What's So Special About The Toyota GR86 Yuzu Edition?
Toyota has freshened its GR86 sports car lineup for the 2026 model year with the addition of the Yuzu Edition. First announced in April, the limited-edition sports coupe is a tribute to the 2015 Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0 — itself a special edition of the GR86's predecessor. The Scion FR-S was the name under which the original GT86 was initially sold in the North American market from 2003 to 2016.
There is nothing subtle about the 2026 GR86 Yuzu Edition: Mirroring the striking hue of a ripe Yuzu fruit, the GR86 2+2 sports coupe immediately stands out with a vibrant yellow color over most of its exterior. Gloss black exterior accents and matte black wheels provide a sharp contrast to this eye-catching finish. The yellow theme continues on the interior with bright stitching visible on the steering wheel, handbrake, door padding, and the faux-suede sports seats.
Apart from these cosmetic upgrades, all Yuzu Special Edition GR86 sport coupes come with the Performance Package as standard. That means hidden behind the 18-inch wheels are red-painted Brembo brakes and dampers from German specialists SACHS. The cars also get a GR-embossed cat-back exhaust and unique body kit.
Perhaps the most significant differentiating factor for the GR86 Yuzu Edition is its exclusivity. Toyota only plans to make 860 units, all destined for the North American market. The 2026 GR86 and Yuzu editions are expected to go on sale towards the end of 2025, with the pricing information made available shortly beforehand.
How about the performance?
There are no power upgrades for the 2026 Toyota GR86 Yuzu Edition, motivated by the same boxer power plant that drives the other 2026 models. That means under the hood sits a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter flat-four engine that cranks out 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque.
It is a modest output, but the appeal of the GR86 is not necessarily connected to straight-line speed. Instead, it was primarily designed as a playful sports car, with emphasis on agile handling, precise steering, and a superbly tuned chassis.
The power from the engine is fed exclusively to the rear wheels via a choice of either a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. The GR86 can accelerate from a standing start to 60 mph in about 5.4 seconds, before crossing the quarter-mile marker in 14 seconds at 101 mph (163 kph). This performance ranks the GR86 alongside rivals like the Mazda MX-5 Miata and Subaru BRZ.
A look at other GR86 special editions
With the Yuzu, Toyota continues its tradition of offering unique iterations of the GR86 sports coupe. First, there was the GR86 10th Anniversary Edition launched in 2023. As implied by the name, this model — exclusively painted in orange — celebrated the first decade of Toyota's entry-level sports car offering: Starting out as the GT86, morphed into the 86, before eventually becoming the GR86 with the debut of the second-generation model.
This was followed by the GR86 Trueno Edition in 2024, a limited edition model with black side graphics, an exclusive manual transmission, and a number plate on the driver's side dash denoting its rarity. The GR86 Trueno Edition marked 40 years since the launch of the legendary Toyota AE86 in the 1980s.
The last special model that was released before the Yuzu was the GR86 Hakone Edition, introduced for the 2025 model year. Unlike the other GR86 special models, the Hakone Edition was a nod to the Hakone Turnpike — one of the most iconic driving roads in Japan, about two hours southeast of Tokyo.
Interestingly, the production run of all GR86 Special Edition models released so far have been capped at 860 units, enhancing the value of the cars as a future collector's item.