Toyota GR Yaris rear wheel drive? Is it

[LamedonM]

To the owners of GR Yaris who also have fast rear wheel drive cars, does the rear wheel drive mode of GR Yaris actually feel rear wheel drive when accelerating? Do you feel the hand of God, the push in the back when accelerating in real wheel drive mode? compared to front wheel drive? Do you feel the gentle push at the back with relatively loose front axle when gentling accelerating in corners when in rear wheel drive mode? That rear wheel drive sensation that no matter how fast the front wheel drive cars are they are unable to give.

Thanks

[TinyMonster]

Regardless of mode, it always feels like 4WD and there's a good reason for that...

[LamedonM]

TinyMonster said:

Regardless of mode, it always feels like 4WD and there's a good reason for that...

So no push in the back when accelerating?

[Holgate86]

From what I read, and what I'm expecting when my GRY arrives there'll be plenty of push in the back and the side when accelerating out of corners.

That's from someone who's had three 420hp plus rear wheel drive cars.

[23Kev]

I've had my GR Yaris for around a month now, have done just over 1000km. Its been a long time since I had a quick car, which admittedly was a fast FWD. I've driven many fast cars in the meantime (mainly RWD and AWD), but the GRY was a huge eye opener. Does it feel RWD when in Sport? Kind of. The rear hunkers down, sometimes it squirms around on its haunches when coming hard out of corners. This morning I got my first bit of inside front wheel wheelspin (I'm in Australia and own the standard non LSD GR) which I kind of pushed hard for.

There is definitely a push in the back, especially when coming out of 2nd or 3rd gear corners with the revs up around 4k. It moves along incredibly fast and does feel like you are being pushed down the road, rather than being dragged by the front wheels.

[bcr5784]

23Kev said:

I've had my GR Yaris for around a month now, have done just over 1000km. Its been a long time since I had a quick car, which admittedly was a fast FWD. I've driven many fast cars in the meantime (mainly RWD and AWD), but the GRY was a huge eye opener. Does it feel RWD when in Sport? Kind of. The rear hunkers down, sometimes it squirms around on its haunches when coming hard out of corners. This morning I got my first bit of inside front wheel wheelspin (I'm in Australia and own the standard non LSD GR) which I kind of pushed hard for.

There is definitely a push in the back, especially when coming out of 2nd or 3rd gear corners with the revs up around 4k. It moves along incredibly fast and does feel like you are being pushed down the road, rather than being dragged by the front wheels.

The LSD car feels similar - you still get a wriggle from the rear on hard acceleration (which I put down to the LSD - but clearly not so). In corners though it definitely feels 4WD rather than RWD even in sport. Not sure how the guy in this clip managed to get it all crossed up without using the handbrake. https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a36339323/watch-...

[Baldchap]

LamedonM said:

To the owners of GR Yaris who also have fast rear wheel drive cars, does the rear wheel drive mode of GR Yaris actually feel rear wheel drive when accelerating? Do you feel the hand of God, the push in the back when accelerating in real wheel drive mode? compared to front wheel drive? Do you feel the gentle push at the back with relatively loose front axle when gentling accelerating in corners when in rear wheel drive mode? That rear wheel drive sensation that no matter how fast the front wheel drive cars are they are unable to give.

Thanks

After my initial wet test drive, I commented that it actually felt a lot like my Elise to drive. You definitely need to plant that left foot on the bulkhead, but when you do you'll notice that using the throttle early in a corner rotates the car in a remarkably similar way to the Elise.

I only own both, so clearly I don't know what I'm talking about (I'm sure someone will correct me soon), but I find the two cars remarkably similar in a lot of ways. They shouldn't be, but they are.

[Stunters]

Baldchap said:

After my initial wet test drive, I commented that it actually felt a lot like my Elise to drive. You definitely need to plant that left foot on the bulkhead, but when you do you'll notice that using the throttle early in a corner rotates the car in a remarkably similar way to the Elise.

I only own both, so clearly I don't know what I'm talking about (I'm sure someone will correct me soon), but I find the two cars remarkably similar in a lot of ways. They shouldn't be, but they are.

That's really interesting. I am still awaiting delivery of my Yaris, but I love the feel of mid-engined RWD cars such as the Elise and have owned them continuously since 2003. If the Yaris has similar feel, then happy days indeed!

Currently in a 718 Cayman and an E90 M3.

[loudlashadjuster]

bcr5784 said:

Not sure how the guy in this clip managed to get it all crossed up without using the handbrake. https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a36339323/watch-...

