2025 Toyota GR86

First Impressions: Is This a Car, or Do I Wear It?

I landed at LAX, picked up a dark green 2025 Toyota GR86 with an automatic transmission, and set off for a little Los Angeles getaway. Two days, one night, and a sports car that seemed determined to make every freeway on-ramp the highlight of my trip. Not a bad way to spend 48 hours.

The first thing that struck me about the GR86 was just how small it is. Parked in a garage surrounded by the usual assortment of SUVs and crossovers, the Toyota looks positively tiny. And low. Really low. It has the classic proportions of a small sports coupe, with a long hood, short rear deck, and a stance that makes it look ready to pounce.

The rear spoiler adds to the sporty appearance, and the dark green paint gave my test vehicle a particularly attractive look. It certainly stands out among ordinary traffic, although its size also makes it surprisingly easy to lose sight of. Sitting next to a massive pickup truck, you almost get the impression that the GR86 could drive underneath it. Please don't test that theory.

Getting into the GR86 also feels a little different from climbing into most modern vehicles. You don't so much step into this car as strap it on. And once you're in, everything starts making sense.

Holy Crap, This Thing Is Tight

The first thing I noticed behind the wheel? Holy crap, this thing is tight. Everything about the GR86 feels immediate. The steering is incredibly responsive, the suspension is firm, and the entire car seems to react to your inputs before you've finished making them. Turn the steering wheel, and the car turns. Right now.

This is a refreshing change from the increasingly isolated driving experiences offered by many modern vehicles. The GR86 isn't trying to make you forget that you're driving. Quite the opposite. It wants you to be involved in every little thing that's happening.

The GR86 uses a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder boxer engine producing 228 horsepower. On paper, those numbers aren't particularly outrageous, especially in a world where electric family vehicles can deliver acceleration that would have embarrassed sports cars not too many years ago. But the GR86 doesn't need outrageous horsepower to be entertaining.

Acceleration feels immediate, the car is light on its feet, and the entire driving experience is wonderfully engaging. It's about enjoying every corner, every steering input, and every opportunity to feel what the car is doing. My test vehicle had the automatic transmission, which worked perfectly well. I suspect the manual would make this car even more entertaining, particularly for drivers who enjoy being fully involved in the experience.

The GR86 is a reminder that driving fun isn't always measured in horsepower. Sometimes it's measured in how big your grin gets when you turn the steering wheel.

On-Ramps Have Never Been So Entertaining

If there's one place where the GR86 really shines, it's in the corners. During my two days in Los Angeles, I discovered that freeway on-ramps and off-ramps can be a whole lot more entertaining than I remembered. The car feels incredibly planted, with precise steering and an eagerness that's difficult not to appreciate. It's almost like driving a go-kart—a street-legal go-kart with air conditioning, a roof, and a slightly more sophisticated suspension.

The braking is equally impressive. The pedal feels solid, and the car responds immediately when you ask it to slow down. Combine that with the sharp steering and firm suspension, and you have a vehicle that feels eager to tackle winding roads.

Of course, all that responsiveness comes with a trade-off: the GR86 is not particularly comfortable. If your idea of a pleasant drive involves sipping hot tea while gently floating through the neighborhood, you might want to look elsewhere. The suspension communicates what's happening underneath the car, the cabin isn't especially quiet, and the entire experience feels much more mechanical than luxurious. That connection to the road is a large part of the appeal, but it won't appeal to everybody.

Los Angeles: The Right Place for the Right Car

Spending two days with the GR86 in Los Angeles felt like a particularly appropriate introduction. Southern California has the kind of climate where a small, low-slung sports coupe can be enjoyed throughout much of the year. When you're cruising along Pacific Coast Highway with the ocean nearby, the GR86 starts to feel like a very sensible purchase. Well, sensible in a sports-car kind of way.

It's also a wonderful vehicle for exploring the winding roads that make Southern California such an enjoyable place for driving enthusiasts. The less enjoyable part is traffic. Sitting in bumper-to-bumper Los Angeles traffic isn't particularly fun in any vehicle, and the GR86 doesn't magically change that. I suspect the manual-transmission version would make extended stop-and-go driving even less appealing.

Once traffic clears and the road starts bending, the GR86 comes alive. This isn't a vehicle that makes every journey relaxing. It's a vehicle that makes the right journeys memorable.

Practicality Wasn't Invited to the Meeting

The GR86's small size creates some challenges, but it also brings a few advantages. Parking is easy because the car takes up very little space. Maneuvering through tight areas is straightforward, and the compact dimensions make it feel manageable even in crowded city environments.

