It’s no secret that the last seven years haven’t been kind to all-wheel-drive sport compact cars. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution? Dead. Ford Focus RS? Dead. Subaru WRX STI? In purgatory. The Toyota GR Yaris? Brilliant, but not sold in Canada or the United States. For a good minute, it looked like the Volkswagen Golf R would be the sole hi-po survivor. But wait. Blasting out of the clouds comes a four-wheel-drive Toyota with bigger flares than your dad had on his jeans in the ‘70s. Brace yourselves, America – the GR Corolla is coming in hot.
[Editor’s note: We realize we’re late on this story, but our site launched after the GR Corolla’s debut. And since we’re going to be writing quite a bit about this hot hatch, we need an intro post. So if you’ve been living under a rock, we’ve got your back! -DT]
The Specs
Let’s start with the engine. The rumormill knew that the GR Corolla would get a bump in output over the GR Yaris, but I don’t think anyone expected a full 300 horsepower from its G16E-GTS 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine. That’s 100 horsepower per cylinder, 187.5 horsepower per liter and the title of the most powerful production three-cylinder engine in the world. More importantly, peak power occurs just 500 RPM before the 7,000 RPM redline while torque is a stout 273 lb-ft peaking from 3,000 RPM through to 5,500 RPM. Judging by the spec sheet, this engine should be as frenetic as a Jack Russell Terrier on a freshly-polished linoleum floor.
Power gets to the ground through Toyota’s GR-FOUR all-wheel-drive system, although how much torque goes to each axle is a matter of driver preference. This all-wheel-drive system features three modes selectable through an Oreo-sized knob in the center console – a 60:40 front-to-rear split for everyday driving, a 30:70 split to promote rotation and a 50:50 split for maximum stability. As for gearboxes, customers have a choice between getting a short-throw six-speed manual gearbox with automatic rev-matching or getting the fuck out of the showroom and walking over to the nearest Volkswagen dealership. Without an existing DCT in their parts bin, the people at Gazoo Racing aren’t here to half-ass two things – they’re here to whole-ass one thing. Just as the hot hatch gods intended.
Also as intended by the hot hatch gods? A proper manual handbrake for throwing the chassis into lurid shapes. You just love to see it, don’t you? As for the hydraulic brakes, they’re slotted 14-inch ventilated discs with fixed four-piston calipers up front and 11.7-inch ventilated discs with fixed two-piston calipers out back. Proper fast-car stuff. Fixed dampers and 235/40R18 Michelin PS4S summer tires keep the GR Corolla glued to the ground and there’s a Performance Package with front and rear Torsen limited-slip differentials on offer for limpet-like grip.
But what about weight? Part of the GR Yaris’ appeal is that it’s tiny and chuckable. It looks like we have an answer for the GR Corolla and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Clocking in at 3,248 pounds, the GR Corolla is an estimated 360 pounds heavier than the heaviest version of its little brother. However, at 10.82 lbs./hp to the GR Yaris’ 11.2 lbs./hp, straight-line pace shouldn’t suffer a bit.
The Looks
Of course, crazy specs and a crazy aesthetic go hand-in-hand, so the GR Corolla looks like something out of a Colin McRae Rally player’s fever dream. Instead of adopting the outgoing Civic Type R’s George Foreman approach to grille-like elements, Toyota’s aiming to podium at this year’s widebody nationals. The rear flares look to reach over a third of the way forward across the rear doors while the front fenders cram four massive ducts into the flared areas alone.
More ducts are featured in the rear bumper, while that massive grille up front is almost entirely functional. Sweet. The GR team must be big fans of either Total Recall or Paul, as the GR Corolla sports three exhaust tips. Unlike the tips on the outgoing Civic Type R, these are actually fairly spread-out, with a massive oval howitzer in the center of the rear valence with a smaller exhaust tip on each side. Topping it all off are black 15-spoke cast aluminum 18-inch wheels that appear to have nice concavity. With bodywork this loud, the wheels don’t need to do much talking.
