What is it: The Toyota 86 is the renamed Scion FR-S that continues as a Toyota since the Scion brand was dropped. It’s a two-seat sportscar. New for 2017: There’s a new grille and lots of “86” badges around the car.
Stepping into the 2017 Toyota 86 brings back fond memories of when we picked the then-named Scion FR-S Cars.com’s Best of 2013. Now a proper Toyota instead of offshoot Scion, the lightweight, rear-wheel-drive coupe has mildly tweaked styling, suspension and under-hood changes along with the new name. The name is one thing Toyota won’t let you forget, with “86” badging seemingly in every crevice, even in the headlight cover.
Gone is the Scion’s balanced, hexagonal front grille; it’s replaced with what looks like a quivering lip and caterpillar mustache.
Inside, there are new “Grandlux” highlights, a suede-like material on the formerly plastic instrument panel and door panels that feels softer and higher-quality than before. And, finally, there is a new steering wheel with integrated audio controls.
