Toyota Unveils the All-New 2025 GR86 Hakone Edition!

Lightness, gorgeous looks, a six-speed gearbox, and a proven platform make the exclusive GR86 Hakone an accessible track-day weapon!

The GR86 platform debuted over a decade ago now, immediately earning its rightful place in automotive history. The collaborative effort between Subaru and Toyota capitalized on a growing market niche of people yearning for a fun, inexpensive driver’s car. And since its introduction, the 86 exploded in popularity, winning multiple Car of the Year awards and even spawning its own official racing series. By all accounts, it’s easily one of the best entry-level sports cars. And for 2025, the best just got a little better. Introducing the all-new Hakone Edition, Toyota’s new top-of-the-line trim package!

In an homage to its touge-inspired roots, Toyota named the package after Hakone Shindō (lit. Hakone Road). Specifically, Hakone Shindō is a highway which runs through the picturesque town of Hakone near the base of Mt. Fuji. It winds through the mountainous terrain around Mt. Fuji’s base, providing spectacular driving roads. Perfect for something as light and nimble as the GR86, hence the namesake. There’s no word on price yet. But Toyota provided a list of all the various goodies to expect with the Hakone Edition. These features provide a number of cosmetic and performance-oriented enhancements to the already venerable platform, with several being bespoke to this edition. And, for the collectors out there, Toyota only plans on (appropriately) 860 USDM units.

More Bang for Your Buck

So what do you actually get with the Hakone Edition? Well, let’s begin with the fun stuff: namely, the powertrain and running gear. For 2025, Toyota will carry over their standard 2.4L FA24D H4, pushing 228 horsepower and 184 lb/ft torque. Which doesn’t sound like a lot, but that’s missing the point of the GR86. Rather, its main focus is on lightness, and the Hakone Edition is no exception, weighing as little as 2,811 pounds. Which is a mighty impressive feat, given its usability.

In addition, the Hakone Edition boasts various running gear improvements, including Brembo brakes (four-piston front and two-piston rear), Sachs dampers, and a revised electric power steering system for better road feel. Essentially, Toyota wants to optimize the 86 Hakone Edition for quick switchback roads. So they’re focusing less on power figures, and more on increasing performance through elevating the driver’s level of involvement. As always, the GR86 comes standard with the Aisin AZ6 manual. Though Toyota retains the A960E six-speed automatic as an option as well.

Toyota also added a comprehensive cosmetic package for the Hakone Edition. On the outside, the car sports exclusive Ridge Green paintwork and bespoke bronze wheels, along with a ducktail spoiler. Inside, the main features are Ultrasuede sports seats, finished in tan leather. And an exclusive shift knob with bronze accents, a beautiful and tasteful addition to the driver-centric cockpit. In addition, because it’s based on the Premium Edition, you’ll get all the usual options available on that trim level as well. So expect such features as premium infotainment and climate control, push-button start, LED dials and piano key switches, and more. All of which somehow fits in a 2+2 package weighing less than 3,000 pounds.

Overall, not much has changed with the raw statistics. Expect 0-60 times of 6.1 seconds with the manual and 6.7 with the automatic. You’ll have the same power levels, weights, and so on from the 2024 model. The main draw here, however, lies in its bag of tricks to improve the car’s feel. Suspension and tightened steering modifications remain commonplace among 86 drivers, so it’s nice to see Toyota capitalizing by offering such benefits right from the factory. These days, it goes without saying but this car legitimately looks like the closest thing you’ll get to Toyota offering an actual AE86, showroom-new, with a warranty sticker. And paying homage to its heritage as a backroads and amateur racing legend will only continue bearing fruit for Toyota, as they evolve and improve upon the already superb design for next year.

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M.C. Cuccio

I've been an automotive aficionado since I had baby teeth. My path was set when I first leaned on my grandfather's classic Porsche as I learned how to walk. One of my first memories was my mother sitting me behind the wheel of her Pontiac and talking me through the instrumentation and controls. Even though I was a mere three or four years old, I was instantly sold, and filled notebooks with technical drawings, sketches, and collections of manuals of all sorts of cars. I've actively tracked developments in automotive and motorsport technology for well over 20 years, and pride myself on being intimately familiar with the functions and history of a wide range of vehicles.

My primary goal as a writer and enthusiast is to equally learn and share what I've learned in a constructive and interesting way. I maintain connections with people from around the world and can read technical manuals in Italian, Japanese, and Spanish, granting me access to a wide array of resources. My primary focuses are deep-dives into historical topics, motorsport discussion, and learning about the complex mechanical elements of such vehicles. As such, my research is never perfect; as anyone into cars will attest, the more you learn about cars, the more you realize how little you actually know. Therefore, I always welcome fresh knowledge and corrections to help me better my work in the future.