2022 Toyota GR 86 Review: Stick-Shifted Salvation

The Toyota GR 86 has had many names over its first-generation but now will push forward under the Gazoo Racing banner to further cement Toyota’s interest in bringing its sporting spirit to the street. This new 86 is an evolution of the previous generation car and builds on what worked, and fixes what didn’t. The biggest complaint of the outgoing model: power. While this Toyota’s boxer mill still breaths without any external help, the folks at Toyota and Subaru decided to increase the 2.0-liter’s displacement to 2.4-liters. That gives this flat-four a new lease on life and, among other alterations, fixes the torque dip found on previous models. Now sending 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque through a standard six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren puts the GR 86 through its paces at Monticello Motor Club and the nearby rural streets. Wren walks you around the new Toyota GR 86 as well as takes you for a live drive review. Expanding on these recordings, Wren chats with Patrick Carone about the world where this car lives. The pair discuss the car’s features, as well as the current, shrinking sports car space. Closing the show, the pair talk about what makes this car special.