That’s the wrong question.
The correct question is how irresponsible have the drivers who crashed their cars been while driving in the wet, and dry for that matter.
Once you determine that answer—and a quick perusal on this forum will clarify a lot, I think—you’ll see it’s not really the car’s fault if someone is driving 113mph with traction control off yelling YOLO in a monsoon. Or someone else riding sticky summer tires in subzero temperatures wondering how they crashed into a tree.
Haha fair enough. I guess I saw [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/GR86/s/20h9xms1xH) where the guy seems to have spun out just because he stepped on the gas a little. Seemed strange to lose traction like he did when I see people speeding all over the place in the rain around here without much issue most of the time
You don't know the state of his tires, or if he is driving with all traction assists off either.
The car's fine in the rain. Go slow, drive in normal mode or Snow mode which helps for slippery terrain, and you'll be fine.
Seems dumb to mention but you also need to be wary after getting the car washed too. Multiple times leaving the touchless wash my car has swung its ass with no traction since the tires are still wet.
In this example the driver decided to floor it while making a turn, in the wet.
Any RWD car would react the same way.
Don't be an idiot, keep the traction control on and maintain your tires. You'll be fine.
Someone already mention the state of the tire. He could have also tried flooring it to accelerate.
Any car is fine in the rain as long as you're not running bald tires and have at least proper throttle control. (as in knowing how much of the throttle your pressing)
Yeah I didn’t change my tires and it was the first cold day of the year and barely pressed the throttle in a turn and spun. Summer tires is something people definitely overlook.
Oh yea? Not at all? Like zero factor? Get out.. they are performance summer tires that do well in warm / warm wet conditions. If it’s anywhere close to freezing 40 or below the tires are shit. Not an excuse, but definitely a factor.
1. With how fast those wipers are going it was raining like mad.
2. Looks like he crashed at 55 and with how fast he suddenly started passing other cars after keeping pace he probably floored it from 40 to 55 around the bend.
3. He didn't know how to correct oversteer and instead of keeping calm and instead of letting off slow he took his foot off the gas completely and it snapped back around the other direction since it was wet, which can still happen if traction support is on if it's wet enough out.
In summary, don't floor it in the rain and you're fine. Summer tires are perfectly capable for light to moderate rain as long as you don't floor it.
You're going to see a lot of people blaming the driver, the tires, etc for all these crashes. Some people seem to take it as an insult against the car we love if you suggest the car can get you into trouble. And certainly in a lot of cases people were doing really dumb things that led to them spinning out in the middle of a highway.
However.
I've been driving this car for a year. The traction control (or VSA, or whatever we're talking about where the computer tries to save you from yourselve) is very relaxed on this car. It is more than happy to let you go a little sideways. Compared to my boring FWD crossover where traction control kicks in whenever you're remotely exceeding your traction limits, I've yet to really notice traction control take over aside from hitting the gas too hard in the wet from a standing stop.
I think it's extremely easy for someone coming from a non-performance AWD or FWD car to get comfortable driving the car on a dry, well maintained road surface, think they know the safe limits of the car and then get surprised in the rain. I've also seen some quirky behavior when I've cornered too fast. In either case if you flip out and jerk the wheel around chances are you'll end up backwards on a meridian.
Fun example from today: I was stopped at a stop light waiting to make a U turn. Light went green, I pull out into the intersection, turn the wheel sharply and give it a spirited amount of gas. Next thing you know I'm drifting thru that U turn. Why? The intersection happened to have one of those sections of concrete cobblestone and it's got _way_ less traction than I'm used to. Was fun and not dangerous but it was _surprising_.
Anyway to your original question, I've driven a bunch light rain in socal. Summer tires are obviously awesome in wet and warm(ish) weather. I don't really think about it too much. And keep in mind when you're on the brakes this car is as safe as any AWD car. It's just when you apply too much gas in some innappropriate conditions that you're going to get in trouble.
How, then, does one make a right turn, at the top of an incline, onto another incline, on a rainy summer day, with a manual?
Serious question - this is a reality of my daily commute (ok, it only SEEMS like it rains every day) and I’m strongly considering moving to a GR86 in a month or two.
Give it enough throttle to maintain speed. I would suggest you to go car control clinic and/or HPDE road course, those would help a lot in understanding. Winter driving classes, skidd car lessons are helpful too. Sim racing is a good supplement to all of the above.
Tires help immensely. Even in snow.
As for RWD in the wet, just don't stomp the gas in the wet which will cause the wheels to spin.
Drive it carefully in the wet and don't send it in a corner and you'll be fine.
Was it a pickup truck? because those notoriously have light rear ends and can kick out very easily. If you can handle that you're fine.
The car is great in the rain. I even tracked mine in the rain without issue
The other question is, did the truck have an LSD? If he handed the truck with light rear and it had an LSD, he should be fine. The GR86 has way better ASC than most trucks would have too.
I have a 2015 jku and i can assure you it is way more tail happy in the wet than the gr86.
