Listening to Fans Paid off Handsomely for Toyota and Its GR86
When enthusiasts spoke out, Toyota listened, building a GR86 for the fans. A massive sales increase indicates the move worked.
Written by Andrew Kidd
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Sales for
Toyota
’s affordable sports coupe
, the GR86, are way up—and the automaker’s reverence for its enthusiasts’ opinions is likely to thank for that.According to
CarBuzz
, sales volume for the Toyota GR86 is up 326.23% for the first quarter of 2022, with March sales alone up 200% over the previous month.What makes it impressive is that despite just being refreshed and hitting dealer lots in December 2021, the GR86 has pulled what Toyota is calling best-ever numbers for the model.
A new GR86 built for enthusiasts, by enthusiasts
The Toyota GR86, which shares the same platform as the Subaru BRZ, features a 2.4-liter flat-four boxer engine producing 228 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. The base GR86 starts at $27,700, with the GR86 Premium trim starting at $30,300.
Toyota unveiled
the refreshed GR86 in 2021, noting that it had been designed by its own in-house enthusiasts: Toyota Gazoo Racing—the same minds behind the 2023 GR Corolla. The team built upon the previous generation GR86 to add stability, increase power and improve its aerodynamics.And putting racing enthusiasts in charge of the vehicle seems to have helped, as the little coupe’s sales numbers have indicated.
Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
No spam · No long forms · No fees
Toyota loyalists
As CarBuzz points out, it’s important to note that the Subaru BRZ—which shares the same architectural underpinnings as the GR86—didn’t experience a similar spike in sales despite the two coupes’ obvious similarities. This could indicate that brand loyalty and recognition could have played a large part in the GR86’s sales performance.
Toyota customers are among the most loyal of all automakers in the U.S., ranking just behind Subaru in recent brand loyalty studies. The automaker’s customers tend to stick with what they know, and given Toyota’s reputation of reliability, it’s not surprising that they’re coming back for the next iteration of the GR86.
A lack of options?
The GR86’s sales bump could also be a result of the diminishing number of options for an affordable (read: sub-$30,000) sports coupe on the market. Toyota’s own Supra starts at $43,290.
The nearest comparable sports coupe in terms of price and power (aside from the BRZ) would be the 2022 Mazda Miata (181 horsepower from $27,300). Then you get into more powerful yet similarly affordable territory with the 2022 Ford Mustang (310 horsepower starting at $27,205) and the 2022 Chevy Camaro (275 horsepower from $26,195).
That, combined with the willingness of Toyota to address a number of the coupe’s previous issues as well as a lack of palatable options from other manufacturers, might help explain the fervor of GR86 buyers flocking to this revamped sports coupe.
Save on car insurance with Jerry
If you’re a Toyota enthusiast hellbent on buying a new GR86, keep in mind that a new sports car could be
pricier to insure
than a typical sedan or SUV. That’s where Jerry can help.Jerry
customers save an average of $887 a year to insure their vehicle. If you’re deterred by the work of gathering quotes and you’d rather leave it to someone else, the Jerry app collects quotes from over 50 top insurance providers, like Nationwide, Allstate, Safeco, Progressive, and Travelers, in seconds. Jerry even helps cancel your old policy once you’ve made your pick.Once you download Jerry, just answer a handful of questions that will take you roughly 45 seconds to complete and you’ll immediately get car insurance quotes for coverage similar to your current plan.
4.7
