Toyota 86: Back-to-basics sports car

Does the reasonably-priced and sporty 2017 Toyota 86 VTX have enough to lure customers to the showrooms five years after its launch?

Occupying a lonely niche in the automotive segment is the Toyota 86. It's been around since 2012 and has garnered both praise and disdain from the world over. Fast forward to today and we have the 2017 YM, available only as a VTX model. Here is our word on this bigger-sized Hot Wheels example.

DESIGN & AESTHETICS
The 86 bears that quintessential coupe silhouette: a short nose, a longish bonnet and a sloping fastback roofline that flows into a short rear deck. It's the kind of car we used to dream of owning as kids. The slippery exterior design of the 86 delivers a drag coefficient of just 0.27 and was inspired by the Toyota 2000 GT, from which the 86 pilfers many styling cues - like the upward trailing edge of the doors, the upward finish to the side-window line, the front and rear haunches and the circular taillights set in silver. So, it's a sports car designed with classic proportions, based on a real classic! And thanks to a strategic partnership, it is Subaru that builds most of it, the engine, the body etc - just check the insides for some embossed branding.
Although it has a large appeal, in terms of pure aesthetics, it is not nearly as perfect as it should have been considering everything was brand new ground up. First, the size. We believe 86 should have been slightly larger to make it more usable. This one is just 4,240mm long, 1,775mm wide and 1,285mm tall, and if you can imagine how small that is, trust us, it's smaller in person. Something as large as the iconic Supra would've been perfect.
The headlamps have xenon HID units but the shape of the cluster seems almost amateur-ish; so are the rear tail lamps that have been given a horizontal detail for 2017. The new wheel design is cute, but at a time when manufacturers are going with big wheels, 17-inch diameter alloys don't cut it.
Our test car came with a conspicuous rear spoiler and large chrome-tipped dual exhaust pipes, which could have been more thoughtfully designed, but are still better than the pencil-sized steel pipes. You can use smart key tech to enter the surprisingly spacious front cabin. It's nice and snug, and you sit lower to the ground (a revelation to first timers), but you'll find the driving position near perfect. The pedals are right where you want them too. However, while this may be a 2+2 coupe, the tiny little space they call rear cabin is fit only for kids. Climbing in requires a contortionist's act and getting out requires a rear dismount.
The whole cabin, though laid out in plastic, has a very mechanical appeal, similar to the Nissan GT-R. A lot of the design takes its cue from the 80s-like digital clock. The improved 7-inch infotainment screen is a boon to look and use, while the centre console is flanked by two silver pillars. Overall, and in all fairness, there is some more to be desired both from the plastic division and the architecture, even at this price point.
Instrumentation wise, we get that the tachometer needs to be large to let you know where you are on the rev counter to make that perfect shift, but the speedometer needs to be equally magnified. And as for switchgear, everything is legible and reachable, plus the old-school hand brake is a blessing for quick turns and drifting.
POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE
To keep it lithe, Toyota has bolted on a low-displacement, high-revving and horizontally-opposed boxer engine. It does well in terms of specific power, making 100bhp per litre at 200bhp max output, which gives it racing car calibre. But, then again, the Honda S2000 from almost two decades ago made more power. some 240 horses towards the end of the life cycle, from the same displacement.
There isn't a lot of power and it doesn't accelerate any faster than your average four-door family saloon. The claims are well in the sub-7 second region but our timer read closer to 9 seconds on many occasions, which is a tad disappointing. But if it was about sheer numbers, we are missing the point. It is when you are on the road, taking corners and evading traffic that you know this formula works. It's about the feeling of fast. It is about experiencing the act of working the engine to the red-line and having the whole cabin filled with the reverberations as you gain speed. It's also tuner-friendly, meaning that, with an aftermarket turbo installed, you can bump horsepower by a few dozens easily, improving traffic light acceleration and mid-range grunt as well.
But where it really excels is in the handling department. Thanks to its lightweight structure and chassis that seem to be an extension of your body, it's a hoot to take around corners. It doesn't have the grip of the all-wheel drive Nissan GT-R, but the chassis has an innate playfulness that allows you to turn it at will and throw out the rear end a little without getting into trouble.
What adds to the experience is a 6-speed automatic which may seem like a run-of-the-mill unit, but is reasonably smooth when in auto mode - and that's necessary for when you're running errands around town. But when you switch to manual mode, it becomes this weapon that swaps ratios so quick it feels like an expensive dual-clutch gearbox. Top marks for that!
They claim 15.5km/L, but never will you be able to achieve that with the constant need to depress the throttle. However, the 50-litre tank is enough to keep you afloat or running for as long as 450-plus km or so.

FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY
Okay, first up is air conditioning. Here, we have a dual-zone air-conditioning system, and it's a Toyota. so no qualms there; it's an efficient piece of kit.
As for space, well, there is a trunk! It is bigger than that rear cabin but that isn't saying much; if you drop the rear seats down, it becomes more usable. If the boot cavity was a bit bigger, it would have helped. You can hook up your music choices through the USB port, aux in or stream via Bluetooth. not the most aurally impressive, but it works fine.
With the 86, Toyota has made sure they've covered the basics like push start button, automatic headlamps, Hill Start Assist to help you out with mall ramp situations, fog lamps - which you may only use in another four months - and cruise control to let you comply with road speed limits and be a good citizen, without constant modulation from your right foot.
As for safety, it gets the mandated ABS, Brake Assist, a tyre pressure warning system and parking sensors. Again, a rear-view camera, regardless of the car's size, would have been much appreciated.

VERDICT
The 2017 Toyota 86 is a back-to-basics sports car with that quintessential sporty silhouette, a high-revving motor and a playful chassis that makes it a success in most ways. The lack of power and cabin refinement make the similar-priced Ford Focus ST and the Golf GTI seem like interesting propositions overall but, in the end, there is nothing that looks or drives quite like the 86. Toyota has done right by reviving their sporting gene in a model like the 86 and has to be congratulated for taking the path that other manufacturers fear to tread.
FUN FACT
The low-sitting engine sits lower to the ground than the Nissan GTR.

SPECIFICATIONS
Body type: 2+2-seater; 2-door, high-performance compact coupe
Engine: Front-engine; 2.0-litre inline 4-cylinder; rear-wheel drive
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Peak output: 200bhp @ 7,000rpm; 205Nm @ 6,400 - 6,600rpm
0 to 100km/h: sub-9.0 seconds (estimated)
Top speed: 235 km/h (drag limited; estimated)
Price: Retails at Dh109,900

Pros: Quintessential coupe looks; playful chassis; reasonably priced
Cons: Cheap plastics; engine lacks refinement and power; cramped rear seating
Author's rating: 7/10
wknd@khaleejtimes.com

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