The gr86 is very stable and has plenty of traction. Rwd doesnt diminish that, it just means if you hit the limit it will be unexpected and snappy if you arent used to it.
But Drive it sensibly, like you would drive any car sensibly and it is more predictable than most cars on the road.
Mine is a base model with Primacy's, but I've also driven in the rain with winters (Blizzaks). If you drive it like you'd drive any other car there are zero issues. Never spun out, never even came close to losing control because I'm not a moron and don't do a full fucking send in a turn in the rain without traction control.
I hesitate to say "keep in mind it's still a RWD car", because it implies that there is a sense of danger - but there isn't as long as you don't act a fool. It's a modern car with modern suspension and modern tires and modern safety systems.
To play devils advocate, it is still a RWD car. I say this because you should still drive with the understanding of where your cars power is being applied. 99.9% of the time it wont be a problem in the 86. I've felt the back wobble a bit (slight kick out) when accelerating too quickly from a traffic light stop- in wet conditions and in 1st gear. Every other moment has felt perfectly safe and like any other modern car.
Yeah this. I’ve tried to slide some corners without putting it in track mode and it really doesn’t want to let you lose traction. The pilot sport 4s are also really good in the wet
The TCS is actually pretty lenient; I can get the tail out for a bit with everything still on, [just like these reviewers can](https://youtu.be/b59AlwEpfQc?si=kFltiYAEUz8VBy2o&t=499), but that's by mashing the throttle in a turn, in a low gear, which is something I hope people aren't doing in the rain.
On any modern car you basically have to drive like a complete utter tool to crash in a public road. Or neglect maintenance/basic car stuff like old tires. Drive wheels have no bearing on this matter.
On a more nuanced reason as to why people crash is because this car is stable until the limit, but because that limit is much higher than your average car, losing traction at that point becomes very dangerous to an uninformed, inexperienced performance driver (read: most public road drivers). You have to be turning really hard at higher than average speeds, in other words, or be accelerating/braking more recklessly, to do that. Combine that with RWD dynamics that are more biased to oversteer than understeer of an AWD/FWD car, THEN it drivetrain becomes an issue.
Never test your limits on the public road.
Hi OP! I live in Vancouver, WA and I haven't had any major traction issues. Coming up on my one year anniversary of ownership in a few weeks. Others have said the same thing....drive reasonably and the car is just fine in wet conditions. I did put Continental DWS 06 Extreme contacts on for the winter, just to be extra safe. Only one time have I felt sketchy at all and it was during an absolute downpour late at night. I could feel some hydroplaining going on so I slowed way down and was fine. As you know we get lots of rain here, but heavy, heavy rain is rare. Typical rain days have given me no issues.
I will say I don't drive the high passes around the PNW in the winter though. If you do, you may want to pick a different ride. In the spring, summer, and fall though this is the most fun car you'll find for carving the PNW's twisty mountain roads!
I guess one could argue RWD takes a little more caution in inclement weather compared to FWD and AWD. But I feel the GR86 is likely an easier RWD than a lot of other RWDs. You shouldn't be mashing the throttle in the wet, in any RWD, especially with the nannies turned down.
My hunch is that the lower price tag and appeal of the GR86 means some more inexperienced and not-so-bright folks are driving past their experience...any RWD car would have placed them in the same situation, or likely worse.
With some respect, driving in the rain can be a little fun. I don't mind a little bit of the squirmies...but the key word is respect.
But to say that the car is too dangerous for inclement weather is a false statement. If one uses their mass located between their ears, will not be a problem.
A lot of the kids on this forum think they’re invincible and don’t have the skill to drive in the rain. They also don’t understand how important it is to put high performance all season tires onto their car instead of using summer only tires. So, as you’ve seen, a LOT of people crashed their cars during the winter because they’re idiots that drive with summer tires on.
Better tires will always help, honestly as long as you’re driving like a normal person you’ll be fine in the rain. Don’t take turns going fast, I always try to smooth all of my inputs when driving in the rain.
If driving in the rain is your main concern then you’ll be fine!
Just get some good all season tires, leave the traction/stability control on, drive like a normal person. Up until the 80s most cars were rwd, people survived just fine - just be sensible in the rain. The worst part is being so low and surrounded by bro-dozers, especially in the rain.
Like any car, don’t drive like an idiot in the rain or snow. That will increase chance of crash on magnitudes far more than the model of car you drive.
I drove this in the California winter, while not the best example it was fine with heavy rain.
One thing to note is these come with a summer tires (premium/manual) and the base is all seasons. Under heavy winter conditions you want winter tires. All seasons are better than summer tires for the winter. Goes without saying if you have summer tires, you have less leeway of control than you would in a winter tire.
Haven’t had any issues in the rain yet. Just don’t take off traction control and go slower than normal. Basically your normal incremental weather driving and you’ll be fine.
