Toyota has been focusing a lot on efficiency and systems to lower commuting costs. But, GR has been doing a great job in getting Toyota to take the faster route; in terms of their cars. After the introduction of the well-received GR Yaris, they got their hands on the humble Corolla and turned it into a graceful 300 horsepower hot hatch. Keep reading to find out more.
What is the change?
Everything; it is not your regular shmegular Corolla, it is one of the recent, most powerful compact cars coming out of Japan, having a Corolla badge on it. The exterior is wider, with wheel arches slipping through the vented fenders, under which you can find the 18-inch wheels wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires.
The car comes in two packages, namely the Core and Circuit, where the Circuit pack adds carbon fiber, a larger rear spoiler, and other cosmetic amenities such as gloss black wheels. LED headlights come as a standard option along with both packages, under which we can find a large grille with a smile accompanied by the fog lights. An overall great sight to see.
Interior
Being a car made from Toyota, it has everything with driver and passenger comfort in mind; the circuit pack offers a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel and faux leather dash, and a few badges and stitching cues are rendering the interior apart from a regular Corolla. The bucket seats are made with Alcantara and behind the steering wheel, there’s a 12.4’’ screen showing the tachymeter and various other vehicle information relevant to the driver. The infotainment system is a touchscreen where it supports both Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto and the audio is delivered through JBL speakers.
Specifications
The Toyota GR Corolla comes with a 3 Cylinder G16E-GTS turbocharged engine making 300 horsepower and 370 Nm of torque paired with a 6-speed gated manual, with no option for an automatic. It also comes with their GR FOUR all-wheel-drive system which allows the driver to choose between different power-distribution modes, starting with a 60/40 front-to-rear split for everyday driving to up to 30/70 to allow for drifting antics; a 50/50 split option is intended to provide maximum traction.
Verdict
The GR Corolla is a great car which shows a bit of hope from the limelight that modern cars can still be fun. It is a proper Japanese hot hatch with no gimmicks, ensuring sheer driving pleasure, also contributing to a movement of enthusiasts looking for a proper driver’s car; which the GR Corolla is.