Classic boot-then-lift-off spin

[Holgate86]

Probably in "sport" mode, 70% torque to rear wheels, boot and spin up the rear wheels....

[LasseV]

loudlashadjuster said:

Classic boot-then-lift-off spin

So, next question is what is his Pistonheads screen name

[rodericb]

loudlashadjuster said:

bcr5784 said:

Not sure how the guy in this clip managed to get it all crossed up without using the handbrake. https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a36339323/watch-...

Classic boot-then-lift-off spin

Mmm yeah that's a bit embarrassing for that person. The only car in the whole video to disgrace themselves. Even the Mustangs made it down the road without resorting to silliness!

[jjr1]

Even in Sport the GR never feels rear wheel drive. Superb grip and you can get a four wheel drift going but never ever RWD.

[scottos]

I just felt like in track mode there was a little more front end grip, could feel it scrabbling away at the road a bit more. Its nowhere near being like a rwd car but thats not a bad thing. I've just had a GR over the weekend for some North Pennines b road bashing and if i drove my ISF in the same way i dont think id be here

They feel like an older evo but not old and they feel pretty bombproof. Seriously impressive things, i got everything between dry, hot tarmac and completely saturated roads with big puddles and it ate it all up with ease. I was seriously smitten with it and considering getting one!

[identti]

I agree with the other sentiments here. I've had mostly RWD cars in recent years (M135i, 2 x Porsche 996 Carrera 2s and a Mk3 MX5) and the GR doesn't feel RWD.

I've never owned a 4wd car before, and this certainly feels uniquely pinned down in a really fantastic way! It's not better/worse in my opinion, just different. I think it feels slightly more front-biased in normal and there's maybe a tiny perceptible shift into sport (which I think feels best for the road), but it doesn't slide around or skid out of junctions. It just hunkers down and goes.

If you're looking for something to slide around and balance on the limit, get something RWD. The Porsches and the MX5 were both great on the limit, but let go a lot earlier and you have to be on your toes.

The Yaris somehow seems to be really enjoyable whilst having unflappable traction, which I've not experienced before and maybe a bit less enjoyable on track (I'm yet to try it), but on the road for someone who's not a racing driver it's very reassuring and fun to play with (whereas the 911s there was always that part of me waiting for it to let go and bite, which never happened to the point of being uncontrollable but the fear was there nonetheless!).

[Nexus Icon]

I got my GR to replace a Mustang GT and it in no way feels RWD. However my recent car history is as follows:

Mustang GT
Focus RS mk3
370Z Nismo
Megane 275 Cup-S
‘08 WRX STi
R53 JCW

The Yaris sticks and powers out of the corners like the WRX or the Focus but feels as light and chuckable as the Mini. It has no RWD qualities at all, but that’s fine because RWD, grunt and wet roads in the sticks where I live make for uncomfortable bedfellows.

[LamedonM]

Do you not miss that smooth acceleration in the bend from RWD, that seems that all the power is coming from the back and steering is free to direct. As mush as I like the taut spring, traction and ability to change direction of my front wheeled 208 gt bps, I always miss that smoothness and sense of enjoyment when cornering I get from less taut m240i.

[scottos]

LamedonM said:

Do you not miss that smooth acceleration in the bend from RWD, that seems that all the power is coming from the back and steering is free to direct. As mush as I like the taut spring, traction and ability to change direction of my front wheeled 208 gt bps, I always miss that smoothness and sense of enjoyment when cornering I get from less taut m240i.

It sounds like you need to drive one really.

[Nexus Icon]

LamedonM said:

Do you not miss that smooth acceleration in the bend from RWD, that seems that all the power is coming from the back and steering is free to direct. As mush as I like the taut spring, traction and ability to change direction of my front wheeled 208 gt bps, I always miss that smoothness and sense of enjoyment when cornering I get from less taut m240i.

I don’t miss the lairy back end of the Ford around the roads where I live. They’re narrow and often covered in detritus that washes down the banks. The GR is just epic locally.

However... I did a couple of hundred miles down and up the A34 today and I lost count of the times I searched for another gear. Not because it sounds or feels frantic but because what is 3,000 RPM in the Yaris was about 1,750 RPM in the Mustang, give or take. That’s hard to get used to, as is the ability to pull away from a near standstill in 2nd or 3rd.

Still, no regrets. As soon as I’m off the A34 it is sheer joy.