Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age, so 13% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 25 complaints, typically at 1.3 years.
Toyota GR86 years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 3 | too new | |
| 2024 | 3 | 3 | too new | |
| 2023 | 19 | 15 | too new | |
| 2022 | 21 | 14 | too new |
When it starts to break
| Age at failure | Complaints | Running total | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 years | 34.8% | covered | |
| 1 year | 63% | covered | |
| 2 years | 87% | covered | |
| 3 years | 100% | you pay |
Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 87% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 13% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 60% of the complaints here.
What actually fails — and at what age
On the Toyota GR86, the early trouble is Engine and Fuel/propulsion System — reported at around 1.3 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.3 yrs | — | 1 | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1.1 yrs | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting | 0.8 yrs | — | — | |
| Unknown Or Other | 0.3 yrs | — | — | |
| Power Train | 2.3 yrs | — | — | |
| Electrical System | 1 yrs | — | — | |
| Tires | 2 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Air Bags | — | — | — |
What else in this class
6 models share the GR86's vehicle class. Per production run, the Porsche 911 draws 1.48 and the Mini Cooper 5.55, against 1.34 for the GR86. That is the fewest complaints of the group.
| Same class as the GR86 | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porsche 911 | 287 | 1981–2026 | |
| Mini Cooper | 33 | 2002–2010 | |
| Toyota 86 | 5 | 2017–2020 | |
| Subaru BRZ | 13 | 2013–2026 | |
| Fiat 500 | 33 | 2012–2019 | |
| Porsche 944 | 14 | 1981–1991 |
The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.
Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.
- Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
- Exact value for that car, adjusted for its mileage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Alerts if a recall lands on a car in your garage
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
Is the Toyota GR86 reliable?
By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.34 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 2 class rivals we compared.
When do GR86 problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age. The most reported system is Engine, typically at 1.3 years, followed by Fuel/propulsion System.
Will the warranty cover GR86 problems?
Mostly yes: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and 87% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 60% of the complaints here.
Is the GR86 more reliable than the Porsche 911?
Yes: 1.34 complaints per production run for the GR86 against 1.48 for the Porsche 911.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.