Visibility takes some getting used to. You sit low, the windows aren't particularly large, and the overall seating position means you're looking up at much of the traffic around you. After spending some time behind the wheel, you adjust. The GR86 feels exactly as small as it looks.

It's also not the kind of car I'd choose for a long, relaxing road trip. The firm suspension, road noise, and relatively tight cabin would probably become tiring after enough hours on the highway. But give me a winding road and a couple of hours with nowhere in particular to be? Absolutely. That's where the GR86 belongs.

Budget Sports Car, Not Budget Porsche

Inside, the GR86 makes its priorities pretty clear. This is an attainable sports car, and Toyota has focused its resources on making the driving experience entertaining rather than surrounding the occupants with expensive materials. The interior is functional, but it feels a little dated compared to Toyota's newer vehicles. There's plenty of plastic, and the straightforward design doesn't have the same modern polish as some of the brand's more recently redesigned models.

The front seats are supportive enough for enthusiastic driving, and there's room for one passenger to enjoy the experience with you. Technically, there are rear seats. Technically. Realistically, I'd treat the GR86 as a two-person vehicle rather than count on those seats for regular passenger duty.

There's also a trunk, which is worth celebrating. It's not large, but there's enough room for a couple of bags and the essentials for a short getaway—conveniently, exactly what I needed during my two days in Los Angeles. There are even two cup holders up front. Luxury!

Technology: A Little Behind the Times

If you've driven one of Toyota's newer vehicles recently, you may be surprised by the GR86's infotainment system. It feels old. The interface is straightforward and easy enough to use, but it's more limited than the excellent systems Toyota offers in many of its other models. The screen quality is acceptable, the layout is functional, and smartphone integration is available, but the overall experience feels dated.

My experience with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto certainly wasn't as seamless as I've come to expect from modern Toyota vehicles. The driver-assistance systems I used worked well, though the GR86 isn't particularly interested in making technology the centerpiece of the driving experience. Honestly, I'm fine with that. This is one of those rare modern vehicles where the most interesting thing in front of the driver isn't a screen. It's the road.

Fun Without the Porsche Price Tag

You don't need to spend Porsche money to have a tremendous amount of fun behind the wheel. The GR86 delivers an engaging sports-car experience at a price that remains within reach for buyers who have to consider things like mortgages, groceries, and the occasional utility bill. That doesn't make it an impulse purchase, but it puts the experience in a different financial conversation from a premium sports car.

One obvious alternative is the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Both cars embrace the idea that a relatively lightweight, modestly powered sports car can be more entertaining than something with twice the horsepower. The Miata offers open-top driving; the GR86 gives buyers a fixed-roof coupe with nominal rear seats. Both have trunks, and which combination is better is largely a matter of personal preference.

Both vehicles prioritize driving enjoyment over outright performance numbers, and both remind us that you don't need an enormous engine or an astronomical price tag to have fun. The GR86 makes a compelling argument for anyone who wants a proper sports car without having to explain a six-figure purchase to their accountant.

Who Is the Toyota GR86 For?

The GR86 is for someone who loves driving: not just getting from point A to point B, but enjoying everything that happens between those two points. It's especially appealing to buyers who want a sports-car experience without spending luxury sports-car money. Its rear-wheel-drive layout is part of that traditional sports-coupe formula.

Anyone who regularly needs to transport more than one passenger, prioritizes a soft and quiet ride, or wants a comfortable family hauler should look elsewhere. Those compromises are substantial. They don't disappear just because the steering makes you grin.

A Little Car With a Big Personality

After two days in Los Angeles with the 2025 Toyota GR86, I came away thoroughly entertained. This little coupe is incredibly responsive, wonderfully tight, and an absolute blast to drive. It doesn't have the most impressive horsepower figures, the fanciest interior, or the most advanced infotainment system. But it has something that matters far more to the right buyer: character.

Would I own one? Maybe as a second or third car. With kids in the picture, I'm not entirely sure when I'd find the opportunity to enjoy it properly. Perhaps when the kids move out. Or perhaps I just need more excuses to visit Los Angeles.

The GR86's greatest strength is also potentially its biggest weakness: it's so much fun to drive that I could easily see myself getting into trouble. Let's be honest. If you're looking for an entertaining sports car that doesn't require a Porsche-sized budget, it deserves a spot on your shopping list. Just don't expect to drink hot tea while driving it.

Coolio Checkmarks

✔ Exceptionally responsive steering
✔ Tight, engaging handling
✔ An enormous amount of driving fun
✔ Compact dimensions that make parking easy
✔ A rear-wheel-drive sports-car experience
✔ Attainable pricing compared with premium sports cars
✔ Enough trunk space for my short getaway
✔ A personality that makes ordinary roads entertaining