What’s this new car all about then?
The Hakone Edition is a special version of Toyota’s acclaimed GR86 coupe, announced just in time to in no way overshadow Subaru New Zealand’s announcement of a limited-run of 10 BRZ models – which is of course the GR86’s sister car, with only minor styling differences and bonnet badges between them.

The GR86 is a regular part of Toyota NZ’s lineup (BRZ isn’t for Subaru NZ); it's a core component of the local Gazoo Racing (GR) range alongside the GR Yaris, GR Corolla and GR Supra. So this one’s just a bit of green icing on the cake, really.
Does it sound like we’re stalling a bit? Yeah maybe, because there’s not a whole lot to talk about. There are just 16 Hakone Editions for NZ and they’re all on the ground now. It’s a full factory effort, hence the striking Ridge Green colour (it looks really different in the metal to the photographs) and lovely bronze badging.
But mechanically, it’s standard GR86. Which is no bad thing, but it just won’t offer any new sensations once you’re behind the wheel. Same 174kW/250Nm 2.4-litre engine, with a choice of 6-speed manual (6 of those) or 6-speed automatic (the other 10).

For the record, the Hakone Edition gets the green hue (which you can’t have on other GR86s) and special badging, bronze-painted alloy wheels, Ultrasuede upholstery with tan leather accents inside and a very nice Hakone-branded gearknob.
It’s named after the Hakone Turnpike by the way, an iconic and challenging 15km road in Japan that winds its way from sea level to 1000m. It’s known for lots of less-than-legal street racing, but it’s also often now closed for motorsport of the more… sanctioned kind.
How much is it?
The Hakone Edition is $61,990 regardless of whether you choose manual or automatic. For context, that’s $2k more than the standard GR86 (or indeed that limited-edition Subaru BRZ).
What’s it like to drive?
Like the regular GR86, silly. Were you not paying attention?

But any excuse really, and we took to the track at a GR media day this month, chasing the new GR Yaris and GR Corolla around Hampton Downs in the Hakone Edition.
Chasing is the correct word, because the GR86 doesn’t match the straight-line performance and agility of those 221kW AWD tearaways, nor can its conventional 6-speed automatic (yes, we had the two-pedal) swap cogs as expertly as the new Direct Shift 8-speed fitted to its hot-hatch siblings.

But know what? The GR86 was still one everybody was lining up for. That might have been because there was only one… but it was also a hoot to drive in this company, with a vastly more playful chassis and truly engaging character. The Yaris and Corolla are the serious rally car types, while the GR86 is the one with the barking boxer-engine that wants to chat through the steering and chassis all the time. Wonderful.
What’s the pick of the range?
There’s just the one GR86 Hakone Edition, silly. You really need to read more closely. But if you don’t like green or they’re all gone by the time you read this, there’s always the regular model.

Since you’ve read this far, you might as well have the bad news: there’s really only 15 available, because the car you see here is being retained by Toyota NZ for the immediate future, for customer and media activities. So while that’s one less for actual buyers, it also means there’s a real chance we’ll get another go. Yay for us.
It’s worth noting that while Hakone is a special edition, it’s only strictly limited for NZ. It’s a model being sold in multiple markets and Toyota NZ was a bit vague on the overall numbers, so it stands to reason used imports will eventually come.
What other cars should I consider?
One more time: the standard GR86. Or a Subaru BRZ if you can get one.
Beyond that, there aren’t many classic rear-drive sports cars like this around – at least not at this relatively affordable level. The Nissan Z is an obvious rival in spirit, but it starts at $89,990 (by which time you’re getting up towards GR Supra territory). If we still had a four-cylinder Mustang, maybe, but the Ford is now V8 only for NZ.
The Mazda MX-5 ($60,490-$61,990) provides similarly purist entertainment and Japanese brand appeal, but it’s really a different kind of thing.