Sunday 12th March 2017

Toyota Yaris GRMN - Geneva 2017

Three-door only, Torsen diff, Sachs dampers... it's looking good for Toyota's hot hatch return

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While the hot hatch focus is inevitably on the latest Fiesta ST and the new Civic Type R at Geneva, there is a third car that seems well worthy of some PH attention: the Yaris GRMN.

GRMN? Yes, that stands for Gazoo Racing (Toyota's motorsport outfit) by Meister of the Nurburgring. Seriously. Well what's a fast Japanese car without a daft name?

Still, what's under the badge (and the body) sounds very promising indeed. There still isn't yet a final power output from the 1.8-litre supercharged engine, though Toyota is promising more than 205hp as well as a class-leading 0-62mph and 50-75mph in fourth gear time. The gearbox is a six-speed manual, with a standard Torsen limited-slip differential.

In addition there's a strengthened chassis, new springs, a larger front anti-roll bar and dampers developed with Sachs. Yes, the same company which made dampers for the original Clio Trophy. All this has been subject to "extensive testing" on the Nurburgring - in a Yaris! - with "significant input from Toyota Gazoo Racing's motorsport activities." Sounds exciting.

Outside it's fairly modest, at least in this supercar-stuffed show environment. Positives include BBS wheels and a three-door only body, though the rather apologetic centre exhaust (hiding a much smaller pipe) and diffuser are less convincing.

The inside is good though, with a chunky and supportive seat complemented by a wheel straight from the GT86 and a simple, round gearknob. Yes, you sit a bit high and there's a lot that's familiar from the regular Yaris, but there's plenty to be encouraged by. Sales are due to commence in early 2018, with a price and availability following this year - consider us excited!

[great_kahn]

Supercharged? Was not expecting that. Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

[Chrismawa]

Like that! Nice to see someone going a bit different and supercharging.

[Norbury90]

The Gremlin? What a good name. Hopefully this will be a couple of tweaks away from being a great car.

[jayemdoubleu]

I rather like that. I suspect it to be much more interesting than the small, hot VAG hatches (Ibiza, Polo, etc).

[Ste1987]

Surprised they didn't have a dabble in doing a hybrid hot hatch

[Ian974]

This sounds pretty interesting actually!
As nice as the 'big' hot hatches are, this would be a nice bit of competition to the likes of the fiesta ST.

[Vocht]

This really does have the perfect recipe to make a brilliant hot hatch. Can't wait to give one a go!

[BricktopST205]

At last Toyota are coming back

[Truckosaurus]

Seems an interesting alternative to the Fiesta or Clio, especially as the Clio is now automatic only.

[culpz]

Looks like a belting bit of kit. Looks like some serious effort has been put into this. I'm thinking the price could be the downfall though. It could get expensive, considering the spec as, i assume, will be standard?

Are you listening Renault? Seriously, are you?

[VeeFource]

Very interesting proposition this, just hope the price and mpg is moderately sensible. My old R53 Cooper Works being supercharged and tuned guzzled gas as quick as any V8 would despite being only a 1.6.

Wonder how much it'll end up weighing too..

Edited by VeeFource on Wednesday 8th March 11:53

[Ilovejapcrap]

Engine size ?

[C.A.R.]

Seems like an ideal alternative to the ST / 208 / Clio. Not sold on the looks, but the rest of this class look largely similar anyway. Wonder if anyone will buy it?...

"Class Leading 0-60" means it'll have to pip 6.3s? Much faster than the GT86 then. I wonder what the future holds for the sports coupe?

[Roger Irrelevant]

Yes...there's a lot that's familiar from the regular Yaris, but...

That's good isn't it? To me the whole point of a hot hatch is that it's a regular shopping trolley but with uprated drivetrain, brakes and suspension. That way you get mucho fun for (hopefully) not too much £££. Let the Germans turn their hot hatches into scaled-down luxury cars with nigh-on-luxury price tags; if it drives right I couldn't care less that it shares lots of stuff with lowlier models. I'm pretty sure that was the case with my old 205gti and I certainly didn't give a toss about it then.

[bungz]

Remove stickers and put it on some steelies with trims

Edited by bungz on Wednesday 8th March 11:47

[Andy S15]

Sounds great on paper, really interesting specs and something a little different. Glad to see a manufacturer going supercharged still in this day and age. Really like what I'm seeing of the interior from the singular shot too.... but there's something I can't quite put my finger on that I dislike about the exterior looks. Rear end looks OK, but the front end looks, I dunno, a bit too cute and soft? Japanese hatches have a weird feel of being a bit tall and thin - this one seems to still look that way to me and doesn't really say hot hatch. Maybe it's the daft graphics.

That said, I'd love to drive one. Might look better in reality.

[great_kahn]

Is this the same engine from the old Corolla t-sport compressor? (Whooooo)

[ukaskew]

Ilovejapcrap said:

Engine size ?

Third paragraph...

There still isn't yet a final power output from the 1.8-litre supercharged engine

[Mcshifton]

liking this a lot, brings back memories of my starlet turbo

[Matt UK]

I kinda like Toyota and it pleases me they are once again making cars for the enthusiast.