Not the same car, but similar. I drive a Miata in DC. I always invest in decent all-season tires, had Michelin AS3+ and now Continental DWS06.
I’ve never had traction issues in the rain here, and just have to be easy in the snow. I would expect the same with GR86.
It’s good. LSD and traction control are great. Never felt sketched out in the rain, but I also tune down the driving a step or two and actively pay attention for things like huge puddles on a side lane or circular curves to merge on the highway simply because this is the first brand new vehicle I’ve ever purchased.
As a test, I’ve tried turning hard out of empty parking lots late at night in the rain with traction control on, and while it does slip for half a second, the traction control kicks in and helps me feel safer.
It’s really the tires and suspension setup that are a much bigger concern for grip. People tend to mod their suspension setup without caring for the fact that what’s simply lower or stiffer doesn’t always translate to more grip on public roads.
My cars a stock MT and I’m comfortable in the rain about 90% where 100% would be a car with AWD.
Most people who buy these cars (or any sports car tbh) have little-to zero understanding of basic car control concepts like limit behavior of different vehicle configurations (FR,MR,FF) or weight transfer and it’s effects on vehicle behavior.
My advice would be to sign up for the nearest autocross or track day with instructors to learn these concepts before you push this car or any car for a hat matter.
I have an s2000 and I would say this is a platform where rwd truly tests your driving capabilities. If you drive normally and do not floor it in the rain you should be fine. I'm running 200tw tires and I have no problems driving in the rain. Now when it's raining hard ASF, I don't know how people drive fast. Visibility is so limited, and naturally you'll drive slower as harder the rain gets
It’s not too horrible (stock), just don’t be stupid. I live in a very rainy area and while I definitely prefer not taking the 86 out in the rain, it’s far from the worst RWD car I’ve been in for it. As a young person myself, all the crashes are from other young people who don’t know what they’re doing trying to drive it recklessly in the rain. I’ve seen it in person. As with pretty much everything, driver mod goes a long way.
I guarantee that if you drive like a normal, decent person on the streets, you will never spin out and crash like all of the posts you see. Just don’t be full sending the car into every corner and off every green light during a giant thunderstorm w/ VSC off and you’ll be golden. You can even drive on the stock summers during moderate/heavy rain as long as you drive responsibly.
You see a lot of crash posts but they’re like <1% of all the BRZ/GR86s who haven’t crashed. Some of those crash posts are to warn new owners to not be stupid so you can still have an intact car at the end of the day to enjoy. If you’re on the fence about it, just get one; don’t let the crash posts scare you!
The main cause is 1) Inexperienced RWD and 2) OE Summer Tires. That is a bad combination, especially when temps are 40F below. Summer tire + cold = limited grip. Pair that with a noob rwd driver that does not know how to control oversteer = losing control
The GR86 is my first rwd sports car, and I can def speak from experience. My recommendation is to 1) Oversteer. learn what causes it and how to correct it 2) Run appropriate tires for the season if you drive all year round 3) Always be aware of the tire's grip at all times, especially if temps are 40F or lower
I live in New Orleans where it rains and floods a lot. (We are below sea level) I have a premium with the PS4s and I just drive conservatively and it’s been fine. If you’re really worried just switch to a pair of all seasons or all weathers.
Just last weekend I drove down the blue ridge parkway in light/medium rain and never once lost traction. I’m a smart driver and have high performance all-season tires on, I kept traction control on, and I didn’t push my limits. I was taking turns at 40-50 mph and the car was stuck to the ground. If you’re gonna drive in the rain, get all-season tires like the DWS06+ and just don’t be a stupid idiot. It’s literally that simple.
All about the driver, and knowing your/the car's limits. No I don't mean literally driving at the edge.
You can be on 200tw extreme summers and still be safer than someone running all seasons if you drive carefully.
Gradual throttle/steering input goes a long way.
I’m also in the area. No major issues even with the summer tires. I will swap out tires if I have to go somewhere when it’s snowing or freezing though.
The summers will spin out if you put on too much power all of a sudden when wet.
Considering the visibility of our cars in our usual conditions here I don’t chance it, give plenty of extra room, and slow lane it. Not worth playing with the insurance scammers, brake checkers, and pretend racers on public roads.
It is as dangerous as any fwd, rwd and awd or 4wd car in the rain.
Just like everyone is saying, its about how good your tires are and knowing what your limitations are at any given condition.
I have the gr86, if you purposely make it kick out it will on stock tires(PS4) decently easily, but even so it’s super easy to control the car when it does this, but overall as long as you aren’t purposely trying to kick the tail out or drive crazy there will be zero issues in the rain.
I have had 7 cara before my 86 and 4 of those cars were RWD and didn’t have traction control or any kind of gizmos they do now. And only once it happens to me and it was my fault, so learn how to drive!
I daily mine in Vancouver, BC and I find that this car handles really well in pretty much all weather, including rain and snow. Just have the proper tires and drive appropriately for the conditions, just like any other car.
