2026 Toyota GR86 updated in Japan – new Solid Gray paint; revised throttle calibration, MT shifter; from RM76k

After the United States, Japan has now welcomed the updated Toyota GR86 which is set to go on sale later this month on August 28. The update comes at a time when the GR86 is touted as the most widely delivered model in Toyota’s GR line-up, with approximately 110,000 units sold since its launch in 2021.

The changes to the Japan-spec GR86 are similar to what the US gets, one of them being a new exterior finish called Solid Gray, a hue that was once offered for the previous-generation 86 for a limited time of roughly half a year in 2017. Customers in the US also got a new solid grey colour but it is called Thunder over there.

Meanwhile, the interior of the top RZ trim level now comes with redesigned switches that are said to be easier to grip and painted in a cast iron black that cuts down on reflections. The black-and-red interior colour scheme, which is available as a factory-installed option, also sees red accents being added to the seat side bolsters to complement the previously available red floor mats and door card trim.

Getting into driving-related improvements, the first involved remapping the throttle control for increased precision. Toyota says this is to ensure “intuitive handling and instinctive responsiveness when exiting corners, driving on low-friction surfaces, such as wet or snow-covered roads, and in other situations that require precise acceleration control.”

The electric power steering control also gets tweaks derived from the company’s experience in the Super Taikyu Series which are aimed at eliminating wobble in high-speed corners as well as on rough surfaces for more precise steering.

Meanwhile, the six-speed manual transmission has been modified so that the chamfer of the shifter interlock between fourth and fifth gear is wider by 0.5 mm – this is also applied to the US-spec GR86. “The result is a seamless transition from deceleration to turn-in that delivers the GR86’s signature responsive driving performance,” the company noted in its release.

Another transmission-related update involves the GR86 Cup Car Basic that teams buy for use in the GR86/BRZ Cup one-make race series. This version of the sports coupe can now be had with a six-speed automatic transmission as an alternative to the manual, with the aim being to broaden the motorsports appeal of the model to more customers.

No change in outputs, with the FA24 2.4 litre naturally-aspirated boxer-four petrol engine continuing to provide 235 PS (232 hp or 173 kW) at 7,000 rpm and 250 Nm of torque at 3,700 rpm.

Like with the US, the GR86’s EyeSight driver-assist system now incorporates a triple-camera configuration, with a new ultra-wide-angle monocular camera joining the existing wide-angle stereo cameras. This gives the system a broader field of view than before for better detection.

In terms of pricing, the GR86 in its RC guise that teams generally buy and modify for racing goes for 2.936 million yen (about RM76k) with a six-speed manual transmission – automatic pricing wasn’t revealed at the time of writing.

The non-race-focused SZ is the “base” trim and can be had with either transmission, with pricing ranging from 3.195 million to 3.293 million yen (RM83k to RM85k). As for the range-topping RZ, also offered with a manual and auto, it is from 3.518 million to 3.616 million yen (RM91k to RM94k).