As the owner of a first generation Toyota GT86, badged Scion FR-S in North American, we were really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the second generation 86 to see what the engineers and designers had changed to hopefully improve on an already winning formula.

Now branded GR, as in Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s racing and performance division, the GR86 received a welcomed engine displacement increase and power boost. The flat 4 cylinder boxer engine has grown by twenty percent from 2.0 to 2.4 litres. Horsepower is up fourteen percent to 228 hp from 200 hp. Torque increases by twenty-two percent to 184 lb-ft from 151.

Thankfully the weight increase from generation to generation is minimal, up just 53 pounds for the manual (2,810 lbs) and 62 pounds for the automatic (2,850 lbs).

More power and torque results in a drop by about half a second for runs from 0-60 mph. It takes about 6 seconds with the 6 speed manual to hit 60 mph and about 6.6 seconds with the 6 speed automatic transmission. The increase in torque and horsepower makes this car feel even more nimble than the first gen 86.

We drove a preproduction GR86 at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Driver Development Track. It was equipped with a manual 6 speed transmission which is the only way we would order this car. And Canadian buyers seem to agree. According to Toyota Canada, seventy percent of all GR86’s sold in 2021 and so far this year have been purchased with manual transmissions, which is great to hear!

The 86’s handling has always been its raison d'être, and this second generation sports coupe takes that one step further. The torsional rigidity of the GR86 body has been increased by fifty percent over the first generation, contributing to the car’s enhanced handling capabilities.

The 2022 Toyota GR86 does a great job of proving that you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a fun, great handling performance car. These 86’s are great driver’s cars, and the second generation improvements make this little performance coupe even more fun than the first.