Toyota GT86 (2012-2021) review - Reliability and safety
The GT86 is not the most reliable Toyota, says our Driver Power survey - but it's still a Toyota!
Toyota has a reputation for producing bulletproof cars, although the GT86 is actually built by Subaru. However, there’s plenty of similar technology used by both manufacturers, and a GT86 should be stress-free to own. It’s helped by the fact you get a very good warranty, while Toyota dealers have a good reputation for customer service, too.
As brands, both Toyota and Subaru score very well in the overall Driver Power manufacturer survey ranked in the top half of the manufacturer list, usually high in the top 10. That places both ahead of VW, Honda and Audi.
However, the GT86 wasn’t one of Toyota’s star performers, attaining only an average 95th place for reliability out of the 150 cars surveyed in 2016, one of the few times it has appeared in the list of vehicles. Owners slated it for build quality (139th-place) and practicality (141st), although road holding (8th) and seat comfort (19th) were much better.
On the safety front, the GT86 features seven airbags, while the electronic stability control has a Sport setting designed to allow you to maximise track fun without disabling all of the safety systems. A limited-slip differential (for better grip in corners) comes as standard too. The car hasn't been tested by Euro NCAP, and probably won't be due to its low sales volumes. But every modern Toyota has done well in the tests, so there's no doubt that the GT86 would perform just as well.
Warranty
A good reputation for reliability isn’t just a great marketing boost; it also means Toyota can afford to offer one of the best manufacturer warranties in the business. That means full factory cover for five years, up to a limit of 100,000 miles. Other coupe rivals such as the Audi TT and BMW 2 Series Coupe come with only three years of cover.
Servicing
Servicing should be pretty reasonable at Toyota workshop rates, and the company offers fixed price deals for intermediate and full services on the GT 86 at around £180 and £300 respectively. You can also spread the cost monthly if you're buying on finance.
