Last month we received the news that Toyota is phasing out its Scion brand after 13 years of existence in the US and Canadian markets. Naturally, one of the biggest questions enthusiasts had was about the fate of the Scion FR-S – aka the North American version of the Toyota 86.
We need not worry though, because today Toyota officially announced the 2017 Toyota 86 for the region. And along with a new name, the ’17 Toyota 86 is sporting more power and some fresh styling.
Set to make its debut at the New York International Auto Show next week, the Toyota 86 marks the first significant refresh for the platform since it debuted for the 2013 model year. Along with revised front and rear fascias and an updated interior, the 86 will also have modest bumps in horsepower and torque – now 205hp and 156ft-lbs respectively.
It’s only normal to assume that these changes will also be seen on the Toyota 86 sold in the rest of the world, but for us here in North America the more traditional Toyota name and the updates seem like a nice step in the right direction.
What say you?
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia_media
mike@speedhunters.com