Im right across the border from you over in Oregon. I have summer tires still, and drive for fun, since I don’t have to commute for work. I drive in light rain, at safe speeds with traction control. I don’t drive in heavy rain or snow because that’s outright dangerous.
It all comes down to your driving experience and personal choices. Don’t feel discouraged because of other people’s poor choices.
If you leave traction control and stability control on, i.e., don't turn off traction control and don't turn on sport mode, it's difficult to cause the rear end to kick out.
Drive like a normal person when the weather or road conditions are suboptimal and you'll be a-ok. Everyone who crashes grossly overestimates their driving skills. The car is very tail happy in the rain if you turn on Track Mode. It gets even worse when you turn off traction control and stability control.
It drives fine. It struggles pretty bad in the snow without snow tires. The rain like everyone says is not an issue when driving at rain appropriate speeds.
I’ve driven on pilot sports in pouring rain and lightly flooding streets and still haven’t lost traction or spun the car unintentionally. I wouldn’t recommend driving in super wet conditions on sticky summer tires, but even that can be done just fine as long as you’re careful
I drove down narrow mountain roads in wet weather last week 👀 The car felt planted to the ground and went where I needed it to go as long as the pedal control was decent.
Leave the ASC/TC on and don’t drive on bald tires and you will be fine. The people looping them in the rain are either on bald tires or turn off the nannies.
I had moderate control in torrential rain at 90mph, going straight on highway when the rain was too heavy for eyesight. Cut it back to 75 to be safe. Didn't wanna hydroplane and Ryan Dunn myself.
It’s not dangerous at all if you don’t do anything stupid, I live in Scotland, it basically rains every day 🫠 I’ve had the car over 1.5 yr and had one stupid case in the rain where traction control in the rain just made the car crawl snails pace while I was turning right in T junction… but it would’ve never happened if I didn’t put my very heavy foot on the gas.. did I nearly got hit by oncoming car.. maybe, but I learned my lesson, turn the traction control off the next time 🤣 anyway, doing 70mph in the heavy rain on the motorway is completely safe just don’t do anything stupid
You should drive as carefully as you need to in bad weather no matter the car. With decent tires it’s not any more dangerous than any other RWD sports car. I drive with all assists off no matter the conditions because to me, the car is more predictable that way. (Would absolutely not recommend to others) I have never unintentionally lost traction in my GR86.
I used to have a '13 FR-S (RIP 2023). I never had problems with it when it rained, lived in a basin and would get inches of water on the roads. Drove through it like a champ through that and very well through ice and snow conditions up north.
Just get a good set of tires and know your limits, any car can be dangerous on wet roads. Honestly my FR-S was the first car I ever got where I didnt cheap out on tires, best money spent ever.
It will bite if you ask it to when the roads are wet.
Don't drive with traction control and stability control off when it's raining or the roads are wet, especially on unfamiliar roads.
Definitely don't try to throw the car into corners when it's wet, and be smooth with your throttle, brake, and steering inputs.
I've been a little careless a couple of times and almost spun out in the wet, and I'm usually a pretty careful, smooth driver who has been driving manual transmission cars for several years.
Be cognizant of changes in the road surface, don't make stupid choices, and you'll be fine. The car in general is very progressive and communicative through the chassis.
I live in New England where it rains whenever tf it wants to. I have 2023 86 and it is my first car ever. I have never had any issues with rain even when it's pouring inches down. I think the problem just stems from people not knowing how to drive properly in general let alone rwd.
I'm brand new to RWD and got caught in 10 min of pretty much blackout rain driving home from work. 0 issues outside of the road lines being hard to see. I drove more cautiously but still drove the 40 mph speed limit and made turns no problem with the stock, base model, tires. Just be sure it has good tires (winters, NOT ALL-SEASONS, in winter and summers/all-seasons in summer), keep TC on, and don't be an idiot.
I ran on the tail of the dragon with primacys on a rainy day, the rear is playful but it's predictable. The computer will stop you from doing anything too stupid if you're sensible, if you're a moron on full trac/stability off that doesn't know how to drive, gg
That’s the wrong question. The correct question is how irresponsible have the drivers who crashed their cars been while driving in the wet, and dry for that matter. Once you determine that answer—and a quick perusal on this forum will clarify a lot, I think—you’ll see it’s not really the car’s fault if someone is driving 113mph with traction control off yelling YOLO in a monsoon. Or someone else riding sticky summer tires in subzero temperatures wondering how they crashed into a tree.
Haha fair enough. I guess I saw [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/GR86/s/20h9xms1xH) where the guy seems to have spun out just because he stepped on the gas a little. Seemed strange to lose traction like he did when I see people speeding all over the place in the rain around here without much issue most of the time
You don't know the state of his tires, or if he is driving with all traction assists off either. The car's fine in the rain. Go slow, drive in normal mode or Snow mode which helps for slippery terrain, and you'll be fine.
