DRIVEN: Toyota 86 – a true gem under the veneer

six_points

Some cars are that bit more enigmatic than others to define. Bothersome even, like in the case of the Toyota 86 (Link: Official Toyota 86 microsite). Up until late in the day of our time with it, it didn’t really show any real reason why it was as special as some people have made it out to be.

Speed-wise, it’s pacy enough, but not racy, and while it looks sporty, it’s a bit generically so. The interior contains a mish-mash of material and different textures (I counted eight at least), and there’s no real sense of occasion. Upon first impression, there’s little to suggest what the fuss is all about with this one.

In fact, in a world where the normal adage is now “bigger, better, faster, more,” the 86 doesn’t quite measure up in the arms race, and the initial reaction will be to dismiss it, based on those very definitions above. The point is, if you’re looking for a bazooka on wheels, well, this one isn’t really it,  because something like the Renault Megane R.S. 250 Cup will get you around a track faster. Indeed, those into brute force and application should just stop reading now.

Dismiss it though, and you also dismiss the chance to unearth a gem of a car, one with a panorama of party tricks that it won’t show until it knows you, or rather, you know it. Initial impressions can be a bit soggy with this one. You sense there’s something tucked away deeper within when you prod it, but until it’s unlocked, she’ll keep it pretty civil.

Such was the case at the beginning. I’d volunteered to give the car a go because of all the hoo-ha concerning it, all that talk about the old AE and offering an essence of that from the past. With that in mind, I decided to head out to Bukit Tinggi on a quiet Monday afternoon, which I haven’t done in yonks with a test car. Along the way, on the Karak, the 86 provided the first bits of its tonality, responding to input with a great sense of lightness and agility, adjectives that Danny has also used as descriptors.

For good reason. Here, on sweepers and at pace, it tracks well, and feedback to input has the car replying in a sure, measured fashion, so you always know what the car is doing. Undoubtedly, the 86 feels like it can do with more ponies than the 200 present, but that would arguably also ruin the composition and balance. Meanwhile, there’s plenty of useful information coming off the steering, which is nimble and quick.

A decent opening gambit, but the next step was a bit less inspiring. At Bukit Tinggi, I decided to try out the whole gamut through a series of runs, starting with the car in normal mode and with all the electronics on. The auto tranny, already hinting at slow uptake earlier, kept to its character left in Drive – with a laggy throttle response and the need to keep the engine boiling, the first climb up was, in short, unspectacular, at times even gangly.

Moving to Sport mode on the engine and going to the VSC’s Sport mode helped, but again, nothing to suggest that the 86 was anything more than a very sharp handling offering needing more power (well, uphill at least). Downhill, the Sport mode responded to heavy braking by switching down a gear, which didn’t always make for good progression at core points.

A note about the 86’s brakes – the assist and pedal feel is a bit old school, where you have to stand on it a fair bit, which I quite fancy. It does have good modulation, and hauls the car up rapidly enough when asked.

Going into manual mode, still with VSC Sport, made for the best presentation of the lot, though at that point I kept pondering for a stick shift and wondering how that would have turned out. Still, things were clean, VSC Sport keeping it all – mostly – tidy. Things were never unruly, and if you like things taut and neat, you’ll find the 86′s moderated presentation rewarding enough. It was probably good that at that point I’d not discovered the ability to switch the VSC and traction control off completely.

The drive home went into traffic conditions, which showed how well the 86 has been managed. As a daily driver, the 86 scores high in the ride department. It’s a comfortable car when you’re going about your daily routine, the suspension soaking it all up with a level of refinement a good sedan would be envious of.

Score points also for the driver’s seating position, which is a standout, likewise everything that is a contact point. Really, it’s not until you get out of the 86 and get other perspectives do you realise how well it has all been accomplished as far as driver-focus goes.

As a tool, the best manner to describe the 86 is that it’s a scalpel. A bit on the light side, yes, but efficient nonetheless at close quarters. Sacrificing outright punch and power for deftness and agility, this is a car the more you drive, the more you marvel at the philosophy of thought that has gone into it.

Well, at least that’s what happened when we finally unshackled it. As Danny’s part of the story puts it, it was right at the end of the test session, the night before we returned the car, that the 86 came out to play. We’d deliberated whether we were going to do it, and in the end, I can say that we’re both mighty glad we did.

On an oil and soap-covered skidpad that was already in place for an event, with everyone else long gone, and traction control and VSC completely off (we finally discovered it at that point), the 86 finally put its argument across that you don’t really need that much power or brute force to have fun. Or that in such a case, too much would have been overkill.

In this case, it was exhilarating, getting the 86 to do the sideways bit. Once I’d gotten the feel of the upper limits of thresholds, accomplishing graceful arcs continuously around the skidpad was an infinitely repeatable affair. I can’t say if it is, as Danny puts it, steering by throttle at its finest, but it was plenty amazing. I’m sure I must have looked like a kid in a candy store at that point, with giggles to boot. Fun? Best in a long while. All that was missing was the tofu, really.

