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The revamped 2022 Toyota GR86 returns with better power, agility and a thrilling drive

The revamped 2022 Toyota GR86 returns with better power, agility and a thrilling drive

Price: The 2022 Toyota GR86 starts at $27,700 with a manual transmission and $29,200 with an automatic.The Toyota 86 took the 2021 model year off. It returns in significantly updated form late this year as a 2022 model with a new name: the GR86. That “GR” designation comes from Gazoo Racing, the internationally known racing team that did much of the development work on this new Toyota
TM,
+1.80%
GR86, which continues to be a lightweight and highly entertaining rear-wheel-drive (RWD) coupe that’s a mechanical cousin of the jointly developed Subaru BRZ
FUJHY,
-2.21%.

The Toyota GR86

Toyota

The big news for 2022? The debut of a larger new 2.4-liter engine. This new flat-4 powerplant produces 228 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque at 3,700 rpm, which compares quite favorably to the 205 hp and 156 lb-ft generated by the previous 2.0-liter. This new engine has a broader band of torque, so it doesn’t need to be revved as highly to make good power. Power reaches the GR86’s rear wheels via a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission or an optional 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters. Also standard is a limited-slip differential that helps the GR86 squirt out of corners with minimal rear wheelspin. Toyota says the new GR86, with the manual gearbox, hits 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, versus 7.0 for the previous 2.0-liter car. Two models are available: the GR86 and the GR86 Premium. All 2022 Toyota GR86s get a digital instrument panel with three display modes (Normal, Sport, Track), plus Apple
AAPL,
-0.13%
CarPlay, Android Auto, and an 8-inch multimedia touchscreen. While the standard GR86 gets a 6-speaker audio system, the Premium has an 8-speaker arrangement to complement its upgraded upholstery. While the new GR86 looks similar to the outgoing 2020 86, it has what Toyota calls a “G Mesh” grille, which is complemented by angular LED headlamps, functional front vents, and side spoilers that improve stability and steering response at high speeds. The GR86 Premium, which rides on 18-inch forged alloy wheels, makes its presence known with a tall duckbill rear spoiler. As a race team, Gazoo Racing knows that less weight means more agility. To that end, the new GR86 now uses some aluminum in its hood and fenders to keep weight low, somewhere in the vicinity of 2,800 pounds. Not only is the GR86 very light, but its flat-4 engine helps to give it a low center of gravity, which improves cornering performance. Competitors for the 2022 Toyota GR86 include the Mazda
MZDAY,

MX-5 Miata and possibly even the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford
F,
+1.23%
Mustang. While these Americans certainly are fun rear-wheel-drive coupes, they are quite different in character than the agile little Toyota. See: The 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata: It’s all about the fun of driving2022 Toyota GR86 pricing The 2022 Toyota GR86 starts at $27,700 with a manual transmission and $29,200 with an automatic. In Premium trim, the GR86 manual starts at $30,300 while the GR86 automatic begins at $31,800. The destination fee is $1,025. Included with all 2022 Toyota GR86 models is a no-cost plan that covers normal factory maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first.

