Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.What's Not to Love? Well…I don't always get excited about the cars I review. Even if it's a six-figure performance car,, there's no guarantee I'll love it. Then there are affordable cars that pluck at my automotive heartstrings. The 2026 Toyota GR86 is one of them. I enjoyed driving it more than almost any other car this year. More than the BMW M5 (Sedan and Touring),more than the Lucid Gravity, and even more than the McLaren Artura Spider.ToyotaThe GR86 is just such a purist's car. Rear-wheel drive, naturally-aspirated, manual transmission, light weight. It's also more under-the-radar than any of the aforementioned models. The GR86 makes a compelling case for buying with your heart before a spreadsheet. With a base price of $31,500, the fun-per-dollar ratio is one of the best in the industry. Given some disposable income and the acceptance of a few tradeoffs, I would buy one for myself. But there are three things I would complain about every time I drove it.The Ultra-Firm Ride is PunishingAmos KwonMy biggest complaint is ride quality. No, I don't expect it to ride like a Lexus RX. The GR86's firm suspension is expected: body control is a major part of why the car feels so good to drive, so tossable, so rewarding. On smooth pavement, it's more than adequate. Going over bumps and gaps, however, feels like a tribute to the Marquis de Sade. In a city such as Chicago, where winter can leave roads scarred well into spring and where construction surfaces are the norm, the GR86 bobs and bounces like it's a whack-a-mole.AdvertisementAdvertisementFor a weekend car, that may be easy to forgive. I loved driving it 99 percent of the time. I drove my daughter down a 40 mph local road that had pretty bad undulating pavement, and we were tossed around like rag dolls. For a daily driver, particularly on rough roads, it deserves evaluation before buying. The GR86 is not unbearable, but it is very, very firm; firmer than buyers accustomed to a compact sedan, crossover, or grand touring coupe may expect.The Cheap InteriorAmos KwonThere's no gettin past the cost-cutting inside the GR86. Even if you get the top Premium trim, the ergonomics, cheap plastics, and blocky dash are still evident. The Alcantara suede helps mitigate things, but there's no denying that the money's in the chassis, engine, brakes, and suspension. The layout is functional and appropriately driver-focused, but much of the material selection is plain. Hard plastics are all over the doors and center console, and even the wonderfully analog climate controls and driving function switches are cheap.Amos KwonNone of this shoud be shocking in a $32k sports coupe, but when a Hyundai Kona has a way better interior, you have to wonder. Of course, it's not unreasonable to think that for every dollar spent on soft-touch dashboard material is a dollar not spent on chassis tuning, brakes, tires, or the manual transmission. Still, the GR86's interior can make the car feel less special when you are sitting still. Get the car in motion, and this stuff fades into shadow. Just don't expect your date to be wowed.The Lame Infotainment SystemAmos KwonThen there is the infotainment system, which looks an aftermarket jobbie. No, the GR86 doesn't really need something fancier, but it looks decidedly low rent because it's sandwiched between the center vents and the climate controls and appears to be slapped on. The 8″ screen is small by current standards, the graphics are painfully dated (and look like they've been designed by a child), and the interface lacks the polish and responsiveness that's in cars far less expensive. The Kia K4's screen looks like it time-traveled to the future, by comparison.Amos KwonAdvertisementAdvertisementThe 7″ digital instrument cluster isn't much better. Yes, it has vital vehicle info and a clear analog-looking tachometer, but the resolution might as well be from an Atari 2600. Not much was spent on the gauges or the infotainment, and it shows. The Mazda Miata's look far more refined. At the end of the day, it's all livable, if not pleasing. The technology takes a back seat to the driving experience, and I'd rather have the crappy infotainment system than detract from the way the GR86 drives.Final ThoughtsThere's nothing so bad about the Toyota GR86 that would make me hate it. These minor flaws don't change how much I love it. It's about managed expectations, really. The GR86 is not a luxury coupe, a long-distance cruiser, or a technological tour-de-force. It is a genuine sports car built for people who love an engaging, thrilling, and analog driving experience. I would live with the stiff ride, cheap cabin, and mediocre screen because few new cars offer this much driving joy for the money.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Sep 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
