There aren’t many cars today that make you smile before you even turn the key.
Most new cars are heavier, quieter, filled with touchscreens, and built more for comfort than for connection.

Then Toyota did something that shocked everyone.
They brought back a type of car almost nobody was making anymore — simple, light, rear-wheel-drive, affordable, and made purely for driving joy.

That car became the Toyota 86, and it didn’t just join JDM culture… it revived it.

Find the 86 t-shirt here!

AE86

GT86 Pandem

A Return to Real, Honest Driving

When Toyota and Subaru teamed up in the late 2000s, their goal wasn’t to build a monster on wheels. They wanted something different — something that captured the feeling of old-school Japanese sports cars.

So they created a recipe that almost sounds too simple for today’s world:

• Keep the weight low
• Keep it rear-wheel drive
• Give it a rev-happy engine
• Make a great manual gearbox
• Make it affordable
• Make it fun, even at legal speeds

No turbo.
No unnecessary gadgets.
Just pure, mechanical connection.

The result?
A car that reminded people why they fell in love with driving in the first place.

Why It’s Called the “Modern Hachiroku”

“Hachiroku” means 8-6 in Japanese — the nickname of the iconic AE86 Corolla, a legend of drifting, touge, club racing, and of course, Initial D.

The Toyota 86 didn’t just borrow the name.
It inherited the spirit:

• Light body
• Perfect balance
• RWD fun
• Easy to slide
• Easy to tune
• A car built more for feel than for flex

It was never about beating supercars on paper.
It was about making every corner feel alive.

And that’s exactly what it did.

How the 86 Evolved Over the Years (2012–2020)

The first-generation 86 (ZN6) stayed true to its formula throughout its life. Every year brought small improvements — polishing the edges without losing the purity.

But one year stands out more than any other.

⭐ Why the 2016 Toyota 86 Is the Sweet Spot

Ask any enthusiast, mechanic, or tuner who knows these cars deeply — the 2016 model year hits the perfect balance.

Here’s why:

1. The Most Refined Reliability

Early models (2012–2014) had a few quirks: torque dip, coil pack problems, rough idle, and a bit of ECU weirdness.
By 2016, most of these had been fixed.

The car became smoother, more predictable, and more refined.

2. The Interior Finally Felt “Right”

Toyota updated materials, adjusted fitment, and reduced cabin noise in 2016.
Everything feels tighter, nicer, and more solid than the earlier years.

3. The Perfect Suspension Feel

Not too stiff. Not too soft.

Just the right amount of sharpness, balance, and confidence.
2016 is loved by:

• Touge drivers
• Drifters
• Weekend racers
• Everyday enthusiasts

Toyota absolutely nailed the chassis that year.

4. The Best Value for Money

In many markets — especially Australia — the 2016 model sits right in the pricing sweet spot.
You get:

• Better reliability
• Better tuning
• Better condition
• Better drive

All without paying a premium.

5. Aftermarket Heaven

By 2016, every major company already had perfected parts for the platform:

• Rocket Bunny
• Varis
• Greddy
• HKS
• Tomei
• Cusco
• Blitz

That year became the go-to starting point for builds of every style: drift, street, stance, track, or show.

⭐ What It Actually Feels Like to Drive a Toyota 86

It feels alive.

The steering talks to you.
The gearbox feels mechanical.
The chassis rotates with almost no effort.
It loves corners and roundabouts.
It makes even slow driving feel fun.

The 86 doesn’t try to impress you with numbers — it tries to connect with you.
And it succeeds better than almost any modern car.

It’s one of those cars that doesn’t just take you somewhere…
it teaches you how to drive.

⭐ The Legacy of the Toyota 86 — and the Rise of the GR86

The legacy of the Toyota 86 goes way deeper than specs or quarter-mile times.

The 86 proved something the car world had forgotten:
lightweight, balanced sports cars still matter.

It brought back the values of the AE86 — simplicity, purity, and fun.

And the story didn’t end in 2020.

In 2021, Toyota evolved the platform and introduced the GR86, a more mature and powerful version of everything the original did right:

• More power
• More torque
• Better chassis rigidity
• More grip
• A far nicer interior
• Still lightweight
• Still RWD

• Still affordable

The GR86 didn’t replace the 86 — it continued its mission.
Together, the AE86, the Toyota 86, and the GR86 form a three-chapter story about what driving should feel like.

A story of connection.
A story of passion.
A story of joy.

These cars aren’t toys. They’re experiences.

And in a world full of quiet, tech-heavy cars, the 86 family stands as a reminder:

Driving should make you feel something.