The Toyota GR86

Toyota

Driving the 2022 Toyota GR86 If you’re looking for a fun-to-drive sports car that lets you push its limits without needing to travel at supersonic speeds, the 2022 Toyota GR86 is an ideal dance partner. Even with the added horsepower and torque of the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine, the stiffer and tauter GR86 chassis feels capable of coping with far more power. That being said, it’s a welcome relief to drive a sporty vehicle where the engine doesn’t entirely dominate the driving experience. What makes the 2022 GR86 so enjoyable is how the engine, gearbox, brakes, and steering all work together to create a thrilling drive. And yes, when you’re in the mood to relax and simply putter along down the highway or through town, the GR86 is happy to do that, too. The ride is firm, as you’d expect, but the engine doesn’t drone on the highway, and you’re not shaken to pieces over rough pavement. Is it serene like a luxury car? Absolutely not! Though the GR86 is more livable on a daily basis than you imagine – the snug cockpit and small trunk are the biggest limiting factors for long drives Check out: 7 off-the-radar places worth stopping on a California road trip. Enthusiast drivers will jump at the standard 6-speed manual and, having driven both it and the automatic on a racetrack and public roads, it enlivens the GR86 that extra little bit. While the 6-speed automatic performs admirably and gear changes can be done via paddle shifters, the manual lets you keep the engine humming exactly where you want it, particularly when careening around a track. And careen we did, oftentimes sideways through corners – and at one point, beyond the limits of adhesion afforded by the GR86’s tires! Of the various trims we tested, the base GR86 fitted with the manual transmission, and riding on 17-inch alloys wrapped by Michelin Primacy HP tires, felt the lightest on its feet (and the easiest to break rear traction without causing the driver to break into a sweat). Keep in mind, this was during the track portion of our drive, where some seriously sideways moments were easily reigned in by simply lifting off the throttle. If you’re after a user-friendly sports car in which to learn how to drive better and faster, the GR86 ranks among the best. A little more road feel in the steering would be nice, however. Don’t get us wrong, the GR86 is extremely nimble and darts around corners. Except you don’t always feel like the front wheels are telegraphing to the steering wheel (and your fingertips) exactly what’s going on at the road surface. To be fair, compared with 99% of other vehicles sold today, this level of handling will be a revelation to anyone accustomed to a driving life spent in sedans or, gasp, a diet of only SUVs. The GR86 accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds with the 6-speed manual or 6.6 seconds with the 6-speed automatic. This is one of the increasingly rare instances in which a stick-shift is quicker than an optional automatic ‘box fitted to the same vehicle. At the time of our test drive, Toyota would only say that all versions of the GR86 weigh approximately 2,800 pounds. From our perspective, the manual transmission models felt slightly lighter when jumping between them and GR86s with the automatic. Don’t miss: This crowdsourced site shames car dealers for huge markupsInterior comfort The interior of the 2022 Toyota GR86 has two significant updates – a new digital gauge package and sportier seats, both of which enhance the track-focused ambience of the cockpit. As mentioned in our Favorite Features below, the digital gauge package has three different modes, but it’s also enhanced by LCD toggle displays with silver trimmed dials. There’s also a 7-in TFT (Thin Film Transistor) display featuring a neat startup animation sequence that’s inspired by the horizontal pistons of the flat-4 boxer engine. While the Toyota GR86 certainly qualifies as a compact sports coupe, its practicality is enhanced by a pair of rear seats, which are handy to have when needed and fold forward to increase the car’s cargo capacity. Getting an adult back there is another story, however. Headroom and legroom are in scarce supply, though small kids might be OK for short drives. Consider the rear seat an extension of the trunk, and you’ll be better off.Exterior styling Toyota’s new-generation GR86 looks much like the previous 86, but freshened. It continues to look low and athletic, as a lightweight sports coupe should. Visual highlights include a new “G Mesh” grille and angled LED headlights, plus functional front vents and side spoilers that aid vehicle stability at speed. The standard 86 wears forged 17-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Primacy HP tires. The GR86 in Premium trim is equipped with sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4 on forged 18-inch wheels that are black. Further differentiating the new GR86 Premium is its tall duckbill rear spoiler. Available colors on the 2022 Toyota GR86 include two shades of blue and two shades of gray, plus red, white, and black.Favorite features The new 2.4-liter engine
Thanks to its extra displacement, the new 2.4-liter flat-4 engine has lots more of what we like – torque. While the previous 2.0-liter put out 205 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 156 lb-ft of torque at 6,400 rpm, the new 2.4 generates 228 hp at 7,000 rpm and a healthy 184 lb-ft at a significantly lower 3,700 rpm. Digital gauges
All new 2022 Toyota GR86s get this new digital gauge package, which has three display modes: Normal, Sport, and Track. In Track mode, the driver is given real-time readouts for gear position, engine speed, coolant temperature, and oil temperature.Standard features All 2022 Toyota GR86s are equipped with the new 2.4-liter flat-4 engine, a 6-speed manual transmission, and a limited-slip rear differential. Moreover, all Toyota GR86 models come with a push-button starter, an 8-inch touchscreen display, and a 6-speaker audio system featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a pair of USB ports. The 86 Premium improves on that with an 8-speaker audio system and more heavily bolstered seats upholstered in Alcantara, a pseudo suede. All 2022 GR86s also get Toyota’s Smart Key System (on both doors) and an anti-theft alarm, plus LED headlights and the Toyota Star Safety System, a safety suite that includes electronic stability control with a special Track mode that allows more aggressive driving before intervening. Also standard on the 2022 Toyota GR86? A complimentary 1-year membership in the National Auto Sport Association (NASA). As part of this membership, GR86 owners will enjoy one free High-Performance Driving Event (HPDE) and discounted admission to NASA events. Note: If you want adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking on your new 2022 Toyota GR86, they are available but only on models equipped with the automatic transmission.Factory options A 6-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles is the most notable option on the 2022 GR86. It has been strengthened this year to accommodate the added power of the 2.4-liter engine, and it has been updated with adaptive controls that sense brake and accelerator action to ensure it’s always in the right gear for the given situation. Another option on the new Toyota GR86 is adaptive front lighting (headlights that point into turns for better corner illumination), but it’s available only on the Premium trim.Engine and transmission Power for the 2022 Toyota GR86 comes from a new 2.4-liter flat-4 engine. The new 2.4 is rated at 228 horsepower, an 11% improvement over the previous 2.0-liter. More significantly, it puts out 184 lb-ft of torque at 3,700 rpm, versus only 156 lb-ft at 6,400 rpm for the 2.0. The new 2.4 is a high-compression engine, and it uses a combination of direct fuel injection and port fuel injection, the latter to improve combustion efficiency in light-load conditions. As a naturally aspirated (non-turbo) powerplant, the new 2.4-liter has crisp throttle response. Power is sent to the limited-slip differential via a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic with shift paddles. The manual gearbox has had its linkage improved and its clutch strengthened, while the automatic now has been enhanced with greater torque capacity. EPA fuel economy has dropped slightly. The 2022 Toyota 86 was rated at 21 mpg city/28 highway with a manual and 24 mpg city/32 mpg highway with an automatic. The respective new EPA figures for the 2022 Toyota GR86 are 20/27 (manual) and 21/31 (automatic). 2.4-liter flat-4
228 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm
184 lb-ft of torque @ 3,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/27 mpg (manual), 21/31 mpg (automatic) This story originally ran on KBB.com. 

