New car shopping in 2022 - GR86

[roguetoaster]

Alfa is the enthusiast brand, but only because they have not yet released their new pointless slightly larger SUV thing.

[varg]

The new 86 does look better in person than in pictures, and while the old one was nice to drive I just couldn't enjoy one here - there are no twisties so it winds up just taking freeway ramps and turns quickly and being slow everywhere else.

is Toyota the best brand for enthusiasts atm? I think so.

Hard no! I can't tell you who but it isn't Toyota. They currently only have two offerings worth looking at, neither of which are actually Toyotas lol (one is a Subaru and one is a BMW). The GR Corolla, while very cool, is probably going to wind up being too expensive for what it is with the markups. While the proposed prices of the GR Corolla put it in WRX territory it's probably going to wind up in Audi S3/Golf R territory with the "market adjustments" which is just silly because they are MUCH nicer cars than a Corolla. The GR and regular Corolla interior are supposed to be basically the same, and the Corolla interior (my wife has a '22, so I know) is not "nice", it's "ok" and covered in glossy plastic with a particular fun feature of the faceted fake chrome badge on the steering wheel which can throw a glare right into your eyes when the sun is high and you're driving in the wrong direction. But people will pay it... I've convinced my wife her next Corolla should be a GR but it's only going to be possible if our family connection with the dealerships make markups a non-issue for us.

I don't have a new car because nothing enthusiast friendly in my price range interests me I'm a smoothbrain who would rather dump a bunch of money into making an E34 wagon impractically powerful and a worse DD than buy a new car to have as a daily.
Mustang GT? Nah. Camaro SS? ugly. M340i? No manual or even DCT. 4-series? Hideous. Audi RS3? Ugly. 2-series? butt-ugly. Challenger RT? Slow. Golf R? VW. Type R? FWD, ugly. CT4-V? slow. Supra? Maybe the 6cyl with a manual...
If only we got an M340D wagon - but BMW sucks!

[It's Soda Not Pop]

yeah the new GR86 (IMO) looks way better than the first gen. I've seen a lot of reviews on it as well. I think this is a solid choice for an entry level clean slate car. The BRZ/FRS/GR86 is the new S chassis.

[moatilliatta]

I like the look of the new GR86, but I hope the new engine is a lot better than the old.

A track pack 230i blue on brown would be my new car.

I just really want a 3 door 2er... So nothing really is appealing.

[Austrianvespaguy]

I've always liked the Twins and am just thrilled with the new power plant they chose for the new gen. The TorqueDip(TM) IS really gone, right? I've considered selling my 2002 to get one but that's an irreversible decision and my problem is I absolutely REFUSE to buy a car I can't test drive!!! Otherwise how will i know if the pedal spacing works for heel'n'toeing with my feet? I've also realized that you can get an RX-8 and LS swap it for about half the price, but regardless I hope Toyobaru sell a bajillion with manuals so I can eventually try one out!

[MrBurgundy]

I thought I didn't like the new BRZ facelift. In pictures it looks very whatever.

Saw a few in person and my opinion completely changed. I think it looks infinitely better than the old one.

[Slybeanx]

I'm going to be honest, I don't like the facelift they did on the BRZ/etc. I think the first gen looks current/good, but basically buying one new is the way to go because their used prices are too high.

Wish they had something >250HP, would be interested in an STI variant if it ever came out.
As it sits, I think it's a great base platform for tinkering, begging for better powerplant/suspension/wheels.

I was also looking at the F56 Mini JCW, back when they were starting at $35k CAD. A lot of car for the money, but I ended up with a used R56 with the year/model/options I wanted and I'm happy with that.
Now they're $46k base with the junk filled "Premier+" package is lumped into the base MSRP and I don't know if you can even get one now without all the extra junk, so pass.

Interested in the Nissan Z, but they still haven't released the MSRP and I want to wait a few years into production before I would genuinely be interested.
Supra falls into this category, but I assume it'll be more expensive, and no manual offering is a dealbreaker.

I'll be watching the Corolla GR, I think the guesses of 30k MSRP is laughable, and would expect like 45k?

As far as non-fun cars go - If I can get another year or two out of my Outback, I think I'd look into replacing it with something comparable but electric - Model Y Long Range or Performance are basically the only option at the moment. I would think more seriously about it if the prices didn't just shoot way up. Probably best to wait for some competition and the end of both the semiconductor/car shortage and the war in Ukraine.

Totally understand the facelift is either loved or hated! I was actually looking at used but kept finding 2015s w/ 55k being sold at 25k. Just didnt make sense to pay that premium to me, also they fixed the torque curve which is nice.

I really dont get why they didnt use one of the newer lexus engines like the V35A or even T24A. Wouldve been more power, I'm guessing costs. They probably want to keep costs closer to the ND2. Since the community/aftermarket is so large for the last platform, I'm guessing it wont be long before they address the power figures w/ tunes or SC's like the last gen.


They supposedly already have a stripped track version FS, I cant imagine they wouldn't offer a supercharged or "tuned" package at one point.

I liked the Z as well, but worry about the initial reliability. Also it was another supposed13k so pretty different price points. I liked the Supra, but no manual atm.

GR Corolla already had a 5 person waitlist at my local dealer.

Yeah, I was going to drive my Tacoma until it dies, then replace it with a newer Tacoma/Bronco to keep another manual as long as possible. Figure I might as well drive stick as much as I can while I can. Kind've fun how many new cars are coming out with stick that I would absolutely love to buy.

[Northern]

I'm going to be honest, I don't like the facelift they did on the BRZ/etc. I think the first gen looks current/good, but basically buying one new is the way to go because their used prices are too high.

Wish they had something >250HP, would be interested in an STI variant if it ever came out.
As it sits, I think it's a great base platform for tinkering, begging for better powerplant/suspension/wheels.

I was also looking at the F56 Mini JCW, back when they were starting at $35k CAD. A lot of car for the money, but I ended up with a used R56 with the year/model/options I wanted and I'm happy with that.
Now they're $46k base with the junk filled "Premier+" package is lumped into the base MSRP and I don't know if you can even get one now without all the extra junk, so pass.

Interested in the Nissan Z, but they still haven't released the MSRP and I want to wait a few years into production before I would genuinely be interested.
Supra falls into this category, but I assume it'll be more expensive, and no manual offering is a dealbreaker.

I'll be watching the Corolla GR, I think the guesses of 30k MSRP is laughable, and would expect like 45k?

As far as non-fun cars go - If I can get another year or two out of my Outback, I think I'd look into replacing it with something comparable but electric - Model Y Long Range or Performance are basically the only option at the moment. I would think more seriously about it if the prices didn't just shoot way up. Probably best to wait for some competition and the end of both the semiconductor/car shortage and the war in Ukraine.

[Slybeanx]

Just put a deposit down for a Neptune Blue base GR86, anyone else shopping for a new manual car?

First new car purchase and its absolutely wild I couldn't find a dealer with one available to even test drive. Ordered based on reviews, and YT reviewers have been signing its praise. Hoping Toyota will nail it out the park on this.

I considered everything from an ND2 to a Chevy V8 LT1, I am currently 6th in line with an 8 month estimate.... Guess i'll be driving my tacoma for a bit longer lol.

Toyotas GR86, GR Yaris, GR Corolla, proposed Supra w/ manual and the proposed 2024 MR2, is Toyota the best brand for enthusiasts atm? I think so.