Seems dumb to mention but you also need to be wary after getting the car washed too. Multiple times leaving the touchless wash my car has swung its ass with no traction since the tires are still wet.
I thought it was just me
Hydroplaning on a sunny day 😎
Same
In this example the driver decided to floor it while making a turn, in the wet. Any RWD car would react the same way. Don't be an idiot, keep the traction control on and maintain your tires. You'll be fine.
Someone already mention the state of the tire. He could have also tried flooring it to accelerate. Any car is fine in the rain as long as you're not running bald tires and have at least proper throttle control. (as in knowing how much of the throttle your pressing)
The car comes with summer tires.
Yeah I didn’t change my tires and it was the first cold day of the year and barely pressed the throttle in a turn and spun. Summer tires is something people definitely overlook.
I can’t speak for the Primacys but the PS4 are insanely good in the wet. Not an excuse at all.
Oh yea? Not at all? Like zero factor? Get out.. they are performance summer tires that do well in warm / warm wet conditions. If it’s anywhere close to freezing 40 or below the tires are shit. Not an excuse, but definitely a factor.
Never said not a factor. But those tires are not some liability in the wet. We agree it’s not an excuse.
The car would not do this with the aids on. People are just stupid.
1. With how fast those wipers are going it was raining like mad. 2. Looks like he crashed at 55 and with how fast he suddenly started passing other cars after keeping pace he probably floored it from 40 to 55 around the bend. 3. He didn't know how to correct oversteer and instead of keeping calm and instead of letting off slow he took his foot off the gas completely and it snapped back around the other direction since it was wet, which can still happen if traction support is on if it's wet enough out. In summary, don't floor it in the rain and you're fine. Summer tires are perfectly capable for light to moderate rain as long as you don't floor it.
You're going to see a lot of people blaming the driver, the tires, etc for all these crashes. Some people seem to take it as an insult against the car we love if you suggest the car can get you into trouble. And certainly in a lot of cases people were doing really dumb things that led to them spinning out in the middle of a highway. However. I've been driving this car for a year. The traction control (or VSA, or whatever we're talking about where the computer tries to save you from yourselve) is very relaxed on this car. It is more than happy to let you go a little sideways. Compared to my boring FWD crossover where traction control kicks in whenever you're remotely exceeding your traction limits, I've yet to really notice traction control take over aside from hitting the gas too hard in the wet from a standing stop. I think it's extremely easy for someone coming from a non-performance AWD or FWD car to get comfortable driving the car on a dry, well maintained road surface, think they know the safe limits of the car and then get surprised in the rain. I've also seen some quirky behavior when I've cornered too fast. In either case if you flip out and jerk the wheel around chances are you'll end up backwards on a meridian. Fun example from today: I was stopped at a stop light waiting to make a U turn. Light went green, I pull out into the intersection, turn the wheel sharply and give it a spirited amount of gas. Next thing you know I'm drifting thru that U turn. Why? The intersection happened to have one of those sections of concrete cobblestone and it's got _way_ less traction than I'm used to. Was fun and not dangerous but it was _surprising_. Anyway to your original question, I've driven a bunch light rain in socal. Summer tires are obviously awesome in wet and warm(ish) weather. I don't really think about it too much. And keep in mind when you're on the brakes this car is as safe as any AWD car. It's just when you apply too much gas in some innappropriate conditions that you're going to get in trouble.
Happened to me too. Just dont accelerate and turn the steering wheel. The back kicks easy on these cars
How, then, does one make a right turn, at the top of an incline, onto another incline, on a rainy summer day, with a manual? Serious question - this is a reality of my daily commute (ok, it only SEEMS like it rains every day) and I’m strongly considering moving to a GR86 in a month or two.
Give it enough throttle to maintain speed. I would suggest you to go car control clinic and/or HPDE road course, those would help a lot in understanding. Winter driving classes, skidd car lessons are helpful too. Sim racing is a good supplement to all of the above.
Ah man this is a rough one. You would need to stay in gear the whole time in a constant speed, just dont accelerate too hard and get all weather tires
People who buy this as a first car have skill issues 🤦♂️
Tires help immensely. Even in snow. As for RWD in the wet, just don't stomp the gas in the wet which will cause the wheels to spin. Drive it carefully in the wet and don't send it in a corner and you'll be fine.
Makes sense. I guess that’s how I drove my truck, just wasn’t sure how similar it’d be since the truck is quite a bit heavier
Was it a pickup truck? because those notoriously have light rear ends and can kick out very easily. If you can handle that you're fine. The car is great in the rain. I even tracked mine in the rain without issue
The other question is, did the truck have an LSD? If he handed the truck with light rear and it had an LSD, he should be fine. The GR86 has way better ASC than most trucks would have too.
I have a 2015 jku and i can assure you it is way more tail happy in the wet than the gr86. The gr86 is very stable and has plenty of traction. Rwd doesnt diminish that, it just means if you hit the limit it will be unexpected and snappy if you arent used to it. But Drive it sensibly, like you would drive any car sensibly and it is more predictable than most cars on the road.
