2018 Toyota 86 Review
2018 Toyota 86 Review





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Edmunds' Expert Review

byWill Kaufman
Senior Editor and Content Strategist, CarMax
Will Kaufman has worked in the automotive industry since 2017. He has written hundreds of car-related articles and reviews over the course of his career. Will is a senior editor and content strategist for CarMax at Edmunds. Will has been featured in the Associated Press and a number of major outlets on the topics of infotainment and vehicle data, vehicle subscription services and autonomous vehicles. Will started his career in online publishing by writing and editing standardized test guides, but he has a lot more fun writing about cars.
Pros
- Handling is excellent and steering is precise
- Front seats are comfortable, supportive and good for spirited drives
- Standard features list is good for the price
Cons
- Acceleration is underwhelming
- Small trunk doesn't hold much cargo
- Lacks more now-common safety features and driver aids
What’s new
The 860 Special Edition has been discontinued and replaced by the GT trim, which keeps almost all the same upgrades but loses the special colors and paint stripes.
Vehicle overview
It's easy to count the 2018 Toyota 86's downsides. It's small inside, with limited cargo and passenger space; it's not particularly comfortable, especially for taller drivers; and the technology on offer feels totally outdated. The 86 has also only received modest power bumps over the years, so it's slower than a lot of competitors. Also, Toyota's never fixed the car's lack of midrange punch.
But there's no denying that the 86 still succeeds at being a ton of fun to drive. It provides a sporty experience even when you're just tooling around town. It's always engaging, and it's the kind of car that begs to be driven harder — it's just too bad it runs out of steam before too long.
Still, the market has evolved, and there are a lot of great performance coupes on the road right now at comparable prices. Today's 86 isn't as easy to recommend over the competition as the FR-S was back when it first launched.
What's it like to live with?
The Toyota 86 has barely changed in all the years since it was the Scion FR-S. (Remember Scion?) While that's a bit of a problem in some ways — cough, cough, we want CarPlay, cough — it means our impressions of the 2013 Scion FR-S that we bought to live with for a year are still just as relevant today. And we lived hard with the FR-S, slapping on a supercharger, exhaust, and fresh wheels and tires. You can read all about our long-term test with Toyota's entry-level rear-wheel-drive sports car.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
7.6 / 10The Toyota 86 may only be in its second year, but it's a direct continuation of the FR-S, from Toyota's now-defunct Scion brand. The underlying car hasn't received any major updates since it was introduced in 2012, but you might consider that a good thing. The 86 is lightweight, affordable, nimble, and almost always satisfyingly fun.
Trim tested
Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Toyota 86 (2.0L flat-4 | 6-speed manual | RWD).
Scorecard
Overall | 7.6 / 10 |
Driving | 8.0 |
Comfort | 7.5 |
Interior | 7.5 |
Utility | 7.5 |
Technology | 7.0 |
Driving
8.0The 86 has moves like Jagger but an engine that struggles to get the stone rolling. We love the way the 86 drives through turns thanks to its classic rear-wheel-drive balance and effortless steering. It just needs a more powerful and refined engine to keep up with today's best sport coupes.
Acceleration
6.0The 86's Subaru-based flat-four is responsive, but it's not the easiest car to launch aggressively. Midrange power is noticeably lacking, and the top-end bump isn't enough to make up for it. In our testing, we had a 0-60-mph time of 6.7 seconds. That's OK, but other coupes are noticeably quicker.
Braking
8.0Initial impressions of the brakes are very good. The pedal is firm but easy to modulate. But when the 86 is driven more aggressively, the pedal becomes wooden and it's harder to judge how much effort to apply. In our panic stop from 60 mph, the 86 needed 109 feet, a respectably short distance.
Steering
9.0The quick and precise steering rewards smooth driving, and well-damped feedback from the wheel communicates how much grip you have at the front wheels. It's the kind of steering you'd hope to get from a back-to-basics car like this.
Handling
8.5The 86 delivers that classic rear-wheel-drive behavior but does it at lower and more accessible speeds. It's a blast to drive on a twisty road. The 86's suspension tuning allows more chassis movement than the BRZ, but it is still fun in its own way. Track mode loosens the stability control a bit.
Drivability
7.0The clutch engagement zone is narrow, so it takes practice to shift smoothly. At midrange rpm, the engine falls flat on its face when you need it most. Longer highway grades can't be pulled in sixth gear. Listening to the motor moan and thrash takes a lot of the enjoyment away from revving it out.
Comfort
7.5The interior stitching and embroidered 86 logos are nice touches, but this is no touring car. To the casual enthusiast, the 86 could be considered noisy and stiff, but it'll feel just right for the sport coupe aficionado. Toyota puts performance ahead of the 86's day-to-day usability.
Seat comfort
7.5A limited range of adjustability makes finding a truly comfortable position difficult. While the seats have firm padding and excellent bolsters, perfect for dynamic driving, they quickly become uncomfortable when you're just statically sitting in them, as in traffic.
