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| Photo by Ulysses Ang |
Thumbs-up,
catcalls, whistles, and snaps from cell phone cameras—this is what it’s like to
drive the all-new Toyota 86 on public roads. No other car that I’ve driven,
including other two-door sports cars twice or even quadruple the price gets and
attracts as much attention as this. And this is just the first hour of a
five-day love affair with Toyota’s dreamy coupe. Forget twisty mountain roads
or race tracks, we all know how the 86 can easily beat the best of them, so you
won’t hear any of that here. The mission here is to find out if the 86 is as
good as any Toyota as a daily driver.
Let’s
back track for a minute to tackle the 86’s design brief. Named after the Hachi-Roku, the 86 is the spiritual
successor to the affordable Toyota sports cars in the 1980’s. Then, the AE86
was easily regarded as a daily driver, yet can give some spirited levels of
driving when required of it. The new 86 is pretty much the same.
Despite
the low-slung appearance, long hood, and arrow-shaped profile, the 86 can
handle the main Achilles’ heel of sports cars: speed bumps and ramps. For one,
it’s got a ground clearance of 130 mm. As a comparison, the Mazda MX-5 and
Nissan 370Z both sit lower than the 86. It sits as low as the Hyundai Genesis
Coupe and only looks lower thanks to a low, sweeping roof line and much more
compact proportions.
The
86 that arrived in my care is the new top-of-the-line Aero model. Launched at
the Philippine International Motor Show, the Aero is easily distinguishable
thanks to the factory aero kit which include add-ons to the front and rear
bumper, side skirts, and a badass rear wing. It’s also the only 86 available in
the unique Brilliant Orange color. Typically having a factory aero kit isn’t
something to complain about, but for some reason it fusses up the 86’s design
simplicity. The regular 86 looks just right, but the Aero looks a tad too busy.
And things aren’t helped by the 17-inch wheels (shared with the regular 86)
which look too small next to the rear wing. Give the 86 Aero some aftermarket
18’s with an aggressive offset and we’re talking business.
Stepping
into the 86 requires some careful maneuvering, especially in tight spaces, but
once inside it’s an ergonomic dream. It’s a design that manages to blend both
form and function, with heavy emphasis towards putting the fun back into
driving. The first thing I noticed is the excellent sight lines with clear
visibility from every corner of the car. The rear view mirrors may look small
but are very well adept reducing blind spots to a bare minimum. And then you
have the frameless rear view mirror which expands the rear visibility by
precious millimeters.
Next,
the 86 has large gauges and easy to use toggle switches to help facilitate
precise operation, especially for the climate control. Plus, The Aero version
(like the other 86 automatic) has a programmable shift indicator which beeps
when up shifts are required. The interior is straight-forward and sporty with a
repetition of carbon fiber-like prints and a splattering of red on the steering
wheel and on the Alcantara-trimmed seats. The steering wheel is a meaty,
three-spoke unit and devoid of any steering controls and anything of the sort.
It seems Toyota is sending the message that you’re supposed to drive this car,
not needlessly fiddle with the stereo. And speaking about the sound system, it’s
perhaps the odd man out in the otherwise well-crafted interior. It glows a
bright green and next to the white and red motif of the instrument and
controls, it’s just out of place. Plus, the backlight is fixed and doesn’t
adjust with the instrument panel dimmer knob. Thankfully, at least it provides
the 86 with a proper USB input as well iPod capability.
On
paper, the 86 has a 2+2 seating complete with seat belts and child seat
anchors, but in reality, it’s hard to find anyone who’ll actually fit in the
back save for small children. Those moving about with child booster or infant
seats will also find it a burden to properly affix them to the backseat due to
the limited wiggle room. But, the trunk is surprisingly huge for a sports car
and can fit one 26-inch and one 22-inch rolling luggage side-by-side (I used
the 86 for an airport run). And the rear bench can be folded flat allowing the
86 to swallow a set of four 17-inch alloys and wheels. It must be noted though
that the full-sized spare is always showing devoid of any cover or matting.
The
interior treatment of the 86 serves as the perfect reminder that this is equal
parts capable grand tourer and excellent track day weapon. Unlike some of its
rivals which rely on pure brute horsepower, the 86 relies on finesse. It’s
engineered from the top down to be as pure as possible.
For
starters, the engine is an all-new horizontally opposed engine co-developed
with Subaru. Incorporating Toyota’s direct-injection technology, this engine
pushes out 200 horsepower and 205 Nm of torque. These figures may seem
pedestrian, but considering the low 1,275 kilogram curb weight, the 86 has good
power-to-weight ratio. Next is the 6-speed automatic developed by Aisin.
Normally, you don’t associate performance with a slush box, but this one’s
lighting quick. After all, what do you expect? This gearbox is lifted straight
from a Lexus IS-F (minus two forward gears). Then, despite the 130 mm ground
clearance, you actually sit very close to the ground in the 86--right smack at
the center line of the wheels. This gives a great road feel and makes you feel
one with the car. Lastly, the weight distribution is kept at an ideal 53:47
ratio giving this car impeccable balance.
Pushing
the starter button just forward of the gearshift wakes the “boxer” engine to
life. At idle, there’s a noticeable raspy note. Bleep the throttle and it’s
replaced by a deep and pronounced bark. Some found it “lacking”, but the
throaty exhaust becomes addictive without being too overbearing. It’s actually
quite satisfying after some days of driving. Slotting the shifter through the
gated slot, the 86 responds almost immediately to any throttle input. Even
without shifting into the Sport mode or operating the paddles, the 86 shifts up
and down with urgency and smoothness. It also allows you to bounce off the rev
limiter if you wish.
