Japanese automaker Toyota is preparing a dramatic pivot for its entry-level rear-wheel-drive coupe. Sources close to the project say the third-generation GR86 will abandon its decade-long co-development with Subaru in favor of Mazda’s celebrated MX-5 Miata platform. Insiders at Best Car report that Toyota has already relocated several Mazda engineers to Toyota City to refine an upgraded version of the ND-series Miata architecture, specifically the feather-light 990S variant that tips the scales at just 2,182 pounds.
Unlike past partnerships that yielded near-identical twins such as the GR86 and BRZ, Toyota and Mazda plan to emphasize each model’s distinct character. Mazda’s new Miata will remain a strict two-seat roadster, preserving the Miata’s core ethos of simplicity and precision. Meanwhile, Toyota’s GR86 will feature a stretched wheelbase for a 2+2 seating layout and a hard-top coupe silhouette, promising the practicality that American buyers expect from a compact performance car.
Under the hood, Toyota intends to fit the GR86 with its own 2.0-liter hybrid powertrain delivering north of 200 hp, leveraging electrified assistance for strong low-end torque. Mazda, for its part, may offer the Miata with an enlarged 2.5-liter Skyactiv‐G engine—potentially with hybrid support—echoing comments from Mazda’s technical chief, Ryuichi Umeshita, about a larger future Miata motor.
Production of both sports cars is slated for Mazda’s Hiroshima facility, which Toyota will help upgrade with fresh investment to boost capacity. Industry analysts believe the shared platform strategy will reduce development costs while preserving the purity of each vehicle’s driving dynamics—a lesson learned from Mazda’s successful Miata–Fiat 124 Spider collaboration.
Toyota and Mazda’s alliance dates back to a 2015 memorandum of understanding and deepened in 2017 with cross-shareholding and joint ventures, including the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA plant in Alabama that builds the CX-50 and Corolla Cross. By pooling resources on chassis, safety tech, and electrification, the two companies aim to defend the traditional sports-car segment against the tide of SUVs and EV-only portfolios.
With an anticipated market debut around 2028, the next-generation GR86 could solidify Toyota’s commitment to accessible, driver-focused coupes in the American market—while giving Mazda fresh R&D funding to keep the Miata at the forefront of lightweight performance.
