Toyota GT86: PH Fleet

Five weeks and three thousand miles and the news is good from the GT86!

Call me old-fashioned if you will, but to drive 'my' GT86 hard from absolutely brand new didn't seem very fair. Yep, a journalist with some mechanical sympathy. As a compromise between the handbook and Toyota's instructions, there was no full throttle or more than 5,500rpm (ish) for the first thousand miles.

Amongst friends. And a CR-V

Pleasingly, the PH probation period went rather quickly. Driving up to Silverstone for the Juke-R test added another 200 miles, a Sunday at Simply Japanese clocked up a few more and very soon there were four figures on the odo.

But of course it was the North Coast 500 that contributed such a vast chunk of this month's remarkable mileage. And I have to say the Toyota was completely brilliant throughout the 1,500 miles of travelling up, around and back from Scotland.

It wasn't perfect though. And given long-term reports are about those everyday gripes a road test might not reveal, let's begin there. For starters, the stereo's maximum volume is 63. Not a problem in itself, but it makes some audiobooks and podcasts quite hard to listen to at motorway speeds. Though In Our Time probably isn't number one audio choice for most GT86 buyers...

Kielder Forest; can we go rallying?

The seats could use more lumbar support and, frustratingly, don't return to the position you had them when they're tilted forward. The mats are already wearing through. The headlights don't seem that bright. Finally, even when accustomed to the GT86, sixth can leave you a bit stuck at some motorway overtakes.

Crucially though, the GT86's myriad positives outweighed these flaws in Scotland easily. It was simply tremendous. The speed, size and responsiveness felt ideally suited to the NC500, never feeling out of its depth on the bigger roads or cumbersome on the smaller routes. It just felt better the harder it was driven, in comparison to the MX-5 which often seemed loose and a little vague when pushed.

Modified aplenty at Simply Japanese!

The control weights are all in perfect sync, the driving position is superb and that feeling of the rear wheels minutely adjusting the car's attitude out of a corner is joyous. It even felt fast enough, although slightly closer gears would make it even better. Short of a Caterham or a 458 Speciale I can't think of anything I would have rather spent the time in than the little red '86. It even recorded more than 40mpg on the boring parts of the journey.

Away from the paradise I now call Scotland (really!) and in the real world, the GT86 continues to impress. There are lots of cubbyholes to throw everyday junk into, visibility is great and even the chunky ventilation controls for the Primo are an improvement on the standard car's fake toggles. As for the missing digital speedo, I've remembered which revs equal which speed in a certain gear. Sad but quite useful!

To be continued...

Finally, just in case this wasn't sounding like enough of a paean to the Primo, I've spent the past few days in Dan's M4 and am already looking forward to the '86's return. I think it's fantastic. Though some more aggressive wheels such as those found on the M4 would really improve the looks I think. That so many of the GT86s and BRZs at Simply Japanese were on aftermarket rims would suggest I'm not alone!

So a very positive first month for GY15 VFZ, more positive than I had evn predicted; long may it continue! Next month I want to drive it on track to test those Yokohamas properly and try one of the Heritage cars now being loaned out by Toyota. Gotta be the Castrol, hasn't it?

FACT SHEET
Car: 2015 Toyota GT86 Primo
Run by: Matt
On fleet since: July 2015
Mileage: 3,435
List price new: £22,495 (and £22,495 as tested! List price £22,700, GT86 Primo currently available with £205 dealer discount until September 30)
Last month at a glance: First day in what promises to be a blissful six months!

Previous reports:
Press car without a single option? Welcome the GT86 Primo!