Monday 28th March 2022

Toyota GR Corolla leaks ahead of debut

Toyota fires its own starter pistol early and reveals an undisguised GR Corolla

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Hard not to feel a bit sorry for the employee at Toyota with egg on their face this morning. Clicking the GR Corolla's dedicated minisite live ahead of its official debut is probably not a sackable offence - but you can be sure that he or she won't be allowed to forget about it anytime soon. Needless to say the faux pas was seized upon by sites in the US, meaning we all get to consider some pics and key details before the virtual drawbridge was pulled back up.

There's a lot to take in, from the image luridly oversteering five-door Toyota hatchback to the promise of 300hp from the Yaris's familiar 1.6-litre, three-cylinder engine. You won't need us to tell you that's a modest upgrade on its smaller sibling, and it promises to be at least as much fun when it's transmitted through the same adaptive GR-Four drivetrain.

Unsurprisingly, a six-speed manual will feature in the Corolla, too, as will the funky diffs which made the Yaris so appealing to drive. It all sounds pretty awesome - especially when wrapped up in a body with arches to make an RS3 blush, a rear spoiler to launch a trials bike from and a front end that's about 85 per cent intake - perfect.

Toyota originally announced its 'all-new GR Sports car' would be revealed in the United States on Thursday, with nothing more than times and a couple of a preview images. Of course that's all the new model needed, because in 2022 it's right to be eager about a new Toyota performance car. The reveal is primed to suit North America and Japan but not Europe; a 9:30pm EST in the US is 10:30am JST on April 1st. It's 2:30am British Summer Time.

The GR Yaris wasn't offered in the States, despite the market having gone wild for cars like the Subaru WRX, VW Golf R and Ford Focus RS. A fast, 4WD Toyota Corolla is therefore tailor made for that market. Toyota even has its own website lamenting the Yaris's lack of availability and previewing the new car: 'While GR Yaris isn't coming to the U.S., perhaps it's time the U.S. got a Toyota hot hatch to call its own. One that continues to push the boundaries of performance. And one that can only come from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. Are you with us?'

Given the UK market is fairly fond of cars like the Golf and Focus as well, a great GR Corolla would make an impact over here - just look what happened with the Yaris. Full details to come.

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• Toyota GR Yaris vs. Honda Civic Type R Sport Line
• Toyota reveals Supra GT4 '50 Edition'

[Harrypop]

Looking forward to seeing this. I think that the Corolla already has a pretty decent stance, it's nice and square, so will interesting to see how far they have improved it and if it brings as much to segment above as the Yaris has.

[SpeckledJim]

I can't imagine it will differ as much from the base car as the Yaris GR does from the normal Yaris.

Should be a great car nonetheless. Sad that Toyota have neglected performance for so long.

[ecsrobin]

Will it even make it to our shores? All advertising/teasers have been in the US market only.

[Harrypop]

SpeckledJim said:

I can't imagine it will differ as much from the base car as the Yaris GR does from the normal Yaris.

Should be a great car nonetheless. Sad that Toyota have neglected performance for so long.

I doubt that as well, I certainly don't expect it to have a bespoke platform like the Yaris. If they can translate much of the hardware across though a bigger, four door equivalent would be a desirable alternative you would have thought?

[fantheman80]

EVO are reporting its not coming to the European market (or UK brexit fans), confirmed by Toyota spokesperson..

very disappointed.

[Harrypop]

fantheman80 said:

EVO are reporting its not coming to the Europe (or UK brexit fans), confirmed by Toyota spokesperson..

very disappointed.

JDM imports the only option then?

[Colonel D]

fantheman80 said:

EVO are reporting its not coming to the European market (or UK brexit fans), confirmed by Toyota spokesperson..

very disappointed.

Part of their April 1st reveal? There has to be a reason they've chosen April 1st and hopefully this is part of it.

[fantheman80]

Colonel D said:

fantheman80 said:

EVO are reporting its not coming to the European market (or UK brexit fans), confirmed by Toyota spokesperson..

very disappointed.

