Toyota 86: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
The Toyota 86 has 4 model year(s) in the federal index and no scored complaint record yet, so this page carries the catalogue entry and the years we hold rather than a verdict.
Toyota 86: which years to avoid
Across 4 scored model years the Toyota 86 ranges from 53/100 in 2019 to 93/100 in 2020 — a 40-point spread, so which year you buy matters more than whether you buy a 86 at all. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Engine (3 of them).
Safest years: 2017, 2018, 2020 — scored 70 or better.
Check carefully: 2019.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 93 | BUY | $4,033 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 53 | CAUTION | $4,197 | 10 | 1 |
| 2018 | 90 | BUY | $4,312 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | 89 | BUY | $4,454 | 2 | 2 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the 86, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Toyota 86
Across every 86 model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Engine5 complaints across all 86 years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other3 complaints across all 86 years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System3 complaints across all 86 years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Wheels1 complaints across all 86 years · typical job: Wheel bearing or hub replacement$460–$920
- Suspension1 complaints across all 86 years · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle$780–$1,580
- Structure1 complaints across all 86 years · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair$1,070–$2,920
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Toyota 86 years to buy?
2017, 2018, 2020 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2020 at 93/100, on 1 complaints and 0 recall campaigns.
What is the most common Toyota 86 problem?
5 of the complaints filed against the 86 across all its model years sit in the Engine group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04