Gruff and grippy Toyotas: GR Yaris vs. GR Corolla

Gazoo Racing (GR) is certainly making Toyota cars exciting again. 

The carmaker's motorsports, and now performance division, has injected its racing know-how to sporty Toyotas. It starts with the GR Supra, which promises driving fun in a sleek shell and classy countenance. Recently, Gazoo Racing has seemingly captured the raw driving experience of the 86 to the coupe's successor the GR86. 

Aside from its success in racing, Gazoo Racing packs some rally records, too, so it definitely knows how to develop gruff and grippy cars that can handle the sport. It's this rally spirit that has inspired GR to spawn the GR Yaris, and more recently, the GR Corolla.  

The GR Yaris is indeed a hot hatchback. A homologation of the GR's World Rally Championship car, the GR Yaris is equipped with WRC-derived gizmos such as the GR Four system, which optimizes the car's four-wheel drive for the terrain of a rally stage, or the smooth tarmac of a race track. 

What also makes this hatchback into a hot one is its turbocharged 1.6 three-cylinder engine. Considered to be among the most powerful three-cylinder engine ever made, it generates 261ps and 300Nm of torque. The six-speed manual, the sole transmission option, further highlights the GR Yaris' enthusiast car status. 

We've been lucky to have a spin in GR's road-going rally car. The GR Yaris' blend of straight-line and cornering prowess — perhaps helped by the three-door hatchback's paltry 1,310 kilogram curb weight — lit our pants on fire. 

It's this enthusiasts' clamor for the GR Yaris that urged Toyota to green light a GR Corolla for the American market — whose consumers are envying the Europeans and the Japanese's enjoyment of the hot hatch. 

And boy is the West equally as lucky. The GR Corolla is essentially a Corolla hatchback (available in the US and other markets) that's been gifted with the GR Yaris' turbo-triple, GR Four running gear, and with some added go-faster bits thrown in. 

The GR Corolla's 1.6-liter turbo has been modified to make more power than the car from which it's sourced, to the tune of 304hp and 370Nm of torque. Like the GR Yaris, the GR Corolla engine also features a valve-equipped triple-exhaust muffler that reduces both exhaust pressure and noise. 

Alongside the engine, the GR Corolla carries an enhanced version of the GR Four four-wheel drive system, too. This time, drivers can fine-tune the power distribution to the front and rear wheels for maximum traction, among the ratios of 60-40, 50-50, or 30-70 power split. 

Furthermore, the GR Corolla's trick suspension enable the GR-Four's optimal distribution of driving force, like in GR Yaris. And like the GR Yaris, the GR Corolla's performance running gear is underscored by a beefier body and wider track (up by 60mm up front and by 85mm in the rear for the former's case). 

As exciting as what is basically a five-door GR Yaris appears to be, we can only give it our admiration and approval from afar. The GR Corolla will be launched, and likely stay, in the US starting later this year in Core and Circuit Edition trim levels. 

And below, we line up some of the specs of the GR Corolla next to GR Yaris we have locally. With these hot hatchbacks, Gazoo Racing showed that Toyota is so much more than hybrids. 

SPECIFICATIONS	Toyota GR Yaris 1.6L Turbo MT	Toyota GR Corolla
Overall Length (mm)	3,995	4,410
Overall Width (mm)	1,805	1,850
Overall Height (mm)	1,455	1,480
Wheelbase (mm)	2,560	2,640
Curb Weight (kg)	1,310	1,475
Fuel Tank Capacity (L)	50	50
Engine	1.6L In-Line Three Cylinders, Turbo Gasoline	1.6L In-Line Three Cylinders, Turbo Gasoline
Displacement (cc)	1,618	1,618
Maximum Output (ps/rpm)	261/6,000	304/6,500
Maximum Torque (Nm/rpm)	360/3,000	370/3,000
Transmission	Six-speed Manual	Six-speed Manual
Drivetrain	Four-Wheel Drive	Four-Wheel Drive
Brakes	Front: Disc with Four-Cylinder Fixed Caliper Rear: Disc with Two-Cylinder Fixed Caliper	Front: Ventilated Disc  Rear: Ventilated Disc
Suspension	Front: McPherson Strut Rear: Double Wishbone	Front: McPherson Strut  Rear: Double Wishbone
Wheel Type	18-inch BBS Forged Alloy	18-inch, Gloss Black, 15-spoke, cast alloy
Tire Size	225/40 R18	235/40R18
Spare Tire	Tire repair kit	Tire repair kit
Headlamps	Three-tier LED	Three-tier LED
Position Lamp	LED, LED Front Fog Lamps	LED, LED Front Fog Lamps
Exterior Rear View Mirrors	Piano Black, Electric Adjustable	Piano Black, Electric Adjustable
Antenna	Fin Type	Fin Type
Radiator Grille	Black	Black
Outside Door Handles	Body Color	Body Color
Rear Spoiler	With	With
High Mount Stop Lamp	Integrated in Rear Spoiler	Integrated in Rear Spoiler
Rear Combination Lamps	LED	LED
Interior Rear View Mirror	Day and Night	Day and Night
Room Lamp	With	With
Steering Wheel	Leather	Leather
Steering Column	Manual Tilt	Manual Tilt
Steering Wheel Controls	Audio and Bluetooth Hands-Free	Audio and Bluetooth Hands-Free
Gear Shift Knob	Leather with Stitching	Leather with Stitching
Power Door Locks	With	With
Remote Keyless Entry	Smart Entry	Smart Entry
Push Start	With	With
Seat Material	Suede and Synthetic Leather	Suede and Synthetic Leather
Seats	Driver: Height Adjust, Recline and Slide Passenger: Recline and Slide Second Row: 60:40 Split Folding	Driver: Height Adjust, Recline and Slide Passenger: Recline and Slide Second Row: 60:40 Split Folding
Seating Capacity	Four	Five
Speakers	Six	Four
Airbags	Driver and Front Passenger, Curtain Shield	Driver and Front Passenger, Curtain Shield
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)	With	With
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	With	With
Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)	With	With
Anti-theft System	With	With
Differentials	Torsen LSD	Front: Torsen LSD Rear: Torsen LSD
Seatbelt	Front: Three-point ELR with Dual Pretensioner (x2) Rear: Three-point ELR with Pretensioner (x2)	Front: Three-point ELR with Dual Pretensioner (x2) Rear: Three-point ELR with Pretensioner (x3)
Isofix Child Anchor	With	With
Child Lock	Without	With
Available Body Colors	Super White II, Emotional Red, Precious Black Prime Red	White, Supersonic Red, Heavy Metal
PRICE	P2,650,000	TBA

 

Photos from Toyota