2024 Toyota GR86 Premium review

This past March, I purchased a 2024 Toyota GR86 Premium with a manual transmission. This was my third foray into the Toyobaru twins, as I had previously owned two Subaru BRZs — both of which I deeply loved. It was a sad day two years ago when I sold the “BlueRZ,” as my son had called it, especially as he ran after it as it drove away.

Needless to say, my heart was broken for several reasons. I sold the BRZ because we thought we would be having more kids. But, as that plan started to dissipate, I eventually convinced myself (and my ever patient wife) that we could make a BRZ or GR86 work again. And I wasn’t wrong!

Photo by Jason Bell

Two small children fit fine in the rear two seats if you’re willing to move the front seats up a bit, and the trunk is surprisingly spacious. So, after a lot of searching, I lucked out and found exactly what I was looking for: a Neptune Blue 2024 Toyota GR86 Premium. 

See YouTube review here →

It’s been six months since I purchased that car and boy, what a great six months it's been. If you’re looking to add some fun to your daily drive, you’ll be hard-pressed to find something better for the money. 

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It’s surprisingly practical and useful

One of my favorite things about the GR86 (and by extension, the BRZ) is that it’s a super small car that doesn’t feel cramped inside. I have also owned an ND2 Mazda MX-5 Miata, and while I think it has the slight edge for pure driving joy, it’s hampered by how small it is inside. There’s virtually no interior storage, and if you’re any — and I mean any — taller than 5-feet-9-inches tall, you’ll quickly run out of leg, head and shoulder room.

Not so with the GR86. It’s spacious, relatively speaking, and I even found it to be a comfortable road trip vehicle. And it’s true, you absolutely can fit two small children in the back, if the front occupants are willing to accommodate. 

We fit our two children in the rear — with car seats — for the better part of three years. And while it’s not ideal, it’s definitely doable. The kids always loved it and thought it was fun, even if it was tight for the four of us. The trunk is also sizable, especially when you fold the back seat flat. Doing so will enable you to haul a fairly large Costco run, a bike or even a full set of wheels and tires.

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Photo by Jason Bell

The handling and driving dynamics are amazing

The GR86 is the perfect car for guilt-free driving fun. It’s just fast enough to be interesting, but its handling and other driving dynamics are what truly set it apart. You can thrash it, wring it out and go after it hard; it never feels scary, intimidating or boring. In fact, it's incredibly entertaining, no matter your driving skill level. 

I’ve driven a lot of amazing cars. And while there’s no denying how good something like a Porsche 911 is, for just over $30,000 new, it’s hard to deny the brilliance of the GR86. It’s a car that’s fun to drive no matter the circumstance, but especially on some winding canyon roads.

Photo by Jason Bell

But it’s slow

If you buy one of these cars, you’ll undoubtedly hear countless comments from the peanut gallery about how a “minivan is faster” or how it can’t be fun because it’s not “fast.” Whatever. The GR86 is fast enough, but that’s not what this car is about. 

Sure, you can buy a used Ford Mustang or Chevy Camaro with a V8 for the same price, but it’s not going to drive like this. This is a car you buy for lightweight dynamics, with crisp, tossable and balanced handling. The Mustang and Camaro are awesome, it’s just a matter of what experience you’re after. 

Most cars are fast these days. Buy yourself a car like the GR86 that sets itself apart not just by speed, but by how it drives. 

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Photo by Jason Bell

It’s a unique offering

Looking at the competition, you could buy the aforementioned muscle cars. They’ll give you a lot of power, but also more weight and less agility. You could buy a Miata, but you’ll sacrifice cargo and occupant space. You could also look at used Toyota Supras or Porsche 911s, Caymans and Boxsters, but then you’re into more serious power and higher maintenance costs, as well as less practicality. 

Which leaves the GR86 and BRZ largely in a class of their own. If you needed, this could be your only car, even in the winter — with proper tires, of course. But it’s also not going to break the bank. Even if you track it, oil changes, tires, fluids and brakes are cheap. There’s not a lot of weight to chew up consumables like in other vehicles, and maintenance is pretty straightforward.

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Photo by Jason Bell

Final thoughts

How do I summarize my ownership experience of two Subaru BRZs and a Toyota GR86? By saying this: If you can’t deal with the compromises of a Miata, your budget is limited to $35K and you prioritize handling dynamics, buy a GR86 or BRZ and never look back. They’re exceptional cars for the money and to my eye, the GR86 looks especially attractive and Porsche-esque.

These cars are exceptionally fun, simple and easy to live with. They remind me of some of the sports cars from the late 1990s in how purpose built and straightforward they are. They’re not going to set any 0-60 times, but that’s not what this car is about. It’s about putting a big smile on your face every time you drive it, without fearing for your life.

So buy one, put your kids in the back and have a blast bombing down some canyon road. That’s what I did, and I’ll never forget it.

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Highs

• A baby Porsche 911 in feel, look and handling

• Surprisingly practical

• Economical

• Excellent manual transmission

• Won’t kill you for wringing it out

• Analog feel in a digital world

Lows

• Could use a better exhaust note

• Some cheap feeling interior materials

• Tire and road noise is a little intrusive

FAQs

Is it fun to drive? 

Fun is its middle name. 

Is it good for families? 

Not really, but you can make it work if you have two kids. 

*KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.