Toyota 86 ZN6 GTS (2012-2020)

10/10 – This car slaps hard, it’s increased my drift points by hundreds! In all seriousness quality car, never had issues, had since day 1 about 10 years ago Show details

A future classic, 2218Kms in 2 days !! – I was looking for looking for something special, not a vanilla SUV, or overstated unreliable European status symbol to replace my FJ Cruiser. I then remembered the 86 GTS, having driven a 5 year old version, complete with wheel rash at a local dealer, I set out to find a later model in mint condition. Enter Dutton One Adelaide centre stage, 2020… Read more

GTS in white with 834Kms, genuine car, which I jumped on a plane and drove the 86 back to Queensland. Having covered 2218kms in 2 days never had such an enjoyable journey in my life,(except for a brief interruption by a SAPOL speed cop). With only a 60litre tank, had to make frequent stops for fuel, particularly as my chosen route, via Broken Hill, Cobar etc is not overpopulated with service areas. The car, well, best way to describe the drivers seat is like a pair of Merrill's walking shoes, you slide in, lace up and the support does the rest.This is the only car I have driven for 4.5hrs in one stretch where I did not have any discomfort, (I own a 2021 Prado as well). The ride and handling is a legendary, reminds me a lot of my youth with a Lotus 7, only more comfortable, with no rattles, oil leaks, deafening wind noise and tendency to wag its tail with the slightest provocation . The driving position is for me perfect, the slick 6 speed manual gearbox is a delight to use, the clutch is light, and encourages swift gear changes, assisted by the strong detent spring defaulting the gear lever into the 3/4th plane. Changing from 6th to 3rd catches the rising torque and ensures a fast yet safe overtaking manoeuvre with no dramas. The simplicity of the interior is a design icon, no unnecessary gadgets to distract the driver and detract from the incredible driving experience. Few little gripes, the in car entertainment is showing its age, with a tiny screen, sat nav good, bit fiddly, looks like a similar unit fitted to the FJ Cruiser, storage space at a premium.

Minor issues completely overwhelmed by the driving experience, handling and economy, 6.6lites/100kms on the 2218Km journey. Have made an expression of interest for the GR86 due later this year, this car puts a smile back on your face.

Amazing 'bang for buck' – Wonderful car. Excellent handling, lots of extras. The boot can hold a lot (in particular if you have the version without a spare tyre!), and the rear seats fold down to make even more room. It has four seats, although you would not want to be in the back for anything other than a short trip. Average fuel economy (short trips) is under 10l per… Read more

100km which is not bad, and of course drops to 8 or less for long trips. It's not perfect - I get some noise from the driver side door/window seal, the radio head unit is ancient, there is an expensive service every few years when the spark plugs need to be replaced as the official method of doing it requires the engine to be dropped (if you search on youtube you will see people describing how it can be done without having to drop the engine), servicing is every 9 months rather than 12, interior is a bit plasticy - but overall I am really happy with the car.

Update - I did eventually get around to replacing the spark plugs myself. Bought the plugs from Toyota, then spent a number of hours squeezing my hands in there. It was possible to do it even with my large hands, but it was incredibly fiddly. Anyhow, for family reasons I had to sell the car but if I had the opportunity to get another one I would in a heartbeat.

Serious fun. Reliability not to Toyota standard – Bought this car as a toy in 2012. Does everything a classic sports car should. You won't win every drag at the lights but you'll have the biggest smile on your face when you get out. Had some issues with oil leaks. Only minor but annoying. Some fixed by Toyota others not. Seems all good now. It's noisy. Engine noise is what you want, but lot of road noise. If you want to travel long distances buy something else. Show details

Battery is faulty and Toyota's attitude is deplorable – This car was 13 months old when the battery just died. I drove into a car park, left it for less than an hour and on my return the car just failed to start. I called Toyota and they couldn't help (they could send two tow trucks but I'd have to pay for it). I opted to join the NRMA and they were amazing. The battery was not working. I had to pay… Read more

a fee to join the NRMA and incurred the cost of a new battery because it was no longer working.

I wrote to Toyota and asked that they reimburse the cost of the battery, given a brand new battery should last longer than 13 months. They asked for the paperwork (invoice etc.) and I supplied it. They then refused to reimburse the cost because I could not provide them with the faulty battery. I had no idea that I would be required to provide this and I left it with the NRMA who have since disposed of it.

Batteries allegedly last 3-5 years if they're looked after. I serviced my vehicle in accordance with instructions. My car was and is well taken care of. The mechanic never advised of any issues. The battery just died.

Toyota's behaviour is what's hardest to take. You buy a car that's not exactly cheap and expect you have some rights. A non-faulty battery would last longer than 13 months.

Choose a car where the company will be reasonable with you.