Ride comfort
7.5Thanks to a stiff chassis, you can feel each corner of the car keeping its respective tire on the ground. Wheel motions are a little too quick to be considered comfortable, and the 86 will shimmy along on high-speed roads with undulations. You'll feel all the bumps and road imperfections.
Noise & vibration
7.5These tires bring the noise on coarse surfaces. Keeping the weight down means keeping the sound deadening to a minimum, so the 86 is definitely on the loud side. Wind noise becomes quite noticeable at higher speeds. It's never too much for the enthusiast, but passengers might disagree.
Climate control
8.0With a small cabin and big vents, this purely analog system easily cools things down quickly. The controls are easy to use and self-explanatory.
Interior
7.5The interior of the 86 is purposeful and minimalist. There's also plenty of space and good outward visibility. Every control is right at your fingertips. Just don't consider this a four-passenger vehicle. Rear-seat space is laughable.
Ease of use
7.5Everything about the 86 is clearly visible from the moment you get in. There are no hidden features, no secret Easter eggs, no hidden menus.
Getting in/getting out
6.5It's low, but the wide door opening and unobtrusive seat cushion make it easy to drop into the 86. Use the rear seats for bags and cargo since the aperture to get in or out of them makes it virtually impossible for a human to do so with any sort of grace.
Driving position
8.5While you sit low in the car, the driving position is surprisingly upright. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you start enjoying the handling characteristics, the seating position fades away. We would prefer more telescoping range from the steering wheel as well as seat-bottom tilt.
Roominess
7.5Front passengers have ample room. Nothing with feelings can sit in the back. If you're looking for an expansive back seat, this probably isn't your type of car anyway.
Visibility
8.0With a tall and wide windshield and a low hood, forward visibility is pretty good. The view out the back is a bit compromised, but the rear-quarter windows help when changing lanes. A fairly high-resolution backup camera aids in the tightest quarters, but we wish the displayed image was larger.
Quality
7.5Our test car had no squeaks or rattles, even when driven aggressively over bumpy surfaces. No panels felt loose or insufficient. Tasteful touches of simulated suede contrasts with hard plastics, but touch points are thoughtfully faux leather-type materials.
Utility
7.5With a folding rear seat and trunk designed to hold a full set of wheels and tires and a small tool set, the 86 doesn't have to be reserved just for weekend duty.
Small-item storage
7.0The small, hard plastic door pockets and a center console tray with removable cupholders are about all you get in the 86. That said, the items stored are truly out of your way while driving vigorously.
Cargo space
8.0The trunk opening isn't gigantic, but it can hold a decent amount of shorter-size items. The narrow backseat aperture can make it difficult to slide wider items through. Lowering the rear seatback is only possible from the trunk, by pulling two lanyards simultaneously. It's not easy.
Technology
7.0The 86's technology package is like the car itself: minimal. While we don't specifically mind the lack of functionality, we'd rate this system higher if Toyota included Android Auto or Apple CarPlay integration.
Audio & navigation
5.0The audio system is adequate, although even with eight speakers, it lacks the power to deliver any semblance of fidelity when the car is actually in motion. There's no standard navigation system, but a dealer-installed unit is available even after purchase of the vehicle.
Smartphone integration
5.0Neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto is supported, but there is a USB port, an auxiliary jack and Bluetooth. Pairing is quick, and album cover art is displayed.
Driver aids
7.5Along with standard antilock braking, the stability control has been retuned to allow a bit more traction loss before intervening; there's also a Track mode that loosens the reins ever further. The advanced driver will still prefer to defeat the system entirely, which can be done easily.
Voice control
6.5Voice recognition is commendable, never missing a word, but the voice that speaks back is unnatural and dated. The system is a bit slow to access music and playlists and, despite the clumsy manual interface, it's simply faster to do it yourself.
Which 86 does Edmunds recommend?
You're not buying an 86 for its creature comforts, so just stick with the base trim and keep the price affordable. The manual transmission is definitely preferable to the automatic.
2018 Toyota 86 models
The 2018 Toyota 86 comes in two trim levels: the base and the 86 GT. Power comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque when paired to a six-speed manual transmission. Power dips slightly to 200 hp and 151 lb-ft when equipped with the automatic transmission. The 86 is rear-wheel-drive only.
Standard equipment on base models includes 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, air conditioning, keyless entry, a height-adjustable driver's seat, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cruise control and a rearview camera. Tech features include Bluetooth connectivity, a 7-inch touchscreen, voice commands, and an eight-speaker sound system with HD radio, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB interface.
Toyota offers more than a dozen optional dealer-installed accessories for the base 86, including larger wheels, upgraded braking and suspension components, a performance exhaust, and a navigation system.
