Toyota GR Corolla | Spotted

Toyota still hasn't decided whether to bring its hot hatch to the UK. Time to take matters into your own hands

By Cam Tait / Monday, 20 October 2025 / Loading comments

The Toyota GR Corolla always seemed like the perfect fit for the UK market. It’s got some of the rallying goodness from the GR Yaris, a car that was massively oversubscribed when it arrived five years ago and still holds its value today, wrapped up in a five-door hatch that can comfortably fit people in the back without flat packing them. And while it would have faced some stiff competition with the likes of the Honda Civic Type R and VW Golf R, the aforementioned hardware would have made it a hugely tempting alternative to the hot hatch regulars.

Toyota has never made it entirely clear why it didn't bring the GR Corolla to Europe. Its exclusion doesn’t appear to be emission or safety-related, the latter putting paid to the GR86 here, and being a five-door hatch means it should appeal to a different buyer than those eyeing a GR Yaris. But the situation could soon change, with Toyota moving GR Corolla production to Burnaston, which is where the firm assembles the standard model, from 2026, so fingers crossed that’ll lead to orders opening over here. Though if you’re the impatient kind or simply don’t fancy waiting on Toyota to make its mind up, then we’ve got just the thing for you: a GR Corolla that’s already in the country.

Pardon for stating the obvious, but it’s a Japanese import first registered in its home country in 2023 and has 9,000 miles worth of fun on the clock. People have been bringing JDM-spec cars to the UK for donkeys, whether it be for the frustratingly brilliant exclusive models Japanese carmakers reserve for their home market or simply for the novelty of driving something different. And with all the restrictive laws in place both here and on the continent, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if we start seeing more, like this Nissan Fairlady Z that’s currently up for auction or this runout Nissan GT-R.

Of course, it’s got to be worth it to go through the rigmarole of importing a car in the first place, which the GR Corolla most certainly is. Like the GR Yaris, the Corolla’s transformation from a humdrum family hatch to a seriously capable performance car wasn’t the work of a moment. The body, for instance, received significantly more bracing to stiffen it up, an all-wheel drive system with a torque-splitting differential and heavily revised suspension.

The 1.6-litre turbocharged three-pot has also been lifted from the GR Yaris, though an increase in turbo boost pressure lifts the power figure up to 300hp - around 20hp more than the supermini. Toyota also released a special edition called the ‘Morizo’, the nickname of company chairman Akio Toyoda, which came with a bit more torque, retuned dampers and the removal of the rear seats. And although they may be more sought after, you may as well go for the shorter, lighter GR Yaris if you’ve no need for the rear bench. So if it’s genuine usability you’re after, this ‘standard’ GR Corolla should do the job nicely.

On another note, you don’t often see these in white, with most of the press cars being finished in either dark grey or red, but it suits the car well and serves as a nod to its JDM roots. The seller will part ways with it for £46,990, which is quite a bit more than the list price in Japan (roughly the equivalent of £30k here), though the final price should include all the import fees and taxes that come when bringing a car into the country. That being said, it’s on par with the price of an FL5 Civic Type R with similar mileage, which does present somewhat of an enviable conundrum. Coin toss? Either way, you ain’t losing.

SPECIFICATION | TOYOTA GR COROLLA

Engine: 1,618 three-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: six-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 300@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 273@3,250rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
Year registered: 2023
Recorded mileage: 9,000
Price new: 5,250,000 yen (Japan)
Yours for: £46,990