The original Toyota Corolla has long held a valued place in the commuter car market, blending great everyday performance with a sedan or hatchback body that makes a refreshing change from the all-conquering SUV. But Toyota has a history of producing high-end versions of their mainstream models, and the GR Corolla is the latest in a long line of souped-up cars that offer a little more.
Performance and Drivability
The GR Corolla is built around a 1.3L three-cylinder turbo engine that made its first appearance in the GR Corolla’s subcompact sibling, the Yaris. However, the tuning has been tweaked for the GR Corolla to deliver a superlative 300 horsepower and 273lb-ft of torque, an astonishing amount of power for a hatchback of this size.
All-wheel drive is standard, with a customizable balance of front and rear power distribution. Changing the modes allows precise AWD control in winter weather, or a rear-wheel bias to drive high-end performance over less demanding surfaces. And in a move that’s sure to thrill fans of hands-on, rally-inspired driving, the only available transmission is a six-speed manual design, with no automatic paddle shifters in sight.
Light in Weight, Sleek in Profile
The generous output is put to great use by the GR Corolla’s exterior design, which focuses on aerodynamic lines that create traction-assisting downforce. Aluminum is used for much of the bodywork, backed up by high-tensile steel in key areas, creating the ideal combination of strength and lightweight maneuverability.
But most of all, the GR Corolla’s exterior exudes a sense of racing excitement, with pronounced spoilers, aggressive brake and engine ducts, and a dramatic exhaust design with a built-in turbocharger.
High-Class Interior
The GR Corolla boasts an interior packed with features and comforts while still providing an experience that’s firmly focused on the driving feel. The dash is dominated by a 12.3-inch digital information display, showing essential driving data alongside more specialist information including turbo pressure, currently selected four-wheel-drive mode, and more.
Every GR Corolla is equipped with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, with key features also controllable through voice recognition. Smartphone integration is standard through wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while an optional cloud-based navigation system gives access to a live destination assistant that can help find restaurants, gas stations, and more with accurate directions sent directly to the car.
Advanced Safety and Driver Assist
The high power under the hood is backed up by an extensive suite of active safety systems to help ensure journeys are smooth and incident-free. Based on the latest Toyota Safety Sense 3 system, every GR Corolla has key highlights including:
Pre-collision system with pedestrian and motorcyclist detection, plus automatic emergency braking
Intersection scanning to detect vehicles approaching from the front or side
Lane departure alerts with lane tracing steering assist
Traffic sign recognition system
Automatic high beams
Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts
Dynamic radar-based cruise control with automatic lane centring
Put all these features together, and the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla is a hugely attractive take on one of the best-selling cars on the planet, combining genuine high performance with plenty of modern comforts and technology.
If you’re interested in experiencing the quality of this all-new model, please book a test drive of the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla by clicking on the button below.
Please Note: The details of this article were accurate at the time it was written. Manufacturers may change the details of any vehicle’s specifications, at any time, without notice.
