Toyota 86 Limited Edition Driving Review
Let’s ask the question: why is the 86 so popular? There are three reasons I can think. One, it stands out, driving it for a week you see many heads turn, two it is a Toyota and South Africans LOVE Toyota, and third, it is one of SA’s most affordable sportscars on the market.
To say the Toyota 86 Limited Edition turns heads is an understatement. I am not sure if it was the fact that I, a blonde somewhat ‘poppie’-looking woman, was driving it and this confused people or if it was the massive wing that sits on the boot. Either way, this car has people straining their necks to get a better look. Now, usually, this wouldn’t bother me too much, but for some reason I just felt uneasy. I was worrying what people must be thinking.
So what were they thinking exactly? Is she compensating for something? Is she looking for attention? Or were they just thinking, “Damn I want to be driving that!”? I think it was probably a little bit of all three, but most certainly the latter. It is incredible the amount of conversation this car generates. I parked at the V&A Waterfront and it took me 20 minutes to get from my parking space to the entrance to the Pick n Pay...I was parked in the bay next to the door.
The Limited Edition is set a part by the revised front bumper design and rather large rear wing I spoke of earlier. The only problem with it, besides the image that tends to go with it, is that it took some getting used to when looking in my blind spot or review mirror and thinking i had a car on my tail.
The cabin gains black and red Alcantara leather upholstery with matching red-leather highlighting on the steering wheel, handbrake and gearlever. The touchscreen was the only real issue I had with the car. As soon as I drove out in to the sunlight I couldn’t see a darn thing. I had to guess where the button was to change the radio station and even when I pulled over to cover the screen with my hands, the same way you would with some cellphones in direct sunlight, I still could not see anything. I had to wait till I had driven in to a garage before I could change the radio station. I tried a few times while driving but it never quite landed me on the station I was hoping for. In fact at one stage I had to endure listening to a talk about the rat epidemic in the city and the gruesome ways to kill them. I was not a happy clam!
However, with that aside, the fun that you can have with this 2,0-litre engine, which puts out 147 kW of power and 205 N.m of torque, is unlimited. Except when on a public road of course. You can sprint from 0 – 100 km/h in 7,8 seconds. The short-throw six-speed manual transmission is also unchanged, as is the engine. I kept repeating the line from Pretty Woman, “It corners like it’s on rails”…and then yes, I continued to play the rest of the movie out in my head.
This is a driver enthusiast’s car. If you want comfort and refinement, look away now. It is not a Fiesta ST or Peugeot 208 GTi, and it is not trying to be. If you like attention, if you want people to look at you, but mainly, if you want to have the most fun you can have while driving, but cannot afford the enormous price tag of some of the great sportscars out there, then the Toyota 86 Limited edition is for you.
At R376 100 there quite literally is nothing out there to rival this rear-wheel drive 86. Well, depending on what you are looking for of course. If you can handle the stares you, or the wing, will get, then get behind the wheel and enjoy what this truly affordable sports car has to offer.