The Night My Test Drive Turned Into a Midnight Chase – Unexpected Car Review Experience

Two nights ago, I was supposed to have a chill evening.

The plan? Review the brand-new 2025 Toyota GR86 for my Automotive & Car Reviews blog.

Smooth acceleration, sharp handling, maybe some aesthetic sunset shots for Instagram — easy content.

At around 9:30 p.m., I got a DM on Instagram from a follower:

“Hey, I heard you’re in Lekki. I’ve always wanted to see you review a car live. Can I join?”

Normally, I’d say no. But I was in a good mood. Plus, nothing boosts engagement like meeting followers.

When I pulled up in front of this lounge in Victoria Island, a tall guy in a fitted white tee and ripped jeans came jogging over.

“You’re really driving the GR86?” he said, eyes wide like a kid at Disneyland.

“Yep,” I replied, handing him my phone. “Can you shoot a few clips while I talk about it?”

We started cruising down Ozumba Mbadiwe, me narrating the handling, torque, and cornering like the pro I pretend to be on YouTube.

The city lights bounced off the car’s glossy crimson paint, the exhaust humming a low growl.

Then… out of nowhere… a black SUV swerved into our lane, honking like we’d stolen something.

“Uh… is that your friend?” I asked.

His smile vanished. “No. That’s my ex. She’s been following me since I left the lounge.”

I blinked. “Ex-girlfriend?”

He nodded. “Long story. She thinks I took her necklace. But I swear I didn’t.”

I downshifted. The GR86 responded like it had been waiting for this moment its whole life. The steering tightened, the tires gripped like claws, and we shot forward.

“Bro, this isn’t part of my content plan!” I shouted, half laughing, half terrified.

“She’s crazy, man! Just lose her!”

I weaved through traffic, the 2.4L Boxer engine roaring as if it knew we were in trouble. Every corner was sharp and clean — this was handling in its purest form. The SUV tried to keep up, but it leaned awkwardly, heavy and sluggish.

We hit the Falomo Bridge, the cityscape reflecting in the lagoon below. My hands gripped the wheel tighter. My follower — whose name I still didn’t know — kept glancing back.

“She’s still there!” he said, panicking.

“Bro, I’m not Vin Diesel. I just review cars!” I replied.

After what felt like forever, I cut into a narrow street in Ikoyi, killed the headlights, and rolled to a silent stop. We both breathed hard, listening. The SUV drove past.

“She’s gone,” he whispered.

I stared at him. “You better explain.”

He hesitated, then admitted, “Okay… maybe I borrowed the necklace. For my new girlfriend.”

I just sat there in silence, the GR86’s dashboard lights glowing like neon secrets.

“Please don’t tell anyone,” he added.

I sighed. “Bro, I’m a car reviewer, not your relationship therapist.”

He laughed nervously. “At least now you can say you tested the car’s chase capabilities?”

As I dropped him off near Admiralty, I realized something: this was probably the most real review I’d ever done. The GR86 wasn’t just fast on paper — it had literally saved us from a jealous ex in Lagos traffic.

That night’s blog post practically wrote itself:

“2025 Toyota GR86 – Perfect for Date Nights, YouTube Content… and Escaping Your Ex at 120 km/h.”