Part of their April 1st reveal? There has to be a reason they've chosen April 1st and hopefully this is part of it.

Nah I think we got the Yaris, the US+ get the Carolla

Besides, BMW will be taking up all the April Fools coverage (except it will prob be true)

[Matt_T]

My understanding with the Yaris GR-Four was that it was a Yaris front end stuck onto a C-HR back end as the TNGA-C platform of the C-HR is designed for 4wd.

However the Corolla already uses the TNGA-C platform so the 4wd bits should just drop in - hence no need for a bespoke platform.

Makes me wonder why Toyota bothered with the Yaris GR-Four when they could have just made a Corolla GR-Four more easily and cheaply.

[KJH]

US only car.

[fantheman80]

Matt_T said:

My understanding with the Yaris GR-Four was that it was a Yaris front end stuck onto a C-HR back end as the TNGA-C platform of the C-HR is designed for 4wd.

However the Corolla already uses the TNGA-C platform so the 4wd bits should just drop in - hence no need for a bespoke platform.

Makes me wonder why Toyota bothered with the Yaris GR-Four when they could have just made a Corolla GR-Four more easily and cheaply.

homologation for rallying. Yaris was the right size to take on the fiesta and 120n etc..

[Maccmike8]

Genuine excitement.

[spikyone]

Matt_T said:

Makes me wonder why Toyota bothered with the Yaris GR-Four when they could have just made a Corolla GR-Four more easily and cheaply.

Because they wanted to homologate a better body shape for WRC and they decided to make a WRC car for the road rather than just a 1.0-litre 3-pot with a squashed roof, which nobody would've bought because it would have been less practical than a normal Yaris.

Given how many they've sold, and the way in which it's re-shaped people's opinions of Toyota, their approach worked an absolute treat.

[Wab1974uk]

Matt_T said:

Makes me wonder why Toyota bothered with the Yaris GR-Four when they could have just made a Corolla GR-Four more easily and cheaply.

Because it was a clean sheet design to build a Rally car from the wheels up. Not just trying to make a standard model go rallying.

To be fair, the Corolla BTTC car looks the best car on the grid. It the GR Corolla looks like the BTTC car, they'll be onto a winner.

I still think the Yaris will hold more significance being a bespoke car. The Corolla will just be a breathed on production car. Nothing wrong with that of course, as that's generally been the way for a Hot hatch.

Be interesting to see the specification though.

The fact Toyota are even bothering with a GR Corolla, should be applauded.

[Pica-Pica]

fantheman80 said:

EVO are reporting its not coming to the European market (or UK brexit fans), confirmed by Toyota spokesperson..

very disappointed.

UK is still in Europe, Brexit or not.

[Seano1878]

I had a feeling it’d be America only with all the marketing aimed solely at the American market, would have been a perfect car for UK roads too.

[Scoobysaurus]

Subaru - this could have been you, but that ship sailed many years ago

It’s great to see the stuff that Toyota is finally now starting to produce, assuming this isn’t an April 1 wind up.

But lots of expensive looking Yaris GR’s on PH when I last looked, perhaps a price correction is due soon on them

[ecsrobin]

Scoobysaurus said:

But lots of expensive looking Yaris GR’s on PH when I last looked, perhaps a price correction is due soon on them

Reading the owners Facebook there’s. Split between those who ordered a 2nd car to replace there year old car (I regret doing this), those who tried to flip but didn’t go the way Porsches do based on the average owner and finally those with very expensive toys that then found it not as luxury as they’re used to. Most genuine owners still seem to have their cars after nearly 18 months.

[leglessAlex]

Wab1974uk said:

Be interesting to see the specification though.

The fact Toyota are even bothering with a GR Corolla, should be applauded.

I agree.

I'd love to see something that I think few others would be interested in, a DCT 'box made to fit the Yaris GR powertrain and then brought across to the Yaris so I can maybe drive one one day! Would never happen, sadly.

[mersontheperson]

Caldina GT Four is back!