The 3rd-gen GR86 will feature design traits and proportions very similar to this current 2nd-gen model seen here.
Photo courtesy of Toyota
For a car that has built its reputation on simplicity, balance and purity, the next-generation Toyota GR86 is shaping up to be anything but conventional.
According to fresh reports from Best Car magazine—a Japanese publication with a long track record of accurately tracking Toyota’s decision-making—the third-generation GR86 will mark a decisive shift in both engineering philosophy and corporate strategy. And if the latest information holds, the biggest surprise isn’t just what powers the car. It’s what it leaves behind.
When the second-generation GR86 launched in May 2021, it stayed true to the formula established by its predecessor: naturally aspirated power, rear-wheel drive, light weight and a close technical relationship with the Subaru BRZ.
That formula, however, now appears to be ending.
Early rumors in 2022 suggested Toyota might adopt a turbocharged, hybrid-assisted version of the 1.6-liter three-cylinder from the Toyota GR Yaris—a move that would have dramatically altered the GR86’s character. By 2024, those reports evolved, with talk of either a 1.5-liter turbo or a revised 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine.
The next-gen GR86 will employ design and proportions very similar to what you see here in the current model.
Photo courtesy of Toyota
According to Best Car, the next GR86 is expected to adopt a newly developed 2.0-liter naturally aspirated 48V hybrid powertrain, producing around 220 horsepower. That figure may not sound transformative, but the real story lies in how the power is delivered.
Toyota is leaning heavily into its hybrid expertise, not just for efficiency but for compliance with tightening global emissions standards. Crucially, the system is also expected to be compatible with biofuels, signaling a broader strategy that blends performance with fuel efficiency rather than replacing one with the other.
If the powertrain represents evolution, the platform represents revolution. The current GR86 shares its underpinnings with Subaru. The next one won’t.
Instead, Toyota is expected to move the GR86 onto the rear-wheel-drive “N-platform” used by the Lexus IS. That decision carries significant implications.
First, it allows Toyota to leverage an existing, well-regarded architecture—one praised by outlets including Motor Trend for its balance and handling. Second, it reduces development costs at a time when automakers are under pressure to invest heavily in electrification and shy away from low volume sports cars.
And third, it fundamentally repositions the GR86 within Toyota’s lineup.
Freed from its Subaru partnership, the GR86 becomes a more internally controlled product—one that can better align with Toyota’s Gazoo Racing performance strategy while still maintaining an accessible price point.
Adding to the intrigue were reports last autumn that Toyota was co-developing the next GR86 with Mazda, potentially using the rear-drive platform of the Mazda MX-5.
That, it turns out, was only partially true. Toyota and Mazda are indeed collaborating on a future sports car. But that project is now understood to be aimed at the fourth-generation GR86, not the upcoming third-generation model.
In other words, the next GR86 will remain a Toyota-led effort—albeit one shaped by platform sharing within the broader Toyota-Lexus ecosystem.
Interestingly, while the engineering is changing significantly, the design is not.
Toyota appears satisfied with the GR86’s current proportions and identity. Reports suggest the next-generation model will retain largely the same size and silhouette, preserving the low, compact stance that has defined the car since its inception.
That continuity matters. The GR86’s appeal has always been as much about feel and accessibility as outright performance. Radical styling changes risk alienating a loyal enthusiast base.
Despite the move to hybrid power and a new platform, Toyota is expected to keep pricing in check, with estimates pointing to a starting figure of around $30,000.
That would preserve one of the GR86’s core strengths: delivering rear-drive sports car dynamics at a price point few competitors can match.
What emerges from all of this is a car that reflects the broader transition underway across the industry.
The next GR86 won’t abandon its enthusiast roots—but it will reinterpret them. Hybridization, platform sharing, and sustainability are no longer optional. They are the new baseline.
And yet, Toyota’s resolve is clear—to ensure that, even in this new era, the GR86 still feels like a driver’s car first.
If it succeeds, the next GR86 may not just survive the industry’s transformation. It could redefine what affordable performance looks like in it.
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