The second-generation Toyota GR86 has stood as a defiant, lightweight bastion of purism since 2021. But because a genuine, ground-up redesign or a shiny new generation is still nowhere on the horizon, the upcoming 2027 update is essentially the best corporate effort Toyota can muster right now.
For enthusiasts who remember its humble beginnings as the Scion FR-S in North America, this latest refresh is the ultimate mid-decade corporate shrug: a collection of microscopic tweaks wrapped in a brand-new shade of paint.
Enter “Thunder”, a new uniform gray exterior color engineered to subtly shift its appearance depending on how the ambient light hits the bodywork. If you want even more visual drama to distract you from the lack of a chassis overhaul, you can pair that moody gray with an optional “Red Cockpit” interior package.
Toyota promises a striking crimson-and-black environment complete with red leather side bolsters, red door inserts, and red floor mats framed by black Ultrasuede. The catch? The Japanese automaker hasn’t actually published a single photograph of this vibrant new cabin yet, leaving buyers to purchase their sports cars on a generous dose of pure faith.
To satisfy safety bureaucrats, Toyota packed the 2027 GR86 with a new monocular camera to scan for oncoming hazards at busy intersections, while nearly doubling the recognition range of the existing stereoscopic camera to make adaptive cruise control slightly less terrifying.
Under the hood, however, the financial accountants clearly won the battle against the performance division. There is no turbocharger to save the day; instead, you get the exact same 2.4-liter naturally aspirated boxer four-cylinder engine making 228 HP and 249 Newton-meters of torque. Future owners can still pick between a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, both routing power exclusively to the rear wheels via a Torsen limited-slip differential.
Performance figures are completely frozen in time. The manual version hits 60 mph from a standstill in a respectable 6.1 seconds, while the automatic takes a leisurely extra half-second to complete the same sprint. Weighing in at just 2,811 pounds for the manual and 2,851 pounds for the automatic, it easily retains its crown as the absolute lightest car in Toyota’s entire inventory.
Toyota proudly claims they reresponded to driver feedback by recalibrating the throttle for a smoother, more linear tip-in, and widened the gear engagement chamfer between fourth and fifth gear by a grand total of 0.02 inches to improve shift feel.
The updated sports car made its grand public debut at FuelFest in the Bay Area and is slated to crawl into dealerships this summer. Toyota is keeping pricing under wraps for now, and there is absolutely no news regarding a rumored Yuzu Edition.