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How to choose the best seat on a plane

How to choose the best seat on a plane

What used to be a simple part of purchasing an airline ticket has become a hot mess in recent years. Should you pay for more legroom? Should you pay at all? Do you have to select a seat in order to get on the plane? These are legitimate questions, and airlines do little to help answer them during checkout.
Here we offer simple, straightforward guidance for how to choose airlines seats, or how to skip seat selection altogether. Airlines have different rules and costs associated with seat selection yet all share many similarities. Mastering this basic yet important aspect of flying can make your trip more comfortable and save you a surprising amount of money. The big exception here is Southwest Airlines,
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+0.65%
which doesn’t follow the industry’s seat selection conventions.4 steps to selecting seats on planesStep 1: Pick an airline with lower seat selection fees Let’s take a step back: Yes, many airlines now charge a fee to select seats ahead of time. This is a relatively new reality in the travel world and isn’t consistent from airline to airline or even trip to trip. Therefore, it’s good to know which airlines are saddling customers with sky-high fees and which are keeping them modest, or skipping them altogether.

We determined these seat selection fees by looking across several fares and averaging the cost of choosing a window seat near the front of the plane and choosing a middle seat near the back.

  • Airlines like American Airlines,
    AAL,
    +2.92%
    Spirit Airlines
    SAVE,
    +3.41%
    and Frontier Airlines
    ULCC,
    +2.34%
    charged high fees for both window seats near the front of the plane and middle seats near the back.

  • Delta Air Lines
    DAL,
    +2.47%
    and United Airlines
    UAL,
    +3.30%
    only charged for the nicer seats.

  • Alaska Airlines
    ALK,
    +1.47%
    and Hawaiian Airlines charged nothing at all.