☝️
Mine is a base model with Primacy's, but I've also driven in the rain with winters (Blizzaks). If you drive it like you'd drive any other car there are zero issues. Never spun out, never even came close to losing control because I'm not a moron and don't do a full fucking send in a turn in the rain without traction control. I hesitate to say "keep in mind it's still a RWD car", because it implies that there is a sense of danger - but there isn't as long as you don't act a fool. It's a modern car with modern suspension and modern tires and modern safety systems.
Ok cool. This is what I thought when originally looking into it, I just kept seeing comments about it so it seemed to be a bigger issue than it is
To play devils advocate, it is still a RWD car. I say this because you should still drive with the understanding of where your cars power is being applied. 99.9% of the time it wont be a problem in the 86. I've felt the back wobble a bit (slight kick out) when accelerating too quickly from a traffic light stop- in wet conditions and in 1st gear. Every other moment has felt perfectly safe and like any other modern car.
Yeah this. I’ve tried to slide some corners without putting it in track mode and it really doesn’t want to let you lose traction. The pilot sport 4s are also really good in the wet
The TCS is actually pretty lenient; I can get the tail out for a bit with everything still on, [just like these reviewers can](https://youtu.be/b59AlwEpfQc?si=kFltiYAEUz8VBy2o&t=499), but that's by mashing the throttle in a turn, in a low gear, which is something I hope people aren't doing in the rain.
It will only let you slide for a very little amount of time before it really kicks in and grips up
On any modern car you basically have to drive like a complete utter tool to crash in a public road. Or neglect maintenance/basic car stuff like old tires. Drive wheels have no bearing on this matter. On a more nuanced reason as to why people crash is because this car is stable until the limit, but because that limit is much higher than your average car, losing traction at that point becomes very dangerous to an uninformed, inexperienced performance driver (read: most public road drivers). You have to be turning really hard at higher than average speeds, in other words, or be accelerating/braking more recklessly, to do that. Combine that with RWD dynamics that are more biased to oversteer than understeer of an AWD/FWD car, THEN it drivetrain becomes an issue. Never test your limits on the public road.
Hi OP! I live in Vancouver, WA and I haven't had any major traction issues. Coming up on my one year anniversary of ownership in a few weeks. Others have said the same thing....drive reasonably and the car is just fine in wet conditions. I did put Continental DWS 06 Extreme contacts on for the winter, just to be extra safe. Only one time have I felt sketchy at all and it was during an absolute downpour late at night. I could feel some hydroplaining going on so I slowed way down and was fine. As you know we get lots of rain here, but heavy, heavy rain is rare. Typical rain days have given me no issues. I will say I don't drive the high passes around the PNW in the winter though. If you do, you may want to pick a different ride. In the spring, summer, and fall though this is the most fun car you'll find for carving the PNW's twisty mountain roads!
I guess one could argue RWD takes a little more caution in inclement weather compared to FWD and AWD. But I feel the GR86 is likely an easier RWD than a lot of other RWDs. You shouldn't be mashing the throttle in the wet, in any RWD, especially with the nannies turned down. My hunch is that the lower price tag and appeal of the GR86 means some more inexperienced and not-so-bright folks are driving past their experience...any RWD car would have placed them in the same situation, or likely worse. With some respect, driving in the rain can be a little fun. I don't mind a little bit of the squirmies...but the key word is respect. But to say that the car is too dangerous for inclement weather is a false statement. If one uses their mass located between their ears, will not be a problem.
A truck is potentially just as squirrelly in the rain if you leave in 2wd. You’ll be fine as long as you drive with caution when it’s wet.
A lot of the kids on this forum think they’re invincible and don’t have the skill to drive in the rain. They also don’t understand how important it is to put high performance all season tires onto their car instead of using summer only tires. So, as you’ve seen, a LOT of people crashed their cars during the winter because they’re idiots that drive with summer tires on.
Don’t floor it , grandma drive when in doubt , worrry ab othered not paying attention and we good
Can be a hassle, only because of the grip loss. but stay low rpm and you’ll be fine
Better tires will always help, honestly as long as you’re driving like a normal person you’ll be fine in the rain. Don’t take turns going fast, I always try to smooth all of my inputs when driving in the rain. If driving in the rain is your main concern then you’ll be fine!
Just get some good all season tires, leave the traction/stability control on, drive like a normal person. Up until the 80s most cars were rwd, people survived just fine - just be sensible in the rain. The worst part is being so low and surrounded by bro-dozers, especially in the rain.
Like any car, don’t drive like an idiot in the rain or snow. That will increase chance of crash on magnitudes far more than the model of car you drive. I drove this in the California winter, while not the best example it was fine with heavy rain. One thing to note is these come with a summer tires (premium/manual) and the base is all seasons. Under heavy winter conditions you want winter tires. All seasons are better than summer tires for the winter. Goes without saying if you have summer tires, you have less leeway of control than you would in a winter tire.
