2019 Toyota 86 TRD SE Review by David Colman - It's E15 Approved

2019 Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition

This is a gem worth celebrating

By David Colman
Special Correspondent to THE AUTO CHANNEL

2019 Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition

What do you call the scion of a Scion? You call it a Toyota 86. To decode this bit of linguistic sophistry, you'll need to recall a few facts from the not so recent past. In 2012, a joint venture sports coupe made its rather sensational debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This event marked the introduction of the Scion FR-S and its Subaru sibling, the BRZ. Toyota provided much of the chassis engineering while Subaru designed the engine and driveline. Since that event, the BRZ has continued in production. But when Toyota killed the entire Scion line several years ago, they moved the FR-S into the Toyota portfolio, where the scion of Scion was renamed the Toyota 86. And no, the 86 name doesn't stem from the fact that the FR-S was 86'd, nor does it have anything to do with the famous F-86 fighter jet of the USAF. Rather, the 86 nameplate refers to a legendary Corolla hot rod sold only in Japan during the 1980's which was designated the Toyota AE 86.

Does the 2019 86 TRD SE live up to its revered lineage? The answer is yes, because the Toyota Racing Development Special Edition (TRD SE) is without doubt the best sports coupe Scion/Toyota has produced in the 7 years this vehicle has been produced. The reasons you will want to pay a premium of $3,835 for the SE over the price of a base model 86 are clearly enumerated on the window sticker. For starters, the SE looks much more purposeful than any other 86, with its TRD perfected front bumper, side skirts and rear spoiler. TRD revises the exhaust system from the catalyst back to the twin tailpipes, which now project through a TRD-branded rear diffuser panel. The SE model can be had in any color you like as long as its "raven." This lustrous shade of metallic black compliments the superlative red and black trimmed sports seats and the red and black rimmed sport steering wheel. Toyota will make only 1,418 TRD SE models this year, and all will be raven over red.

2019 Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition

While the Special Edition retains the same dimension 7.5 x 18J alloy wheels as the standard 86, the rim design is different, and the lackluster Michelin tires of the base car have been replaced with higher adhesion (TW 320) Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber (215/40R18). While the SE uses the same spring rates and sway bars as the base model 86, significant advances in performance are gained from the substitution of Sachs gas shocks on the TRD package. Another benefit of opting for the SE is fitment of Brembo race quality brakes at each corner, plus a Torsen limited slip differential to stabilize wheel slip at the rear end of this rear wheel drive car. If all these upgrades aren't worth an extra $3,835, then you simply aren't a true hot rodder.

So what's the net effect of all these modifications? After all, the BRZ/FR-S/86 has always been one of the sweetest handling sports coupes you can buy at any price, let alone for just $33,340. What Toyota has done with the TRD SE is to perfect the basic package in such a way that you will never forget your first twisty road drive in this lightweight and addictive (2,770lb.) screamer. Although you can buy a base model 86 with an automatic, the SE comes only with a super quick shifting 6-speed manual transmission. This gearbox, like everything about this coupe is delightfully basic and analog. This is a Toyota that is comparatively bereft of the usual bevy of intrusive safety warning beeps, flashes and judders. If you're looking for that old time sports car driving experience, you've come to the right bucket seat, because the TRD SE provides driving joy in spades.

2019 Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition

Just snick the stick into first gear, release the nicely weighted clutch pedal until you feel the twin cam engine pick up just the right number of revolutions. Feed in ever more throttle as the Subaru bred 2.0 liter flat 4 motor wakes up. By the time you're at redline of 7,000rpm, the boxer engine is putting out 205hp and it's time to flip the shift to the next higher gear slot. The joy of manipulating a beautifully calibrated manual transmission has become an increasingly rare occurrence these days. So when you find a gem like this one in the 86, it's definitely a cause for celebration.

So what's lacking in this TRD SE 86 combo? More power would be a welcome addition. Ever since the joint venture project first came to be, the underpowered nature of the flat 4 has hindered ultimate enjoyment here. While you can rectify the situation through the aftermarket by ginning up a GReddy T5182 turbo ($3,402 plus installation), why Toyota doesn't make one of its own available has been an insoluble mystery for seven years now.

2019 Toyota 86 TRD Special Edition

2019 TOYOTA 86 TRD SE

HYPES: Nimble, Handsome, Effective Back Road Tool

GRIPES: Please Turbocharge

STAR RATING: 10 Stars out of 10