Best sports car on the road – Driving long distances, I needed a reliable car. I used to drive a Toyota Celica, but opted to update to a 2017 model Toyota 86. So glad I did. It's a little ripper... it's KY daily commute to and from work, and it's so comfortable I hardly know I'm driving a sports car. The seat warmers are a nice change on a cold winters morning while driving to work. There has been no recalls on this car so far..  Show details

lacking Oomph – I thought it would be more powerful considering all the hooha that was made about it & being a Japanese company. I had a hatchback that had more power than this car. I will say that it is a solid car made by good quality material, sturdy. Just lacking power for a sports car.  Show details

Love this car <3 – Love this car! Its a Toyota so it will last forever! Travel everyday from alkimos to FSH in it. I has had a good run so far, and will hopefully last a very long time. Running costs = very cheap for fuel, fuel lasts a long time in it. Interior = the leather in my steering wheel is coming off which is the only down fall.  Show details

Perfect first car – Purchased the car in 2015 and I love it a lot. The car handles well and is good with fuel mileage too. However, the only downside is the small back seats and boot space. Not very functional if you want to carry 4 passengers around as it can get quite tight.  Show details

Perfect Car – This is my first Sport Car. I am very happy with its performance. Price is reasonable as well. However there is no spare tyre. It happened once not long after my purchase that one of the tyres was broken and the repair kit did not work. Finally the car had to be towed for tyre replacement.  Show details

Absolute pleasure car - fantastic! – For what it is, it gives you all the fun and pleasure without the expense of bigger cars. If you are looking for a practical family car this isn't for you. Its a car for people who don't care about having more than 1 passenger. It's not a car for the kids or grandkids - it's a car for you! The handling in corners and in the wet is fantastic. It… Read more

has everything you need in the interior. If you haven't had seat heaters, try them - they are amazing! I absolutely love this car!

Fun Fun Fun – If you are looking for a speed machine, this car is not for you. If you are looking for a cheap and affordable sports car that will give you a genuine driving experience than this is the car for you. Definitely isn't slow and you could easily still lose your licence. As you would expect from a 2L, it is very efficient on fuel even when you push it hard. They have come down in price these days, definitely a buy <3  Show details

What a fun car! – I bought the fully loaded GTS manual model when they first came out and had the 3rd one in Tasmania the bells and whistles are great, but the real beauty of this car is the drive. It grips the road unbelievably well, it goes like a dream. There are few negatives to this car, but why it didn't come with a reversing camera mystifies me, that was a… Read more

bad oversight. The sales guy was keen for me to order an automatic but I laughed that idea off, why would you buy an automatic rear wheel drive sports car? The car does lack straight line speed and acceleration but it makes up for it in its handling around corners where it is a star. It will also cut out to protect the motor if you hammer it into a corner and then gear down, which was somewhat disconcerting the first time it happened as you lose traction.

Great Handling – The handling creates a brilliant driving experience and the GTS model comes loaded with all the features you could ever need. The back seats fold down which allows for plenty of cargo room and even fits my snowboards. Back seats are usable for those 5 foot 10 and under. Very good on fuel (averaging 7.5 liters per 100km) but there is a fair bit of road noise due to little sound insulation.  Show details

i love this car – This is a sport car so dont expect it has all functions. I love this car as it is sporty and affordable. Not overly expensive and meets all criteria of a sport car. Even though it has the same as Subaru, i think it worth more than Subaru BRZ. Never regret.  Show details

Toyota 86 experience – Bought this car and can I say it's amazing. Performance is better than expected and handling is a dream come true. Able to do twist and turns with ease on the mountains. Downside is the torque dip on 3rd gear but this can be fixed with a custom tune. Dashboard can be a bit better as well as it is laggy. Running costs is not that cheap if you are… Read more

tracking it or driving like a race car. If a daily car, you will probaly average around 9L per 100km. Overall for the price range, I would recommend if you are looking for a budget NA sports car.

Grown Ups Go-Kart – A rebadged Subaru, build quality , paint and finish could be improved for a Toyota. It has quite good seats and decent interior, rear seat room is tight and boot space is small , the compromise in having a sports car is evident , sorting out interior noises and niggles can be fixed if you look online , though my dash rattle was simply just the… Read more

speaker cover not being supported enough . Its a great car to have fun in, its platform is engineered, designed and taken up a performance notch to be somewhat raw , as ride comfort maybe just enough to satisfy some types of drivers, with some fail safe features if you try beyond your ability. It's handling limits are best explored in a controlled environment like a race track. Good points are that it is very economical on fuel, service costs are good, and a reliable engine which delivers enough power for city driving and in ordinary situations, could be more responsive in a twisty road, track, or mountain pass, but it has its good moments when it can shine and put a smile on your face, and as such retains some respect amongst certain groups of people.

