wonderfully exciting, innovative and much-loved sports cars. Don’t forget that it’s very first attempt – the Toyota 2000 GT – was a stunner and the few examples that exist now change hands for more than half a million pounds.

Several generations of Toyota MR2 have a die-hard following and the A80-generation Toyota Supra is a legend of the tuning world thanks to its incredible 2JZ straight-six engine.

But the Toyota GT86 was a far more modest attempt to reinvent the sports-car wheel. The bald statistics aren’t necessarily going to get the juices flowing – a naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine kicking out just 200PS and 205Nm of torque. Plus tyres taken directly from its hybrid econobox, the Prius.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Toyota had taken leave of its senses, but in truth it had set out to create a sports car that was stripped back to the bare essentials.

The Subaru-sourced flat-four engine came about after Toyota took a stake in Subaru’s parent company. And while its performance was modest, it was lighter than the previously-proposed Toyota V6 as well as enjoying a lower centre of gravity.

The stripped-back approach included an aluminium bonnet, a bootlid instead of a hatchback and the smallest diameter steering wheel ever fitted to a Toyota.

The driver’s seat was also set as low and as far back as possible, all with the aim of good weight distribution – 53:47 front to rear is good for a front-engined car. The 2.0-litre engine drove the rear wheels via a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed auto through a limited-slip differential.

So what was it like to drive? To be honest, at first you might feel a little underwhelmed. The performance figures are decent but not exceptional – 0-62mph takes 7.6 seconds, so contemporary hot hatches would leave it in the dust – and driven normally it’s hard to believe it’s a sports car at all.

But wind it up a little and it all starts to make sense. All the key controls are sweet and sharp while the quick gearchange makes it easy to keep the engine revs high.

Which you’ll need to do to make decent progress. There is useful performance there, but you have to go and fetch it. Toyota’s own press release describes the performance as ‘brisk’ and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The GT86’s real magic shows when you start to tackle a twisty road. Those relatively skinny Michelins offer decent but not exceptional grip, but it's their lack of width that means you can play around on the edge of grip more easily and at lower speeds. And once you do step beyond their limits, the wonderful balance, sharp steering and controllable nature of the chassis reveals itself.

It might not be fast, but you’ll have a blast at much lower speeds than some alternatives. And this is a car that will go sideways when you want it to and not when you don’t. If there ever was a car to learn the dark art of oversteer, the GT86 is where you want to start.

Yes, the interior is a bit drab and plasticky. And while decently-specified it feels far from luxurious, but if these things are more important than how it drives there are plenty of other cars that will tick those boxes.

As an ownership prospect, it’s worth paying attention to how a used GT86 has been driven as much as how reliable the basic car is. A hard-driven example might suffer from a worn clutch or tired suspension, especially if it’s been tuned, but a solid service history will go some way to mitigating that.

As a whole the GT86 is pretty tough and reliable, bar a few key points to check. Engines have been known to leak oil from cylinder head gaskets and failing fuel pumps are a potential issue. Gearboxes are strong although the manual is the better choice from a driver’s perspective. It’s also worth taking a close look at tyres, as the choice of rubber is fundamental to how it behaves and many owners go for upgrades.

As for bodywork, be sure to check for accident damage although front-end resprays are not uncommon as they’re prone to collecting stone chips. Rust isn’t out of the question either, with window frames a known weak point.

Finding one won’t be a problem, although with plenty of choice it’s worth putting in the time to search out the best example you can find for your budget. Higher mileage examples start at around £7000, and if you plan to go down the modifying route this is not a bad starting point. 

A clean, original car with less than 75,000 miles will set you back around £12,000, with the later specification cars coming in around £15,000. We even found a one-owner car with full main dealer history and 5000 miles for £26,000, which just shows that there are people out there who know how special it is.

The GT86 will only appeal to a relatively narrow band of people – it was only just sufficiently successful for its successor, the Toyota GR86, to make production – but if you’re the kind of person who cares more about balance, precision and the driving experience than pure power or the badge on the front, this might be the future classic for you.