2023 looks to be the year of the performance hatchbacks. We aren’t even halfway through the year and already some key players in this segment have unleashed their assault. Think about it, Volkswagen presented the new Golf R, which is more refined and mature than its ever been. Honda recently unleashed its latest iteration of the Civic Type R, and now fellow Japanese brand Toyota has made it known that they’re not sitting this one out.
Since the arrival of the Toyota GR Yaris, Toyota has been steadily building its GR performance portfolio, and the arrival of the eagerly-awaited GR Corolla is finally imminent. The athletic Corolla hatch made its first appearance at this year’s Simola Hillclimb two weeks ago, and the order books are open for those interested in Japanese flair with a Toyota flavour.
GR Corolla specs
Like its GR Yaris stablemate, the GR Corolla utilises Toyota’s potent 1.6-litre 3-cylinder engine, which made a grand entrance for being the most powerful production 3-cylinder engine when it debuted in the GR Yaris. It makes 221kW, putting it at a slight disadvantage but still on par with its direct competition, which all utilise 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engines. The Corolla lays its power down through an all-wheel-drive system and offers drivers a pure driving experience through a 6-speed manual gearbox. If the GR Yaris was anything to go by, this should be another impressive offering from Toyota.
GR Corolla Price
The GR Corolla will be available in two specifications, a 1.6T Core and a 1.6T Circuit. As you may have guessed, the Circuit unit is the sportier of the two, offered with a forged carbon fibre roof, suede GR sports seats and a Heads-up display. Here’s how much you can expect to part with should you decide to place your order.
Toyota GR Corolla 1.6T Core R816 500
Toyota GR Corolla 1.6T Circuit R876 100
Gugu Masuku - CHANGECARS