In
the city, the 86 surprises with its amazing agility. The quick steering and
fade-free brakes provide the best, unadulterated driving experience of any car
bar none. It’s playful yet obedient. Plus, it’s got a tight turning a radius--just
5.1 meters, allowing the 86 to scoot through U-turn slots without difficulty.
Once you swap city roads for highways, the 86 shows yet another facet in its
persona: comfortable long-distance tourer. The steering may be quick and the
throttle eager, but you don’t get tired driving this car. It’s an absolute gem
not requiring too much concentration on our uneven roads. In fact, the BMW 3
Series equipped with 18-inch wheels and sport suspension feels more draining to
drive than the 86.
Thanks
to the 86’s combination of a light-weight body and a small displacement engine,
it actually returns some amazing fuel mileage. On the highway, at a constant
100 km/h, this car can actually return close to 20 km/L while a more
city-oriented driving returned 10.10 km/L. Indeed, those figures best most “practical”
compacts as well as all executive sedans. But owners are reminded that the 86
requires a diet of 98 RON octane. It works on a minimum on 95, but with some
power loss. Still, if you can afford to load up on Petron Blaze every week, who
says you can’t have fun while saving the earth?
At
this point, it’s perhaps worth answering this question: how much Toyota is the
86? Well, other than funding the project and designing the sheet metal, not
much actually. After all the driving, after the dust has settled, I took very
close notice of the 86 and noticed it’s more Subaru than Toyota. For one, it’s
built at Subaru’s Gunma plant. Second, all the body stamping, body codes, and
even color codes are internally Subaru. Then, parts such as the oil filter,
alloy wheels and the like are stamped or labeled as Subaru. Even the owner’s
manual doesn’t make any reference to Toyota’s typical internal engine
designation or electronics certification. It’s clearly marked as the Subaru
FA20. In short, aside from the badges and trimming, the 86 is for the most
part, a Subaru.
Still,
do I care? Of course not. Whether it’s a Toyota or a Subaru, the 86 is priced
stunningly at P 1,860,000. This actually makes it cheaper than a Camry or for
that matter, the Mazda MX-5 and even the Subaru WRX STI. Personally though, I
find the extra P 210,000 for the aero kit a bit too steep. But give me the P
1,650,000 base model with six-speed automatic, and you’ve got me signing my
soul away. In the end, the Toyota 86 does it all: head-turning good looks,
handling, fun-to-drive, fuel economy--as long as you don’t have a family, or
don’t plan to have one, this is the perfect car to drive every day of the week.
Forget high-tech compacts and sporty Euro whatchamacallits, the 86 stole my
heart. The first ever Toyota to do so.
|
2012 Toyota 86 Aero
|
|
| Ownership | 86 Aero |
| Year Introduced | 2013 |
| Vehicle Classification | Sports Car |
| The Basics | |
| Body Type | 2-door Sports Car |
| Seating | 2+2 |
| Engine / Drive | F/R |
| Under the Hood | |
| Displacement (liters) | 2.0 |
| Aspiration | NA |
| Layout / # of Cylinders | Flat 4 |
| BHP @ rpm | 200 @ 7,000 |
| Nm @ rpm | 205 @ 6,400-6,600 |
| Fuel / Min. Octane | Unleaded / 98~ |
| Transmission | 6 AT |
| Cruise Control | Yes |
| Dimensions and Weights | |
| Length (mm) | 4,240 |
| Width (mm) | 1,775 |
| Height (mm) | 1,425 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2,570 |
| Curb Weight (kg) | 1,253 |
| Suspension and Tires | |
| Front Suspension | Independent, MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Independent, Double Wishbone |
| Front Brakes | Vented Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Vented Disc |
| Tires | 215/45R17 |
| Wheels | Alloy |
| Safety Features | |
| Airbags | 7 |
| Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) | Yes |
| Traction / Stability Control | Yes |
| Parking Sensors | No |
| Exterior Features | |
| Headlights | HID |
| Fog Lamps | Front |
| Auto Lights | Yes |
| Auto Wipers | No |
| Interior Features | |
| Steering Wheel Adjustment | Tilt/Telescopic |
| Steering Wheel Material | Leather |
| Seating Adjustment | Manual |
| Seating Surface | Alcantara/Leather |
| Folding Rear Seat | Yes |
| On-Board Computer | Yes |
| Convenience Features | |
| Power Steering | Yes |
| Power Door Locks | Yes |
| Power Windows | Yes |
| Power Mirrors | Yes, with Fold |
| Climate Control | Yes |
| Audio System |
Stereo CD MP3 Aux USB |
| No. of Speakers | 6 |
| Steering Wheel Controls | No |
The spoiler is exaggerated. ugly looking car :/
ReplyDeleteits not that bad,its cool because of that spoiler,its not much exaggerated in fact it A-D-D-S
Deletemore beauty on that car
I agree with the anonymous user who says it adds beauty. It's so awesome! If the laws of nature allowed it, I'd marry an 86 Aero. It comes in paddle shift, exactly what I want! Forget manuals and forget automatics, paddle shift is the new thing.
ReplyDeleteyeah thats right!
Delete