Optional Goodness
On the inside, GR Corolla owners will be treated to accouterments not found in lesser trims. Sports seats with proper bolstering are on tap to keep front occupants firmly in place, while a GR-specific three-spoke steering wheel looks absolutely lovely to hold. Toyota’s new-generation infotainment system makes an appearance here, along with a GR-specific 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster that can display everything from AWD system torque split to turbo boost pressure. While the basic Core trim looks to be fairly spartan, it seems pretty far from a barely-streetable monster. As with most Toyotas, a full suite of driver safety aids is on deck. Radar cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, lane-tracing assistance, all the stuff that makes a Corolla a Corolla. Plus, the GR Corolla can be made plusher with two option packages. The Technology package includes navigation, a JBL stereo and a wireless phone charger. The Cold Weather Package adds heated seats and a heated steering wheel, must-have options for anyone in the snow belt.
If a specced-up standard model isn’t enough, a limited-run Circuit Edition will arrive next calendar year and adds a laundry list of cosmetic enhancements. Its forged carbon roof saves a precious few ounces while a bigger spoiler, a vented hood bulge and gloss black paint on the grille and rear valence add a touch more visual aggression. The Circuit Edition also features a new gray paint called Heavy metal and classes up the interior a touch with suede-and-vinyl upholstery and a shift knob signed by Morizo himself, Mr. Akio Toyoda. Admittedly, none of this is really necessary, but a little pomp and circumstance never hurt anyone.
We’re PUMPED
The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla promises to be as subtle as a four-letter-word at Sunday mass, as vulgar a display of power as anything Phil Anselmo could come up with and as practical as a canvas shopping bag. In short, it looks like exactly the sort of car we needed. It’s a Corolla unlike any other, born and raised in Motomachi, Japan. If that rings a bell, it’s because Motomachi is also the birthplace of the legendary Lexus LFA and the coveted GR Yaris, which our editor David Tracy drove a few months ago. Here’s what he thought about the GR Yaris in his Jalopnik review:
So lots of the skin and cabin looks familiar and doesn’t blow me away. Even when I got underway and began rowing from first to third gear as I headed out of town, I remained underwhelmed. “I guess it’s okay,” I thought initially.
Then I arrived in the countryside, smashed the accelerator pedal to the floor, and everything changed.
Above 4,000 RPM, the 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbo engine sings beautifully to the heavens, and all four wheels receive so much torque relative to the vehicle’s meager curb weight that I found myself driving over 100 mph on 62 mph country roads without even realizing it
[…]
The 2,900-ish pound car just feels so small and nimble, and yet incredibly stable at higher speeds in turns. The steering feels great, offering the right weight and feel…
The GR Corolla doesn’t share a platform with the GR Yaris, but the engine architecture is the same, as are a bunch of chassis bits like the all-wheel drive system. Needless to say: We’re excited! Pricing for the GR Corolla is expected to be announced closer to its on-sale date this fall. Until then, hold on to your piggy banks.
We all said we’d buy it if it they brought it. I’m afraid that a lot of us will rescind that promise when the price is announced. The speculation I’ve seen suggests $40K minimum, with spec’d up versions going for as much as $50K. It’s probably worth the money, stacked up against comparable performers, but it’s still a Corolla at the end of the day. I was super excited to see that it was actually coming, but I fear I’ve reached the point in my life where I’m too old for a car like this. I have a feeling my next vehicle purchase will be a humdrum EV.
I think MSRP will be fairly reasonable, certainly compared to the Golf R. Well under $40k I expect, but it will get there quickly with packages. CE will start over $40k for sure. This is all to say – you’re going to have to really want this car to get one, because there will be more people willing to buy it sight unseen on day 1 than Toyota will make in year 1.
