Toyota 86 2.0 GS TRD Performance Review: Mod squad

What we like:

Comes with factory-backed warranty

Superb steering

faultless driving position

well-balanced chassis

smooth revving engine

looks angrier than standard car

stiff bodyshell

looks more menacing than the standard car

What we dislike:

Needs more torque

induction drone can be tiring to listen to

not as affordab;le as we’d want it to be

slow witted auto box

Like the exterior, the TRD Performance 86 gets some racy go faster bits to make it stand out from the standard GS model. These include a TRD gearknob for both manual and auto transmission models as well as a red TRD start button on the centre console.

The rest of the cabin is standard 86 GS, which means a low slung but well-judged driving position that is perfect for fast and sporty driving; the most compact steering wheel you will ever find in a car with a Toyota badge, the big centrally mounted rev counter that is synonymous with serious sport models, sports seats that offer superb lateral support in the corners, a dashboard that features a simple and clean design that is very typical of Japanese performance cars as well as the token rear seats that can hardly comfortably acccomodate any human taller than an eight-year old kid.

The rear seats are not only cramped but also take some athletism to access – the front seats do not slide and tilt forward enough for easy access to the rear compartment. Moreover, the front seats don’t return to their original position when they are pushed back after letting a passenger in and out of the rear.

At over $220,000 at today’s COE prices, the TRD Performance 86 is a relatively expensive bit of kit, especially when considering that the most affordable 86 S model costs roughly $40,000 less. The TRD Performance 86 though is a properly tuned car, using the best external mods and bolt on parts that TRD offers. Moreover, the TRD Performance fettled car offers a peace of mind that no other tuned 86 can – it still comes with Borneo’s five-year, unlimited, factory backed warranty.

Credits: Story and photos by Raymond Lai