Fun Car, Bad Lease: Toyota 86 Tops List of Unappetizing Offers
Despite slow sales pretty much since its inception, the Toyota 86 and its Subaru twin, the BRZ, will see a second-generation model. We’ve said it before and will say it again: you’ll miss it when it’s gone. Far too many bland vehicles out there.
That said, purchasing a current-year 86 looks like a much better option than signing a three-year lease on the plucky, rear-drive 2+2.
According to CarsDirect, the 86 holds the distinction of having the worst lease in the United States, all things considered. Calling it a “hideous choice in terms of value,” the publication points to a Bay-area lease offer that won’t have anyone rushing for the dealer.
The 36-month offer on a base, 2019 automatic-transmission 86 combines $3,499 due at signing with a $489 monthly charge, bringing the car’s monthly cost to $586 before taxes and fees. That’s the worst offer of any lease scrutinized this month. For that cost, you could better spend your time looking at a car with an after-destination MSRP much higher than $28,330. The publication notes that a 2020 BMW 330i will set you back less per month.
Blame a money factor that amounts to 4.7 percent APR, a less-than-stellar residual value, and a lack of lease incentives.
While the lease isn’t something to get excited about, anyone looking to bring an 86 home permanently will enjoy $3,500 cash back. Spring for the TRD SE model, and Toyota adds another two grand to the incentives. It’s possible Black Friday will bring a savings spike as Toyota attempts to clear out remaining 2019 models.
[Image: Toyota]
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Back when these came out in 2013 I leased an FR-S on a special they had going: Nothing down, $299 a month for 36 months.
Following the prolonged hype from Akio Toyoda, I drove an FR-S on May 31, 2012 just before my retirement. Was going to be my present to myself. Within 300 yards as the thing struggled to climb a hill I'd never noticed before outside the dealer (I had a Legacy turbo), I realized it was a pathetic turd. The perhaps five further miles I put on the car before returning it to the dealer only reinforced the impression. A turd it was and a turd it shall remain. Being older, the last thing I needed was "helpful" advice on forums from youngsters about it being a momentum car, after I reported my impressions. I'd driven cars for 48 years and the FR-S was the most useless one I'd tried. It had no redeeming features I could find, just being an annoying little blot of a car to drive. Young people who'd never driven a half-decent car hadn't a clue about how useless the FR-S was. And despite the advertising nonsense, it wasn't particularly light, about the same as a Civic which drove far better. Any dolt could also get a Miata test drive and realize that it was a sprightly vehicle, not the dull roar of vacuousness and limp power band the FR-S and BRZ exuded. And they're going to bring out a new version? Well, nobody can get it wrong twice in a row, can they? Toyota probably can if they inject Akio Excitement. Let's see how this turns out. I'm not holding my breath.
To paraphrase the great Carroll Shelby "Horsepower sells cars, Toyota sells toasters." And that is incongruous; Toyota won the NASCAR mfrs championship a few years back and have won LeMans with 1-2 finishes both in 2018 and 2019. Toyota knows how to win sports car races, but then pulls punches on retail sports cars by selling other peoples products (Subaru and BMW.) And slow retail sales don't give you any clue Toyota-san?
Just lop off the backseats already. I don't know of a single human, save maybe my three year old niece, who could sit back there for any length of time.