This is exactly where I’m at. If I’m buying a *new* car for $40-50k+… it has to be exactly what I want. Engine, transmission, chassis, visibility, color, ergonomics, looks, you name it. If it’s off at all, I’m out until it’s available for a fair price used. And there’s already some little niggles here that would preclude me buying new. The looks being one.
This seems like such a great car to give up my 2019 Civic Si for. I really hope it stays at or below $30k. Hoping for a price reveal soon.
No chance. It will be at least $35k for a base Core, and go up from there.
Hot hatches like this always leave me conflicted. The numbers look great, the body style is functional, the car is not *too* over the top like the last iteration type-R, and I mean… Toyota reliability.
But, I can’t justify looking at something like this when my 3rd car has the same weight and power figures. Sure it’s a 15+ year old RWD coupe with just 2 airbags and nothing by the way of creature comforts besides A/C, but for it’s intended purpose of a weekend warrior, I don’t think a modern hot hatch is worth 30k more when I already have a reliable DD.
This paragraph has made my whole week already:
“”As for gearboxes, customers have a choice between getting a short-throw six-speed manual gearbox with automatic rev-matching or getting the fuck out of the showroom and walking over to the nearest Volkswagen dealership. Without an existing DCT in their parts bin, the people at Gazoo Racing aren’t here to half-ass two things – they’re here to whole-ass one thing. Just as the hot hatch gods intended.””
That was my favorite part of the whole thing too! Get the fuck out!
Super excited for this. Could be a solid replacement for my GTI if you can actually buy them for reasonable money in a few years.
It’s too bad it’s not good looking.
Okay, the Corolla is sweet, no lie, but I’ve only got one thing I want to say here and that’s about the article itself.
This is brilliant and captivating writing, this is how you introduce a car and this is how you sell the ideas and features of it. The content here at The Autopian is so strong right out of the gates.
Dear Honda, please look at what Toyota is doing and bring back some fun cars too, no, your pretend Integra revival is not it, unless you are hiding a 2 door hatch Type R to surprise everyone with but I doubt it. Would it be too much to ask for a new S2000? Sincerely: Every Damn Honda Fan
Damn this thing is porky. The difference between this and a base Corolla is about the same as the difference between this and an overweight rolling bank-vault of a Mercedes 300 SDL I used to own.
The fact that this is one of the best offerings available in the U.S. among current gen automobiles is a rather sad sign of the times. The power and drive layout are cool, but the Yaris would have been a better base to place it in.
300 horsepower from a 1.6L 3-cylinder engine is damned impressive for a production car, this being said. That would be a fun swap into a Triumph Spitfire/GT6, MGB, or other small, light platform from the past, without getting the weight distribution out of whack.
If I were looking to buy a new car to haul a family in and handle all my daily tasks, this would be among the top of my list of candidates. The functionality of a CUV, without anywhere near as much of the bloat, as bloated as it still is compared to the Corollas of the past. It’s ugly as sin, but I really don’t care in the context of what I use a vehicle for.
I just want to know how it will hold two 50# dogs in the back and a car seat so I can justify getting one.
“as vulgar a display of power as anything Phil Anselmo could come up with…”
I like your style already, Thomas_Hundal.
Pedantry time: this miiiight not be the most powerful production 3-cylinder out there. If the Koenigsegg Gemera counts as a production car (which…maybe? Koenigsegg sure thinks it does, and I’m not one to fuck with Christian Koenigsegg), the 600HP 3-banger in there takes the crown.
If we’re being really pedantic, an expected autumn delivery for the first GR Corollas will give Toyota the crown until Koenigsegg starts delivering Gemeras in 2023. The Tiny Friendly Giant is such a marvellous feat of engineering.
I bet there’s some cargo ship somewhere chugging along with a 3-cylinder engine making thousands of horsepower, running on 2-stroke heavy fuel oil.
They should make an Si competitor by putting the Camry’s 2.5 inline4 in the non-GR model. But with the usual suspension/transmission/engine upgrades.
