Life in the Fast Lane on the Toyota 86

An exciting day behind the wheel awaited Kristin Caliendo and I with the Toyota 86. The rule is when you have the opportunity to drive a manual shifting six-speed sport coupe, one must invite a friend along to share the adventure with you.
Kristin is a rock-star automotive journalist based in Phoenix, Arizona. This girl can drive, having cut her teeth in a variety of manual transmission cars up and down the streets of San Francisco. Her passion for cars came from her father, who taught her, as she says “to be a grease monkey.”

 

 

 

Allow me to share  Kristin’s review of the Toyota 86:

 

The Toyota 86 clearly conveys that, “It’s Not For Everyone.” The rear-wheel- drive sports coupe that once was the Scion FR-S is now the 2017 Toyota 86. But why would a car manufacturer go to such lengths to make its mark as the car that’s not made for everyone? Well, just logistically speaking, you won’t be able to squeeze any passengers comfortably in the back seat or make a quick run to Costco for a trunk full of frozen foods.

But, it is made for those who thirst for mean-looking sports car that is quick and agile and looks sweet pulling into the valet at any local hot spot. The 6-speed manual that I drove performed well thanks to its gear ratios and 2.0 liter engine. The combination of 205 horsepower and 156 lb. ft. of torque made driving it a ton of fun making it a great first time sports car owner.

I tend to prefer automatic transmissions, but the 86 was easy to drive, comfortable as the sport seats keep you gripped in. My favorite part was that the 86 alerts you when you need to shift in the manual transmission. The hill-start assist is a helpful feature; holding the brake while you put the car in gear before rolling back, would make this a car of contention for those living in cities such as San Francisco or Laguna Beach.

 

We had so much fun on the Toyota 86!

About Kristen Caliendo

Kristin Caliendo is a writer, columnist and doting mother of two. She shares stories about her hurried, worried, multi-tasking life on her blog Kristincaliendo.com

Until next time,

Sandra

 

 

 

 

 

 

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