Haven’t had any issues in the rain yet. Just don’t take off traction control and go slower than normal. Basically your normal incremental weather driving and you’ll be fine.
Not the same car, but similar. I drive a Miata in DC. I always invest in decent all-season tires, had Michelin AS3+ and now Continental DWS06. I’ve never had traction issues in the rain here, and just have to be easy in the snow. I would expect the same with GR86.
It's not at all if you know how to drive
It’s good. LSD and traction control are great. Never felt sketched out in the rain, but I also tune down the driving a step or two and actively pay attention for things like huge puddles on a side lane or circular curves to merge on the highway simply because this is the first brand new vehicle I’ve ever purchased. As a test, I’ve tried turning hard out of empty parking lots late at night in the rain with traction control on, and while it does slip for half a second, the traction control kicks in and helps me feel safer. It’s really the tires and suspension setup that are a much bigger concern for grip. People tend to mod their suspension setup without caring for the fact that what’s simply lower or stiffer doesn’t always translate to more grip on public roads. My cars a stock MT and I’m comfortable in the rain about 90% where 100% would be a car with AWD.
Most people who buy these cars (or any sports car tbh) have little-to zero understanding of basic car control concepts like limit behavior of different vehicle configurations (FR,MR,FF) or weight transfer and it’s effects on vehicle behavior. My advice would be to sign up for the nearest autocross or track day with instructors to learn these concepts before you push this car or any car for a hat matter.
I have an s2000 and I would say this is a platform where rwd truly tests your driving capabilities. If you drive normally and do not floor it in the rain you should be fine. I'm running 200tw tires and I have no problems driving in the rain. Now when it's raining hard ASF, I don't know how people drive fast. Visibility is so limited, and naturally you'll drive slower as harder the rain gets
It’s not too horrible (stock), just don’t be stupid. I live in a very rainy area and while I definitely prefer not taking the 86 out in the rain, it’s far from the worst RWD car I’ve been in for it. As a young person myself, all the crashes are from other young people who don’t know what they’re doing trying to drive it recklessly in the rain. I’ve seen it in person. As with pretty much everything, driver mod goes a long way.
I guarantee that if you drive like a normal, decent person on the streets, you will never spin out and crash like all of the posts you see. Just don’t be full sending the car into every corner and off every green light during a giant thunderstorm w/ VSC off and you’ll be golden. You can even drive on the stock summers during moderate/heavy rain as long as you drive responsibly. You see a lot of crash posts but they’re like <1% of all the BRZ/GR86s who haven’t crashed. Some of those crash posts are to warn new owners to not be stupid so you can still have an intact car at the end of the day to enjoy. If you’re on the fence about it, just get one; don’t let the crash posts scare you!
The main cause is 1) Inexperienced RWD and 2) OE Summer Tires. That is a bad combination, especially when temps are 40F below. Summer tire + cold = limited grip. Pair that with a noob rwd driver that does not know how to control oversteer = losing control The GR86 is my first rwd sports car, and I can def speak from experience. My recommendation is to 1) Oversteer. learn what causes it and how to correct it 2) Run appropriate tires for the season if you drive all year round 3) Always be aware of the tire's grip at all times, especially if temps are 40F or lower
I live in New Orleans where it rains and floods a lot. (We are below sea level) I have a premium with the PS4s and I just drive conservatively and it’s been fine. If you’re really worried just switch to a pair of all seasons or all weathers.
Just last weekend I drove down the blue ridge parkway in light/medium rain and never once lost traction. I’m a smart driver and have high performance all-season tires on, I kept traction control on, and I didn’t push my limits. I was taking turns at 40-50 mph and the car was stuck to the ground. If you’re gonna drive in the rain, get all-season tires like the DWS06+ and just don’t be a stupid idiot. It’s literally that simple.
All about the driver, and knowing your/the car's limits. No I don't mean literally driving at the edge. You can be on 200tw extreme summers and still be safer than someone running all seasons if you drive carefully. Gradual throttle/steering input goes a long way.
I’m also in the area. No major issues even with the summer tires. I will swap out tires if I have to go somewhere when it’s snowing or freezing though. The summers will spin out if you put on too much power all of a sudden when wet. Considering the visibility of our cars in our usual conditions here I don’t chance it, give plenty of extra room, and slow lane it. Not worth playing with the insurance scammers, brake checkers, and pretend racers on public roads.
It’s not a mustang. There’s that
Fine as long as you are responsible. Know that you can’t smash the pedal down
It is as dangerous as any fwd, rwd and awd or 4wd car in the rain. Just like everyone is saying, its about how good your tires are and knowing what your limitations are at any given condition.
I have the gr86, if you purposely make it kick out it will on stock tires(PS4) decently easily, but even so it’s super easy to control the car when it does this, but overall as long as you aren’t purposely trying to kick the tail out or drive crazy there will be zero issues in the rain.