The GT is distinguished by a rear spoiler, LED foglights, an aerodynamic underbody panel, heated leather front seats with contrast stitching, push-button ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a 4.2-inch display that monitors performance driving parameters such as real-time engine power use and cornering force. There's also a Black package for the GT, which adds black exterior accents but is otherwise identically equipped.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2018 Toyota 86.
5 star(71%)
4 star(29%)
3 star(0%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
7 reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4 out of 5 stars
Car drives great. Audio functions suck.
Dave Griesel, 01/27/2018
2017 Toyota 86 860 Special Edition 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
If you want to go slip sliding around you have to switch stability control off. With it on and trying to hang the tail out it won't. You can barely feel subtle changes going on and the car corners like it is on rails. ( With Amtrac stuff going on this is probably an aged expression ), I traded in a 350Z and its very poor shifting and this car shifts great. Brakes are good and I have … not had the opportunity to use them to the max. Rear camera works great and makes backing into a tight parking spot easy. If there is a curb you have to back in; as there is a very low front clearance; to avoid ( sooner or later ) damaging the front underneath. I am talking about shopping center parking with concrete curbing at one end and not street parking. So far mostly good or minor bad stuff. Now the audio functions that suck. The USB and the Ipod functions I could not get to work. I have an Ipod Touch 32GB 6th generation. I did get it to work with bluetooth. The Ipod function button would not turn on ( greyed out ). I loaded up a small USB memory 16GB MP3 with 20 CD's and plugged it into the USB port. The screen said it was checking the USB and then nothing happened. The USB memory worked fine in a 2018 Subaru Forester. I contacted Toyota online twice and complained to a dealer once. No joy. I searched through the Toyota manuals and found one place that said it would work and another place that said it may not work. Gas mileage is all city driving Price is out the door.
5 out of 5 stars
Spiffy
Edgar Ruiz, 01/31/2017
2017 Toyota 86 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
Rented mustang, miata, camero, challenger for days aND test drove 370z, genesis, by far best bang for your buck and looks sporty
5 out of 5 stars
Multi-day test drive
Tracey Thomerson, 08/10/2017
2017 Toyota 86 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
Loved the car! Very fun to drive. Superbly handled curves on our California backroads. Would have purchased except I wanted leather seats and didn't like the racing stripes on the special edition. Purchased the Limited BRZ Automatic instead.
5 out of 5 stars
speedy snowball
Al Franz, 09/25/2017
2017 Toyota 86 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
clutch is too sensitive; brake is not sensitive enough
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Toyota 86, so we've included reviews for other years of the 86 since its last redesign.
2018 86 Highlights
Base
- Combined MPG
- 24 MPG
- Cost to Drive
- $205/month
- Seating
- 4 seats
- Drivetrain
- rear wheel drive
- Engine Type
- Gas
- Warranty
- 3 years / 36,000 miles
Safety
Our experts like the 86 models:
- Rearview Backup Camera
- Projects an image of objects and vehicles in the car's rearward path of travel to help prevent a collision.
- Hill Start Assist Control
- Prevents car from rolling backward on a hill by maintaining brake hold as the driver's foot moves from the brake to the accelerator pedal.
- Side (Front Only)/Side Curtain Airbags
- Deploys airbags in the event of a collision, including side curtain airbags useful for protecting rear passengers.
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover5 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover7.1%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Side Impact TestGood
- Roof Strength TestGood
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintGood
- IIHS Small Overlap Front TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front TestGood
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More about the 2018 Toyota 86
Used 2018 Toyota 86 Overview
The Used 2018 Toyota 86 is offered in the following submodels: 86 Coupe. Available styles include 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6A), GT w/Black Color Package 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6A), GT w/Black Color Package 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M), 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M), GT 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6A), and GT 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M). Pre-owned Toyota 86 models are available with a 2.0 L-liter gas engine, with output up to 205 hp, depending on engine type. The Used 2018 Toyota 86 comes with rear wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic, 6-speed manual.
What's a good price on a Used 2018 Toyota 86?
Price comparisons for Used 2018 Toyota 86 trim styles:
- The Used 2018 Toyota 86 GT is priced between $29,998 and$29,998 with odometer readings between 20416 and20416 miles.
- The Used 2018 Toyota 86 GT w/Black Color Package is priced between $29,990 and$29,990 with odometer readings between 33819 and33819 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, VA. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
Which used 2018 Toyota 86S are available in my area?
Shop Edmunds' car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million vehicles to find a cheap new, used, or certified pre-owned (CPO) 2018 Toyota 86 for sale near. There are currently 2 used and CPO 2018 86S listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as $29,990 and mileage as low as 20416 miles. Simply research the type of car you're interested in and then select a used car from our massive database to find cheap prew-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the AutoCheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the Used 2018 Toyota 86.
Can't find a used 2018 Toyota 86s you want in your area? Consider a broader search.
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Should I lease or buy a 2018 Toyota 86?
Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.
Check out Toyota lease specials
Check out Toyota 86 lease specials
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