While the automotive world heads towards electrification and self-driving cars, one car that stands out among the car’s launched in Malaysia this year is the 2023 Toyota GR86. Although it is not the fastest car out there, it is perhaps the most satisfying one to drive. And it could be all yours for RM 295,000.
The Toyota GR86 was launched in Malaysia earlier in February this year and was made available with both manual and automatic transmission options. It was launched together with the GR Corolla and the manual GR Supra and was also joined by the Corolla Cross GR Sport and the Hilux GR Sport. Does it live up to the hype? Let Eu Jin guide you through this Japanese sports car:
The profile of the GR86 is easily recognizable. Compact in size, it comes with a sporty stance that hints at its driving nature. Powering the car is a 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated inline-4 engine that makes 237 hp and 250 Nm. As mentioned earlier, both manual and automatic transmissions are available – the one we have featured in the review is the manual version. Power is sent to the rear wheels only, and the GR86 completes the century sprint in 6.3 seconds.
To maximise handling capability, the 2023 Toyota GR86 comes with a limited-slip differential. Compared to its twin, the Subaru BRZ, the GR86 comes with special touches on its suspension, sway bar, chassis strengthening, and steering set-ups to give the two-door coupe sharper agility. This was reportedly the cause of its delay globally, as Toyota President Akio Toyoda thought it felt too much like the Subaru counterpart.
On the inside, the GR86 sports a minimalist and driver-focused cabin. Interior highlights include a meaty leather-wrapped steering wheel with GR branding, a seven-inch multi-info display with unique boxer-inspired animations, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, dual-zone climate control, as well as leather and suede combination upholstery with red accents all around the cabin.
There is so much more to be said about the 2023 Toyota GR86, and for that we invite you to watch our full review video.
