2018 Toyota 86 Review

2018 Toyota 86 Coupe Exterior Options Shown.

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Used 86 for sale

List Price Estimate:	$20,516 - $23,558

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Toyota 86 model years

Toyota 86 for Sale

2019
2018
2017

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2018 Toyota 86 appraisal values can range from $16,171 - $20,904.

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Edmunds' Expert Review

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

Overall rating

7.6 / 10

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space; it's not particularly comfortable, especially for taller drivers; and the technology on offer feels totally outdated.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.

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.

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

8.0

The 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

6.0

The 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

8.0

Initial 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

9.0

The 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

8.5

The 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

7.0

The 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

7.5

The 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

7.5

A 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

7.5

Thanks 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

7.5

These 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

8.0

With 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

7.5

The 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

7.5

Everything 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

6.5

It'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

8.5

While 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

7.5

Front 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

8.0

With 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

7.5

Our 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

7.5

With 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

7.0

The 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

8.0

The 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

7.0

The 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

5.0

The 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

5.0

Neither 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

7.5

Along 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

6.5

Voice 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.

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Features & Specs

See all Used 2018 Toyota 86 specs & features

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 Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
DriverNot Rated
PassengerNot Rated
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover7.1%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Side Impact Test
Good
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good
IIHS Small Overlap Front Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test
Good

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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 6M), GT 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6A), 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M), GT w/Black Color Package 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. The Used 2018 Toyota 86 comes with a 3 yr./ 36000 mi. basic warranty, a 2 yr./ unlimited mi. roadside warranty, and a 5 yr./ 60000 mi. powertrain warranty.

What's a good price on a Used 2018 Toyota 86?

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Which used 2018 Toyota 86s are available in my area?

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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.

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