The 2022 Toyota GR86 is a rear-drive sports car that’s affordable, attractive, and athletic. Yes, there was a Toyota 86 that came before it and a Scion FR-S that came before that, but this new car is a different species. Here are three major reasons that you need this updated Toyota GR 86 in your life if you’re in the market for a two-seat coupe.

1. The 2022 Toyota GR86 is easy to live with

I spent a week driving the 2022 Toyota GR 86 around the Denver, Colo., area. I drove it uphill, downhill, on the freeway, and through the pothole-filled streets and the car never ceased to amaze me. No, it doesn’t have the same sexiness as its Supra brother, nor is it a roided-out racecar like the Civic Type R.

Instead, the GR86 impressed me with its relative comfort. Its suspension soaks up road imperfections with ease but holds the car tight to the road in the corners. Its seats are soft and supportive. The engine revs freely, but it doesn’t feel like you need to wring it out just to get to the next stoplight.

Also, the interior provides enough headroom and space for drivers under six feet. There’s even Apple Carplay and Android Auto to keep you connected to your phone.

In short, the GR86 is easy to live with – almost as easy as it is to live with as a Corolla.

2. Despite what you think, the Toyota GR86 has plenty of power

Speaking of the free-revving engine, the Toyota GR86 is powered by a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder Boxer powerplant that’s technically a naturally aspirated version of the engine found in the Subaru Ascent. In the GR86, it pumps out 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, which is 23 more horsepower and 28 lb-ft more torque than the 2.0-liter engine in the outgoing model.

On paper, that may not sound like much power, but in the real world, it’s more than enough. Trust me, I was surprised too. I drove the Subaru BRZ and the Scion FR-S in the past and wasn’t impressed. The older 2.0-liter felt anemic all the way up to its 7,000-RPM redline – it felt more like a lawnmower than a genuine sports car.

This new 2.4-liter engine, on the other hand, feels like it has some guts. The added mid-range torque was much needed and you can actually feel the power at the upper part of the rev-range. There’s enough power to get up steep inclines at a high elevation and a good amount of responsiveness to keep the car in the sweet spot on twisty roads.

While a turbocharger would be an added plus, I don’t think it’s completely necessary. Bravo Toyo… I mean… Subaru. You did a good job with this one.

3. The GR86 is priced right for a rear-drive sports coupe

Lastly, you can use a brand-new Toyota GR86 in your life because it’s affordable and presumably reliable. Consumer Reports scored the previous-generation Toyota 86 with a five out of five rating for reliability and there’s no reason to doubt that this new version would be any different.

Also, the 2022 GR86 is affordable. It has a starting price of $27,700 and can go up to around $32,000 if you opt for the up-level Premium trim. All things considered, that’s not bad considering the type of performance you get for the money. That’s the kind of value that you could probably use in your life, especially nowadays.

You could really use a 2022 Toyota GR 86 in your life

If you’re in the market for a two-seat sports coupe that’s affordable and easy to drive every day, then the 2022 Toyota GR 86 fits the bill. It’s hard to think of any downsides aside from the fact that its rear seat is unusable by any humans over 3 feet tall. Other than that, the GR86 provides a perfect means of exciting transportation that can instill some thrills into your daily life.