So you can save yourself some hassle by choosing an airline with more reasonable rules and fees. You don’t want to end up on the fifth checkout screen and realize that you owe $40 extra for your seat. Also see: American Airlines to resume in-flight alcohol sales in AprilStep 2: Skip seat selection if you have to pay Here’s the tricky underside of seat selection fees: You usually don’t have to pay them, but airlines really want you to. This gets especially confusing with basic economy fares, which differ from airline to airline and often don’t include free seat selection. But no matter what, you should skip seat selection altogether if the airline is trying to make you pay. Here’s an example. When trying to book a United basic economy fare, you might see that every available seat carries a charge, even the really lousy ones in the back.

You might think you have to shell out $14 extra on this flight, but not so: You can skip the seat selection process altogether and save that money. Does skipping seat selection mean you might not get a seat at all? Emphatically, no. You will likely get assigned a seat during check-in (though you should still skip it if the airline tries to tack on a fee) or, at the very least, at the gate. Again: You don’t have to select a seat in order to get a seat. You just might get stuck with a suboptimal one if you choose to skip it. It is important to note that if you’re traveling with others, there is no guarantee that your seats will be assigned together if you choose to forgo paying for seat selection, so you’ll need to factor that inconvenience into your decision.Step 3: Weigh the pros and cons of paying to upgrade your seat Most airlines now offer three categories of economy fares:

  • Basic economy. These fares are highly restrictive and usually don’t include free seat selection.

  • Economy (sometimes called “main cabin”). These are the normal economy fares.

  • Premium economy (every airline has its own name). Premium economy fares often include perks like extra legroom and a free drink.

Some airlines even offer a fourth category:

  • Economy preferred (or similar). These are usually economy seats with preferential placement, such as near the front of the plane and on the aisles and windows.

When you purchase one of these fares, your airline will probably ask whether you want to upgrade. Sometimes this will be an interstitial screen during checkout, such as this section from Delta:

More often, this choice will be baked into the seat selection screen. For example, if you select a Comfort+ (premium economy) seat on Delta, you’ll see the cost of upgrading to this seat along with some of the perks.

Feeling some decision fatigue yet? Don’t worry, here are some simple rules to follow:

  • If you are not 100% confident in your plans, upgrade from basic economy to main cabin for better change/cancellation policies.

  • If you must have a window or aisle seat, upgrade from basic economy to economy or economy preferred.

  • If you must have more legroom, upgrade from main cabin (or main cabin preferred) to premium economy.

  • When in doubt, don’t upgrade. These fees might seem small, but they can add up in a hurry, especially on round-trip flights.

Keep in mind that airlines have different names for these different upgrade options. Read: ‘At $4.39 a gallon for gas, it was going to cost me more to drive there and back — than it is to stay at the hotel’: Americans rethink spring travel plansStep 4: Check to make sure your seat selection is OK Assuming you have selected a seat and not chosen to skip it in step 2, you’ll want to make sure it’s a decent, comfortable option. This is especially important for long international flights where the difference between a cramped seat by the bathroom and a bulkhead seat with extra legroom can be a big one. Some airlines include information about the seats during the seat selection process, but remember that they are trying to upsell you on an upgrade, so take this with a grain of salt. Instead, consult a third-party website like SeatGuru. SeatGuru includes detailed information about each seat in most major airlines’ fleets. It has a color-coded map that lets you easily spot the best and worst seats onboard. The easiest way to find your aircraft is to use the search tool on SeatGuru’s homepage. Fair warning: SeatGuru is not the most user-friendly site. It’s still so much better than all the competition that it remains the go-to resource for fleet-specific seat info. You might like: How to get a travel rewards card if you’re just building creditKey takeaways Don’t be overwhelmed by the process of learning how to pick flight seats. Airlines have made it that way on purpose in order to sell their more “premium” seating options. Understanding these basics can save you lots of money. When in doubt, keep it simple. Skip seat selection altogether if the airline is asking you to pay, knowing that you’ll still get assigned a seat before takeoff. And don’t upgrade your seat unless you absolutely must. Seating is just one of the ways that airlines have turned purchasing air travel into a gamut of add-on fees. Keeping your total cost down requires a bit of know-how and navigation, but is well worth the effort. More From NerdWallet Sam Kemmis writes for NerdWallet. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @samsambutdif.