Packed with features, fun to drive, reliable & cheap to run. Just wish it came in other colours! – Not the fastest car on the road but geez its fun to drive! Guaranteed to put a smile on any driver that loves a good drive. Blackline Edition only comes in white with black striping. Just wish Toyota had a couple more colour options for this particular limited edition model  Show details

Thougths after 30k (18 months) auto GTS – I must say I still love the look and handling of the car. I'm sorry to say that's about it though. The auto transmission is next to useless unless in manual mode. In auto my car races to 6th by about 50km/h which is normal according to Toyota with a kick down so slow it's dangerous. The stereo is terrible sound wise with the added bonus of it… Read more

frequently freezing if you have some accessory plugged in. The trim in both doors rattle with some bass frequencies even at medium levels. I've had the steering wheel replaced (started to peel badly) and leaks fixed on the engine under warranty. Maybe I got a Friday afternoon car?. The upside is my wife now has my 86 to drive ;)

So in summary don't buy the auto unless you enjoy corolla like performance, save some dollars to replace the stereo and watch the engine for leaks and the steering wheel for peeling.

Great value for money – I bought the GTS 12 months ago to replace the MX-5 I had sold 12 months earlier because I thought the new gen 4 MX-5 was ready to launch. The 86 is a lovely looking car. A real head turner everywhere I take it. It is fun to drive but a bit bumpy compared to my MX-5. I would only ever run premium unleaded fuel in the MX-5 so it is no issue… Read more ·  1

using this fuel in the 86. Actually I think it improves performance and mileage. I have not had any problems with the paint work on my 86 so am keeping my fingers crossed I don't. I also love the sat nav. but wish I had reversing sensors & camera too. The hands free phone is also fabulous even if my friends reckon the noise and interference when I ring them is ridiculous. However at the price of the 86 it is excellent value.

The things I don't particularly like include the stereo system which is not great. I usually stream music from my iPhone but also have an iPod permanently connected in the car and CD's in the player too. I constantly find I am playing with the settings and it still doesn't sound fantastic.

Why no controls on the steering wheel? Even my husbands RAV 4 has these and it is so inconvenient to have to find the radio dial on the dashboard to adjust the sound volume.

The extra 2 seats in the back are a total waste as there is no leg room for an adult passenger to travel any distance. Not that this worries me as I am usually in the car on my own or with only one other.

Everyone always goes on about the lack of grunt in the 86 and I agree. I have toyed with the idea of supercharging but wanted to wait and see before voiding my warranty. I was concerned that if the 86 had other issues and I voided the warranty I would not be able to have them fixed. This said the 86 seems to be a pretty solid vehicle and I have not had an reliability issues with the car.

When I compare the 86 to the considerably more expensive MX-5, the 86 wins if you want something that is cheap and looks like a sports car. The MX-5 handled better, loved the cornering and had more get up and go. I love my 86 but will have to consider my options and bank account balance when the new MX-5 is launched in 2015. Great price, great looks.

Overrated and underpowered – Whilst I do like the look of the car, I must say, overall, I'm over it. It handles nicely but it's a bumpy, uncomfortable drive on the highway. Take off power is dismal at best but it does pick up quite well in the higher rpms (I know you can't expect much of a 4 cylinder engine but they have the technology to easily make it more powerful). The… Read more

drivers seat feels like it needs to sit slightly lower. On long drives, the front of the seat starts to reduce the circulation to your legs.The sound from the stereo is terrible and when playing music via bluetooth, the stereo system crashes and the only way to fix it is to turn the car off then on again. The rattles in the dash and left door trim are driving me insane! There is also a lot of road noise - the faster you go, the louder it gets. There are 4 seats but there may as well be 2. No legroom in the back at all. It's not too great on fuel, it tells me it averages 8.2 l/100km but I think it tells lies. The analog speedometer is tiny, looks ridiculous and is basically useless when you have a digital one. This car is overrated. You could easily purchase something cheaper that's: more powerful, more comfortable, roomier, quieter buuut probably not as attractive. reasonably priced, great handling lacks power, uncomfortable, noisy

Exceeded my already high expectations – After 6 days and over 1000km my pearl white GTS manual has proven to be a delight to drive, through a sea of 4x4's and SUV's. Sitting so low, it feels fast and exhilarating but you soon realise just what this car is capable of. The driving position and control placement is perfect. Steering, braking, gearchange and clutch operation will set the… Read more ·  1

benchmark for cars that cost a lot more.

Using the excellent CC A/C virtually all the time and with plenty of full throttle to bed the rings in has returned 6.6L/100km and 6.9L/100km so far, calculated at filling up.. Much better than the official 7.8L/100km and can only get better as it frees up.

Most of the time changing up at 3000rpm is ideal as pulls hard below that, easily leaving the traffic on partial throttle. 60kph in 6th gear is smooth with good power without having to change down. Above 4500rpm it starts to howl and the power keeps increasing to the 7400rpm redline, as it should in a sports car. The only problem is that the close ratio gearbox has you well over the max speed limit at 140kph in 3rd with another 3 gears to go and it would certainly be stable and fun to keep going through the gears.

That same 3rd gear is ideal around town down to 20kph. Quiet and responsive, perfect to quickly slip through roundabouts and take side streets without getting attention but enjoying every moment of the sublime handling. This car has broken the SUV mould and shown what we have been missing. An affordable proper sports car that is practical and fuel efficient. Rear vision isn't perfect but at least it's low enough to see a child.