2026 Toyota GR86 Redesign, Specs, Interior 

2026 Toyota GR86 Redesign, Specs, Interior     –    An enthusiast will probably cite the sounds and sights of massive engines as well as the general revelry of internally combusted speed when asked what we’re missing as the auto industry rapidly transitions to electricity. The probable demise of lightweight sports cars like the 2026 Toyota GR86 is also regrettable. Cars that weigh this little and feel this easy to toss around are likely to be phased out with those huge, gas-guzzling engines because of how heavy batteries may be.  2026 Toyota GR86 Redesign

Cars like the GR86, therefore, are an endangered species. Even today, the list of lightweight, rear-wheel drive, naturally aspirated sports cars based on specific platforms includes this fun coupe, its almost identical Subaru BRZ twin, the Mazda MX-5, and twin, the Mazda MX-5, and that’s pretty much it.

2026 Toyota GR86 Redesign and Update Plan

Exterior and Interior

Those who regularly see themselves carrying a lot of passengers or stuff should probably stay away from a car like the GR86. Fairly obvious, I know, but worth mentioning. Front-seat space is mostly fine, with a good number of cupholders on hand, but both the rear seats and trunk are quite tiny.

Crawling into the second row, there isn’t nearly enough headroom to accommodate any reasonably-sized adult, while the cargo area is probably big enough for a couple of carry-ons but a third may pose a problem. Granted, the rear seats do fold, and when they’re down the rear of this car is big enough to accommodate an entire set of tires – required kit for track days, the natural preferred pastime of the GR86 driver.  2026 Toyota GR86 MSRP

2026 Toyota GR86 Specs

Step up to the Premium model for an extra $3,000 and Toyota adds two extra speakers, faux suede inside, heated seats, aluminum scuff plates and pedals, a more aggressive duckbill spoiler, those fancy adaptive front lights, and 18-inch wheels with stickier Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires. It’s not exactly a luxury car by modern standards, but for its price point and premise as a scrappy, lightweight sports car, not once did I find the GR86’s featureset to be lacking. 2026 Toyota GR86 Redesign

Engine and Performance

The main issue with the previous vehicle was probably its weak, thrashy-sounding engine. It’s corrected for this second generation. The four-cylinder engine from Subaru is still naturally aspirated and horizontally opposed, which is advantageous for its raw, linear power delivery.

However, its displacement has increased from 2.0L to 2.4L. Peak numbers, however, only tell so much of the story, because the biggest enhancement is arguably the much broader torque band that gives this car decent push wherever the tach needle happens to be, and an overall peppy energy that was sorely missing with its predecessor. Forgivably, the GR86 still isn’t facerippingly quick, but its engine is no longer actively holding the car back. 

However, it should be noted that this engine still isn’t all that emotional. It sounds best accelerating from about 3,000 to 4,000 rpm, but otherwise the audio here remains buzzy and plasticky. At high revs, it sounds like an old Toyota doing a so-so impression of a sport bike. The bigger powertrain-related asterisk with this particular tester, of course, is its six-speed automatic transmission. 2026 Toyota GR86 Redesign

As a tool that transmits torque from the engine to the rear axle, the automatic gearbox is fine. Keep it in automatic mode and it does its job predictably, with shift points – along with throttle response and, I suspect, speaker-based “engine” noise – getting more aggressive in sport mode. There are manual paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, but the transmission is still a smidge too slow to use them enjoyably.

2026 Toyota GR86 Fuel Economy

This being a simple four-cylinder hooked up to a car that prides itself on being light, fuel economy is pretty good. After about 450 test km, I observed 9.0 L/100 km, beating its official rating.

For posterity, there’s no auto stop-start, nor is there any sort of eco drive mode. Although given how efficient it already is without those features, I don’t think the GR86 needs them. This ultimately being a sports car, premium fuel is required.   2026 Toyota GR86 Redesign

2026 Toyota GR86 Safety Features

Approachably enjoyable handling may make the GR86 feel safe behind the wheel, but it’s also fairly safe in the more traditional sense as well. Opting for the automatic transmission means the inclusion of a bunch of active safety tech such as adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, and a lane departure warning.  2026 Toyota GR86 Redesign

Adaptive cruise performed better than expected, with automated accelerative and decelerative movements feeling natural and confident. There’s no lane-keeping assistance, though, so you’ll have to do all your own steering (as you should want to, given how good the steering itself is). The GR86 Premium also features adaptive headlights that move in tandem with the steering.

2026 Toyota GR86 Price and Release Date

The Toyota GR86 as a whole starts at $31,490 for the base manual model, but in this Premium automatic guise, that figure is bumped up to $36,890. There aren’t really any options other than dealer-installed accessories, so adding $1,820 of non-negotiable destination means this tester rang in at $38,710 before taxes. That puts it in line with a lot of other affordable sporty vehicles out there, such as the fantastic Hyundai Elantra N and a couple grand more than the Canadian-made Honda Civic Si. It also undercuts pretty much all of Mazda’s MX-5s bar the base GS soft top which can be had for similar money.

Overall, the 2026 Toyota GR86 is a great, affordable sports car that does what it says on the brochure. Gloriously pure rear-wheel drive, a low and newly more usable boxer engine, great handling, and an analog, uncorrupted vibe add up to one of the most fun cars available today. Among a field of turbocharged performance rides that are essentially regular commuter vehicles modified for sport, the GR86 feels like locally-slaughtered pork bone broth and hand-pulled noodles in a market full of MSG powdered stock and instant ramen. It’s crushing its own tomatoes while everybody else slops up sodium- and factory-filled jars of Ragu.  2026 Toyota GR86 Redesign