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7 fitness apps beginners may want to check out

7 fitness apps beginners may want to check out

Indeed, thanks to fitness apps, we can access countless thousands of at-home workouts right from our smart devices

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Spring is coming — and some of you may finally want to make good on those promises to start a fitness routine, even if this season has plenty of April showers. Thanks to fitness apps, we can access countless thousands of at-home workouts right from our smart devices. Here are seven apps to check out that can help you get motivated, energized and fit.Free Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout® App  This popular — and free — app was designed by the Director of Exercise Physiology at the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute. The exercises and workouts can be mixed and matched to create over 1,000 variations. You can opt in or out of a warmup, cool down, and choose how much time you want to work out.  During your workout, you can listen to the trainer alone or layer in your own music (which is great, because — IMO —some workout music is intolerable.) As you use the app, you can fine-tune your preferences by giving workouts a thumbs-up or thumbs- down. And it can also be synced with the Apple Health app. The workouts have a pretty clinical aesthetic, so if you like more atmosphere in your workouts, this app may not be for you. Also see: Mansion Global Picks: Ditch the gym for high-end personal exercise equipmentFee-based STRÅLA HOME If you want start gently, try this app created by Stråla Yoga founders Tara Stiles and Mike Taylor. It offers thousands of videos of varying lengths, and regular opportunities for live virtual instruction. The workouts combine elements of tai chi, yoga, qigong, and traditional Chinese medicine to help to increase your fitness level and flexibility, and reduce stress. Price: $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year. Free 7-day trial. THE FITNESS APP This app by fitness guru Jillian Michaels has won “best of” awards from both Google and Apple. Customizable fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness features can help you meet your goals with a workout routine that suits you, no matter your fitness level or time constraints. Workouts range from yoga, HIIT, kickboxing, and weights, to prenatal/postnatal, booty bands, and 5K training. Plus, you’ll have access to content from Michaels’ DVD collection. The app syncs with Apple Health, Apple Watch, MyFitnessPal, and many other devices and platforms. There is no live instruction.  Price:  $14.99 per month, $34.99 for 3 months, $119.99 per year. Free 7-day trial for new customers. CROSSFLOW – Heidi Kristoffer  In this app, super-bendy yogi Heidi Kristoffer fuses yoga with other disciplines in yoga-based routines for every fitness level, mood, duration, and stage of life. Among the 170+ videos: CrossFlowX™, a fast-moving mix of strength, core, and high-intensity cardio intervals; CrossFlowZ, which has gentle flows to help you relax and wind down; and CrossFlowP, which has prenatal and postnatal flows. There is no live instruction, but new videos are added each week. Price: $14.99 per month, $149 per year. Free 14-day trial.  If you’re tied to your smartwatch, here are two apps that link to your fitness watch to access more detailed analytics, including calories burned and steps taken. Fitbit Premium The regular Fitbit app is free. But if you’re looking for something more robust, the Premium subscription gives you access to 150+ guided video and audio workouts and programs from Fitbit instructors and from popular fitness brands like Daily Burn, barre3, and Yoga Studio by Gaiam. You can easily search workouts by difficulty, time, style, and more. Beyond the workouts, Fitbit Premium gives a deeper analysis of your data and access to guided programs for improving sleep and diet/nutrition, mindfulness activities for stress and sleep, and exclusive games and challenges.    Price: $9.99 per month, $80 a year. Free 90-day trial in many cases. Apple Fitness+  This app designed for the Apple Watch contains over 1000 videos in 11 disciplines, including Pilates, Strength, HIIT, Yoga, and Walking–in a wide range of lengths, taught by top, certified fitness instructors. The Apple Watch tracks your workouts and provides metrics that sync across your Apple devices. There are new workouts every week.  Price: $9.99 per month, $79.99 per year. If you own an Apple Watch Series 3 or later, you qualify for a 3-month trial of Apple Fitness+.

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