Faults:

Flat battery - if the car sits for more than 2 weeks with the alarm active then the battery will be close to empty, even if the battery's brand new. Solution - lock the car with the key so the alarm isn't set if you know it's going to be sitting for a while.

General Comments:

I went to buy an MX5, didn't like the dealer, and nipped in to the Toyota dealer next door. Took the GT86 for a brief test drive on a nice sunny day, felt the car squirming and moving around (in a good way) underneath me and a deal was done. Far more predictable loss of grip than a Z4.

There is a well documented torque dip which is much maligned. However you can use the engine and enjoy rowing up and down the gears for fun and using the two different torque peaks to adjust your rate of progress. You can have (almost) as much fun just driving around and taking it up to 3.5k rpm while following sedately driven cars down a country road as you can hooning it along, which turns out to be much noisier, but not really very quick. And if you turn off the traction control (no pedal dance required in the UK) then the back will get mobile on a regular basis, wet or dry. And I'd recommend not replacing the economy focused tyres with something sportier. To do so is to miss the point. I put some Michelin CrossClimate's on which keeps the grip low, but gives you a fighting chance of moving in winter, even in snow/ice covered ski resort car parks.

It's been on a couple of round trips from London to Scotland carrying all the gear for mountain biking and skiing, and made for fantastically entertaining travel. It's turned out to be a fabulous GT car rather than a raw sports car. I averaged 35.5mpg on these trips, and normally get about 34, but I rarely do a journey of less than 10 miles and avoid towns.

The interior isn't the plushest, but the seats are the comfiest of any car I've owned other than an original Integra Type R (which was also more practical), however I enjoy taking the GT86 on long trips where I ended up hiring comfy (quiet) cars rather than sitting on the motorway in the Integra.

The rear seats are only for children, and then only small ones, although you may be able to squeeze 1 adult in for a short while. It would still be cruel.

The stereo could be better, and there's something about the mirrors which means I can't seem to get it straight when reversing in to a car parking space - never had a problem in other cars.

Due to the engine configuration, the noise when you're revving it out is an acquired taste.

The traction / stability control can get annoying, and contribute to rapid rear brake wear, so I turn it off for most journeys. It's intuitive to catch slides, and it will slide all the time. You will look like a prat pulling out of junctions on a regular basis with the traction control off, as there is so little mechanical grip, however given the choice between that and almost getting hit as the traction control intervenes and strangles the power I tend to prefer to look like a prat. It's strangely safer, which would appear to be the opposite of the result which should happen if you have the safety systems active. Go figure.

Anyway, if you enjoy driving, and are fed up with never being able to use the potential of your car and miss the feeling of engagement that you know must be in there somewhere, then I'd highly recommend taking one for a test drive. Or possibly try a mark 2 Ford Escort, which appear to similarly lack rear end traction. If you come back feeling it was too slow and unengaging then the road wasn't twisty enough!

Faults:

Usual curb rash with the spoiler kit... it's so low slung!

Nothing else really.

General Comments:

It's really fun to drive. It may take off kinda slow at the lights (you have to rev it a fair bit before releasing the clutch) but generally it's more interesting when you have the engine purring above 3000 RPM. Frankly its optimum output is at around 6000 RPM...

It's a head turner - especially mine as it's very customised.

You get the usual Toyota reliability...

Like an '85 Supra I once owned, the rear seats really aren't for adult human beings. Unless they're 3 dwarves with amputated legs :) .

If there's a drawback to this model of car, it's that it only - I repeat only - drinks 98 RON fuel. Which is expensive (in my neck of the woods it's 15 cents dearer - per litre - than the usual 91 RON unleaded).

Driving this thing is akin to driving a go-kart. Sharp, snappy steering, good turning circle, and very low down to the ground!