Danny, meanwhile, took the car around harder, and while there was a less ability to maintain a continuous hold through more than a few circles at a time (inevitably, too much gas proved the undoing for the tail), it all looked mighty impressive. And as dramatic as it looked, it was all accomplished is simple fashion, without having to put too much thought – and effort – into it.

The point is, the car makes it so easy, once you give it the range and scope to run. The next day, before returning the 86, I set out to do a final session with it sans electronics on a few quiet stretches of road. Mindful about the tyres, I kept things to a minimal.

Still, it was an absolute gas, and it was easy to drum up images of Bullitt amidst the limited shenanigans, with a ‘keeping it hanging as long as possible but sensibly’ bit capping things off. Nothing smoked, and the Michelins were very much alright. Addictive though, so inevitably it’s going to cost you in terms of tyres with this one once the bug bites hard.

A rear wheel-drive, light sports car offering beguiling deftness and agility when you choose to stretch its legs while being practical (!) and comfy enough for everyday use when you want to be pedestrian is a rarity in this day and age. That it comes from Toyota is perhaps the surprise, but it does show that when it wants to, the automaker can be adventurous. No, it’s not perfect, but pricing not taken in the context, as an experience this one is simply brilliant, and drivers should be thankful for such manna in a world fast becoming too generic and matter of fact.

Danny drives the 86 again:

Roped in to give a second opinion on Toyota’s reborn icon, I drove to Sepang and back with Anthony for an event, and the journey revealed plenty about the 86, mostly pleasant surprises.

I’ve already stated my love for the car’s driving position in the preview drive story, but it’s worth repeating. One sits really low inside the cabin, which is good, and the space is snug but not overly enveloping for me – good headroom for the front two, enough width to feel “normal”. We don’t wear short skirts, so graceful exits aren’t an issue.

The seats are not branded, but they offer good support. Not the tightest wrap for me, but good enough as they need to accommodate the bigger guys as well. The steering wheel may look simple, but it’s perfect as a tool – small diameter, just the right thickness (i’m not into BMW M style fat rims) and tilted at a nice vertical angle.

Besides the above, shift paddles that turn with the wheel (action is just about substantial enough), a hand brake lever on the driver’s edge of the tunnel and a clear instrument pack dominated by the rev counter (as it should be in a high revving sports car) all contribute to a driver focused environment. On the latter, I like the digital km/h readout but would have preferred 0 to start at 6 o’ clock for the analogue bit.

I also don’t find the 86 dashboard design attractive, and some materials such as the faux carbon fibre panel look nasty. Good thing though that none of these affect the business of driving, and it doesn’t take long to realise that this car was made by folks who love to drive.

eco_internet

kete cun, tp mahal sgt..tunggu 2nd hand je

Radzor

Xda gambar?

jenglut

Amik ni



Test drive kat branch subang, tp bwk sopan

asasman

Amik ni



Test drive kat branch subang, tp bwk sopan
jenglut Post at 4-7-2012 05:21 PM

cun jugak keta ni...

jenglut

Reply 6# asasman


    Bole la booking..2-3 bln sampai le tu..

Sisi buntut

chechelahbedah

kalau DAP merintah m'sia brapa hage kete ni OTR

fredbok87

Amik ni



Test drive kat branch subang, tp bwk sopan
jenglut Post at 4-7-2012 17:21

ish meleleh ayor liur...

jenglut

Reply 9# fredbok87


    Meleleh ayer lior takpe
Jgn ayer lain sudehhhh

fredbok87

Reply  fredbok87


    Meleleh ayer lior takpe
Jgn ayer lain sudehhhh
jenglut Post at 5-7-2012 12:06

takut sekali dengan air len... stimm weh

asasman

Reply  fredbok87


    Meleleh ayer lior takpe
Jgn ayer lain sudehhhh
jenglut Post at 5-7-2012 12:06 PM

ehehehehehh..

asasman

Reply  asasman


    Bole la booking..2-3 bln sampai le tu..

Sisi buntut
jenglut Post at 4-7-2012 10:57 PM

Klau beli yg ni..mau mkn pasir la jawabnya...

azrilpower

Amik ni



Test drive kat branch subang, tp bwk sopan
jenglut Post at 4-7-2012 17:21

jenglut, apa lg....sambo 1 bijik la....best wooo keta ni

jenglut

jenglut, apa lg....sambo 1 bijik la....best wooo keta ni
azrilpower Post at 5-7-2012 16:58

    Tunggu nko upgrade insuran dulu
Hahah

dragger

huiiii... settiimmmm... {:3_84:}

BigBenBoss

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