In 2020, Toyota closed out the 86’s production run with the Hakone Edition, featuring Emerald Green paint reminiscent of the treetops in Japan’s Hakone Mountains, along with dark bronze wheels, and a two-tone black-and-tan interior to finish it all off. This 2025 Toyota GR86 Hakone Edition is similar in spirit, but with a few subtle tweaks differentiating it from its predecessor and the rest of the current GR86 lineup. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to spend a week with it to finally see what all the fuss is about.

What’s new for 2025?

The 2025 GR86 Hakone is finished in a new shade called Ridge Green and keeps the bronze wheels, but it’s not just an appearance package. Similar to last year’s Trueno Edition, the Hakone features Sachs dampers, Brembo brakes all around with four-piston calipers up front, and two-piston units in the rear. Brakes, shocks, and dark green paint is just what the doctors at Gazoo Racing called for, and this one does not disappoint. With a black Alcantara interior and saddle tan accents, this colourway is more European-flavoured than Japanese, but works very well with the GR86’s nicely proportioned body. It definitely adds a subtle wow factor that makes you do a double, or sometimes triple-take as you’re walking away from it.

Interior comfort, ergonomics, and tech

If you’re looking for the latest in technology, the GR86 is not for you. The infotainment interface feels aftermarket at best, considering it does not use Toyota’s latest software found in the rest of their lineup, save for the Supra. Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is the sole option to connect to your smartphone. Despite this, Bluetooth connectivity is consistent and crisp-sounding, with no glitches throughout our time. Even with the high levels of cabin noise, the interior microphone does a great job at isolating my voice while on calls. Considering what the GR86 Hakone is, it gets the job done.

Interior comfort and ergonomics are subpar at best. The clamshell-opening of the centre console reveals two cupholders and barely enough space to plug your phone in. This becomes awkward during longer commutes and road trips; we don’t mind plugging a phone in so long as there is ample space to place your phone without compromising on comfort. But in this case — with such limited storage space — we wish Toyota added wireless CarPlay (or Android Auto) so we can just drop our phone into the door card, or keep them in our pockets. Although these seats are nicely bolstered and do a great job at hugging you during those tight corners and high speed long sweepers, they become really uncomfortable after a couple hours of driving due to the lack of lumbar and thigh cushioning. The flip side to that coin is that it offers more practicality and trunk space than a Mazda MX-5.

How does the 2025 GR86 Hakone drive?

Looking at it through the lens of a budget sports car, the GR86 Hakone Edition still embodies the core tenants of the base car: great steering feel despite being electric power steering, one of the best-feeling shifters in the business short of an MX-5 or a Porsche, and a sense of forgiveness that provides even the most novice of performance-oriented drivers confidence behind the wheel. The Sachs dampers make the GR86 feel “more stable” for those who want to push this car beyond seven-tenths. With a near 50:50 weight distribution — 53:47 front/rear, to be exact — the Hakone loves to rotate once you go beyond the limits of the standard-issue Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires.

Best of all, it is easily manageable since it beautifully communicates what the front and rear end of the car are doing. Think of the GR86 Hakone as an agile dance partner that can quickly improvise after a misstep. With more practice and finding the limits, you quickly become one with the car rather than dictating your movements in a disjointed manner.

In traditional sports car fashion, the GR86 Hakone is rear-wheel-drive and uses a proper Torsen limited-slip differential. It’s equipped with a Subaru-derived derived 2.4-litre normally aspirated Boxer four-cylinder, making 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Unlike most traditional inline-fours that become buzzy when you push it, this layout feels more like a six-cylinder in terms of overall smoothness, along with providing that distinct Subaru sound, for better or worse. Equipped with a six-speed manual, the gear ratios are perfectly matched to the powerband of this motor, feeling like you can use all 228 ponies all the time. The GR86, along with the MX-5, exemplifies the idea that it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow, if you get my drift. No pun intended.

Although we took issue with the wonky throttle mapping with the Trueno, Toyota seemingly listened because the Hakone felt much easier to drive around town. It also seemed more precise about adding the right amount of throttle while nailing those heel-toe downshifts. The forced disconnect we once felt with previous GR86s is now gone, making for a truly wonderful experience even on the most mundane of commutes. The Brembo brakes also feel fantastic, always providing you with a consistently firm pedal that gives you the confidence to brake-dive into a corner and still come out in one piece.

Is the 2025 GR86 Hakone worth it?

Pricing for a base GR86 starts at $32,355, but our Hakone Edition tester comes up to $38,710 as-tested. Comparing it to an MX-5, it’s somewhat of a value proposition considering you get more power, back seats, and a bigger trunk for less money. Considering this is one of only 30 Hakone Edition cars destined for Canada, though, expect the final price to be a smidge higher than advertised.

The 2025 Toyota GR86 Hakone Edition may not be ground breaking, but it offers meaningful changes in the way of revised throttle mapping, upgraded shocks and brakes all around, and a Euro-flavoured colour combo that will for sure make a great first impression to strangers and a lasting impression on you, long after you walk away from it. In a world where manufacturers push to meet increasingly difficult emissions and electrification targets, budget sports cars like the GR86 are not just a dying breed of vehicle, but are ultimately a symbol of defiance in an increasingly digital world.