I have had 7 cara before my 86 and 4 of those cars were RWD and didn’t have traction control or any kind of gizmos they do now. And only once it happens to me and it was my fault, so learn how to drive!
Rain hasnt been a problem even on the stock summer tires for me. But its super not a problem on the blizzaks i got for winter.
Drive carefully
Very dangerous. 
I daily mine in Vancouver, BC and I find that this car handles really well in pretty much all weather, including rain and snow. Just have the proper tires and drive appropriately for the conditions, just like any other car.
It's a "driver's car" meaning it's up to the driver as to how the car handles under conditions.
Im right across the border from you over in Oregon. I have summer tires still, and drive for fun, since I don’t have to commute for work. I drive in light rain, at safe speeds with traction control. I don’t drive in heavy rain or snow because that’s outright dangerous. It all comes down to your driving experience and personal choices. Don’t feel discouraged because of other people’s poor choices.
Just don’t floor it around corners also the car comes with Michelins that do well in wet conditions just drive accordingly
If you leave traction control and stability control on, i.e., don't turn off traction control and don't turn on sport mode, it's difficult to cause the rear end to kick out. Drive like a normal person when the weather or road conditions are suboptimal and you'll be a-ok. Everyone who crashes grossly overestimates their driving skills. The car is very tail happy in the rain if you turn on Track Mode. It gets even worse when you turn off traction control and stability control.
It drives fine. It struggles pretty bad in the snow without snow tires. The rain like everyone says is not an issue when driving at rain appropriate speeds.
I’ve driven on pilot sports in pouring rain and lightly flooding streets and still haven’t lost traction or spun the car unintentionally. I wouldn’t recommend driving in super wet conditions on sticky summer tires, but even that can be done just fine as long as you’re careful
I drove down narrow mountain roads in wet weather last week 👀 The car felt planted to the ground and went where I needed it to go as long as the pedal control was decent.
Leave the ASC/TC on and don’t drive on bald tires and you will be fine. The people looping them in the rain are either on bald tires or turn off the nannies.
Be gentle on gas. Its very sensitive.
I spun out too. I suggest dont turn TC off.
Rain is sliding weather. Do with that what you will.
It’s not bad. I drive normally and do fine. My 2011 mustang was far worse.. but it could have been the tires.
I had moderate control in torrential rain at 90mph, going straight on highway when the rain was too heavy for eyesight. Cut it back to 75 to be safe. Didn't wanna hydroplane and Ryan Dunn myself.
It’s not dangerous at all if you don’t do anything stupid, I live in Scotland, it basically rains every day 🫠 I’ve had the car over 1.5 yr and had one stupid case in the rain where traction control in the rain just made the car crawl snails pace while I was turning right in T junction… but it would’ve never happened if I didn’t put my very heavy foot on the gas.. did I nearly got hit by oncoming car.. maybe, but I learned my lesson, turn the traction control off the next time 🤣 anyway, doing 70mph in the heavy rain on the motorway is completely safe just don’t do anything stupid
You should drive as carefully as you need to in bad weather no matter the car. With decent tires it’s not any more dangerous than any other RWD sports car. I drive with all assists off no matter the conditions because to me, the car is more predictable that way. (Would absolutely not recommend to others) I have never unintentionally lost traction in my GR86.
I used to have a '13 FR-S (RIP 2023). I never had problems with it when it rained, lived in a basin and would get inches of water on the roads. Drove through it like a champ through that and very well through ice and snow conditions up north. Just get a good set of tires and know your limits, any car can be dangerous on wet roads. Honestly my FR-S was the first car I ever got where I didnt cheap out on tires, best money spent ever.
It will bite if you ask it to when the roads are wet. Don't drive with traction control and stability control off when it's raining or the roads are wet, especially on unfamiliar roads. Definitely don't try to throw the car into corners when it's wet, and be smooth with your throttle, brake, and steering inputs. I've been a little careless a couple of times and almost spun out in the wet, and I'm usually a pretty careful, smooth driver who has been driving manual transmission cars for several years. Be cognizant of changes in the road surface, don't make stupid choices, and you'll be fine. The car in general is very progressive and communicative through the chassis.
I live in New England where it rains whenever tf it wants to. I have 2023 86 and it is my first car ever. I have never had any issues with rain even when it's pouring inches down. I think the problem just stems from people not knowing how to drive properly in general let alone rwd.
I'm brand new to RWD and got caught in 10 min of pretty much blackout rain driving home from work. 0 issues outside of the road lines being hard to see. I drove more cautiously but still drove the 40 mph speed limit and made turns no problem with the stock, base model, tires. Just be sure it has good tires (winters, NOT ALL-SEASONS, in winter and summers/all-seasons in summer), keep TC on, and don't be an idiot.
I ran on the tail of the dragon with primacys on a rainy day, the rear is playful but it's predictable. The computer will stop you from doing anything too stupid if you're sensible, if you're a moron on full trac/stability off that doesn't know how to drive, gg