A Guide to 1986 Cars
From American sedans, European luxury vehicles, and futuristic 4 x4’s this is your guide to the best cars of 1986.
Written by Mary Cahill
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
The best cars of 1986 span the globe. While the Americans claim the top spot in the all-around best category with the Ford Taurus LX, Japanese off-roaders, and European luxury models earn well-deserved places on 1986’s best cars list.
There’s no question that automotive innovation has advanced in leaps and bounds since 1986, but people relied on cars as much then as they do now—-and there were plenty of options to choose from.
To help live out your classic car fantasy, and help you explore some pretty cool cars in the process is
car insurance
comparison super app
, Jerry
. Whether you’re interested in something chic and sporty, or a built-to-last, off-road SUV, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about some of the best cars of 1986. The best cars of 1986
A lot has changed in the way of popular vehicle body styles and in-demand features, but if nothing else, the auto market of the mid-80s was a diverse and intriguing place to car shop. Let’s explore some of the most sought-after automotive offerings of 1986.
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The best car of 1986: Ford Taurus LX
MSRP in 1986: $13,777
Powertrain: 13.0 liter V-6 iron block engine w/four-speed automatic transmission
What makes it special:
The no-frills, intentional design, and sleek profile rivals that of its European competitors. Plus, this baby handles like a dream. With power-assisted steering and comfy split-bench seating, the
Taurus LX’s
centered, no-nonsense driveability is ideal for just about any condition. As MotorTrend’s 1986 winner of the car of the year, The Ford Taurus LX stood out as being aerodynamic in its day going from 0 to 60 in 9.8 seconds. For the record, that’s about the same speed as the BMW 528e. Not bad for an American engine.
The best luxury car of 1986: Audi 5000 CS Turbo Quattro
MSRP in 1986: $27,975
Powertrain: 10-valve five-cylinder engine w/five-speed transmission
What makes it special:
Of all the cars on this list, the 1986
Audi
5000 CS Turbo Quattro has the kind of timeless four-door body style that still looks cool today. Thanks to its four-wheel drive, the 5000 CS Turbo Quattro can handle all types of weather and it comfortably seats four. These days, you could find this model for a fair market value of around $3,425. With state-of-the-art anti-lock brakes and a swanky leather interior, this is a vehicle with some serious staying power.
The best SUV of 1986: Toyota 4Runner
MSRP in 1986: $11,118
Powertrain: 2.4-liter 22RE four-cylinder engine w/four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission or 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine w/four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission
What makes it special:
There are few things more beautiful than a souped-up first-generation SUV—-except maybe a first-generation SUV that has a higher fair market value than its original sticker price.
The 1986 Toyota
4Runner
is one of those vehicles with the rare ability to withstand fleeting auto trends and stand the test of time. When it debuted in 1984, SUVs were not the everyday drivers they are today. In fact, Toyota created the 4Runner as a sort of truck in disguise to avoid certain vehicle taxes that were imposed at the time. The idea certainly took off, to this day, the fittingly named 4Runner is prized for its remarkable ability to run for hundreds of thousands of miles if properly maintained and is popular with buyers who are younger than the vehicle itself.
The best luxury SUV of 1986: Volvo 240 DL Wagon
MSRP in 1986: $14,860
Powertrain: 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine w/five-speed manual transmission
You’re right, a station wagon is not a luxury SUV, but hear us out. Luxury SUVs in 1986 were not the cultural phenomenon they are today. Actually, they barely existed.
The luxury market was dominated by compact cars—brands like
Lexus
and Mercedes
didn’t roll out their first SUVs until the mid-90s. So if you wanted something roomy and brimming with European charm, you bought the Volvo 240 DL Wagon
. It’s become a bit of a cult classic—the elongated boxy shape gives it the recognizable quirkiness. Plus the fact that it's reliable, safe (it’s a Volvo), and pretty good on gas (22 combined mpg), gives the 240 DL Wagon real staying power.
The best family car of 1986: Honda Accord
MSRP in 1986: $8,429 to $13,125
Powertrain: 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine w/four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission.
Initially introduced on the market as a compact car, the 1986
Honda
Accord made gains by increasing its interior and cargo space while still maintaining a neat and practical body design. One of the new innovations of this third-generation offering was the cleverly hidden headlamps. The Accord appealed to families for its reliability first, but also its versatility. Within the US and Canada, the Accord was available as a three-door hatchback model called the
LXi
. The best sports car of 1986: Porsche 944
MSRP in 1986: $22,950
Powertrain: 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine w/five-speed manual transmission
What makes it special:
1986 was the first year the
Porsche
944 was introduced with a turbocharged engine that rocketed this beautiful little three-door, box flared coupe to a top speed of 157 mph, but the truth is, the non-turbo 944 was preferred by the experts at Car and Driver for its superior throttle response and sharp steering. The 944 design stands out not just for being stylish, but for its notably even weight distribution that comes from the rear-mounted transaxle that balances out the water-cooled front engine.
These days the Porsche 944 is a certified classic. And if you had any doubt about sports cars retaining their value, here’s a perfect example—you can purchase a 1986 Porsche 944 with low mileage for $24,500—that’s more than the base model when it was brand new!
The best truck of 1986: Toyota Pickup
MSRP in 1986: $9,568
Powertrain: 2.4-liter four-cylinder RE engine w/five-speed manual transmission
Toyota’s marketing division may have been slacking when they decided to call their latest truck the Pickup (its technical name is the Toyota SR5), but the no-frills (some models didn’t come with windows) 1986 model year has been lauded as being one of the best pickup trucks ever made.
Why? Because it seems to never stop running. When it came to building a reliable, box-frame 4x4 in 1986 Toyota could not be beaten. Much like the 4Runner which also made this list, the Pickup is known to last well beyond 300,000 miles.
What cars came out in 1986?
Some of these vehicles became automotive icons while others exist only in memory. Let’s take a look at some of the best cars that debuted in 1986
Model | Vehicle type | Engine | base MSRP in 1986 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Coupe | 2.3L or 2.5L four-cylinder | $30,000 | Debuted as part of the BMW E30 generation | |
Citroën Zabrus | Concept car | 2.1L turbocharged 4-cylinder | N/A | High concept vehicle that featured scissor doors and an LCD display screen |
Hyundai Excel | Hatchback | 1.3L four-cylinder | $4,995 | First Hyundai sold in the US |
Sedan | 2.9L V-6 or 3.6L V-6 | $32,250 | Full-sized luxury sedan produced from 1986-1994 | |
Compact truck | 2.5L four-cylinder, 2.8L V-6, or 2.1L diesel | $7,049 | Predecessor of the Jeep Gladiator | |
[Jeep Wrangler YJ]https://getjerry.com/car-insurance/jeep-wrangler---yj-s-insurance-cost) | Convertible Jeep | 2.5L or 4.2L Inline-6 | $8,995 | YJ Sahara was the Jeep model driven in the film *Jurassic Park* |
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FAQs
What was the best-selling car in the US in 1986?
The best-selling car of 1986 was the Chevrolet Celebrity. It sold 408,946 units that year.
What was the fastest car in 1986?
The fastest car in the world in 1986 was the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, which sprinted from 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds.
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