And sell for like $27k-$28k
Feedback: It’d be nice if you could edit your comments so you don’t have to delete/re-post.
How do you delete?
Toyota has been making me eat my words about the brand being “boring” over the last couple of years. The GR Corolla is that final hammer blow that I deserve.
@187.5 per L. for 3 cylinders, can Toyota please have GR melt together two motors into a 6cyl to put into a Tacoma?
Call it the GR Komodo and taunt all the Raptors and TRX out there.
Oh man, trolling those obese penis trucks with such a thing would be beautiful.
A GR Tacoma with 600hp would be the bee’s knees.
This vehicle is making me have to choose between the Type-R or this . If the CTR will be getting AWD, then, sheesh, I dunno. I saw a 11th gen Si, and I wasn’t impressed. The Toyota will have a markup though, by how much is anyones guess.
I’ve been jonesing for a new GR86. Then this beast comes out. Hmmmm. Plus the new Supra.
I’ve got an ask – can we get a story on the resurgence of Toyota? I’d love to know why they’re serving niche markets when they got away from that for so long. Fascinating and I’m quite happy.
Honestly, I don’t think there has been a resurgence for Toyota. This is the first in-house performance car (not counting Lexus) that they’ve done in a long time. The GR-86 is mostly Subaru, and the Supra is ALL BMW. They won’t do anything that they don’t either get a huge return on investment, or won’t cost them a lot of money to develop. The GR Corolla is in that latter category, as the drivetrain work was already done for the GR Yaris.
Thomas, I really enjoyed this write-up of yours. I literally laughed out loud at a couple lines — some definite life in the veins of what was effectively a press release article for a new vehicle. Kudos. 🙂
The Mini Clubman JCW still exists. AWD, 301hp. Only FWD with a manual though, but the 8 speed dual clutch is pretty kick ass.
Mini: Inexplicably keeping the hot manual wagon alive in America.
By all accounts, it’s pretty shit to drive, though. And costs an astronomical sum if even semi-decently optioned.
I’d have been happy if they’d even just put that manual handbrake in the existing Corolla SE/XSE hatchback (along with a sunroof option).
Man… if I can find one next summer in blue and with no dealer markup — this is my next car. But I fear that it will be impossible to find one of these at MSRP, even if car production gets back on track.
You definitely won’t be able to find one in blue.
With current technology it would probably be hard to do this and keep in the universe of affordable for the target market, but I would love to see Toyota try to apply their hybrid knowhow to the hot-hatch form-factor. Use the motor to augment the engine’s torque curve and really optimize the powertrain for max performance while also adding to efficiency in every-day use. A PHEV drivetrain (like from the 300hp RAV4 PHEV?) would be awesome, as a person could commute in this every day using only electrons, but still have the performance for fun weekend trips using dino-juice.
It would be great in theory, but very heavy and expensive in practice. It would also really change the character of the car. I’m happy with the drivetrain as-is.
Weight is the reason they don’t do this. On a RAV4 if you add a hundred pounds no one cares. This car it would matter.
This looks surprisingly good for a Corolla. Strange that this is not available in the UK, it must be one of their biggest markets for the GR Yaris, I see them everywhere.
This thing looks fantastic, and I want one. Not in gray though, that looks terrible. Even the red shown is pretty meh. Give us some real colors, Toyota! Other than that, it looks like so much fun I just might have to buy one. I’m excited to see the eventual reviews, and holding my breath on the price.
Hey! Another Jalopnik defector!
Have you noticed how they’ve been reposting old-ass articles with annoying frequency lately?
I love everything about this car except for three things: 1) so far it has only been shown in the same colors as every RAV4 and Sienna in every Costco parking lot everywhere; 2) I will never be OK with a gigantic screen in the middle of the dash on any car, but I guess that’s just how things are now; and 3) I’ll never ever be able to afford one.
What about it being ugly as hell?