Would you ever think a Corolla would be a performance car? The new Toyota GR Corolla is more than just a simple performance car.
This new high-performance Corolla is a hot hatch that’s competing with some of the top performance vehicles in the world. The last place you would expect this car to show up is at a contest for the Performance Vehicle of the Year, but it did. MotorTrend reviewed this Toyota alongside a McLaren, Lamborghini, and the Corvette Z06. Could this little Toyota create a new set of rules for this game?
Forget the track and head out on the road
Although the GR Corolla can hold its own in terms of fun on the track, where it truly shines is out on the road between the lines. The other three cars mentioned are high-performance exotics that blow the doors off this three-cylinder hot hatch on the track, but when the roads twist and wind along a canyon floor or up a mountain pass, the Toyota could be the car that many want to drive. Could it be time for MotorTrend to have a Street Performance class to separate the street racing cars from the track monsters?
Expectations were exceeded by this little Toyota
Its fair to say the MotorTrend editors might have thought it a joke to see the Toyota GR Corolla show up alongside the exotic performance cars. This is a Corolla, after all. The Corolla is known for being a good, reliable, and useful car that comes at a low price, but does it belong in a performance car contest? Before the end of the week, some of the editors were searching for the nearest location to buy one of these little Toyotas and realized this car did more than simply exceed their expectations. It gave them a fun little car to drive and enjoy.
As expected, there was a fair amount of criticism
The editors wouldn’t be doing their jobs if everything was sunshine and roses about this little Toyota. Some felt the pedals weren’t placed well for heel-toe maneuvers, but the rev-matching function worked great. The stopping power was excellent except under prolonged hard use when the brakes would vibrate, suggesting overheating rotors. For the most part, the MotorTrend team saw the new GR Corolla as a fun performance car that can certainly take on the likes of the Honda Civic Type R or Volkswagen GTI.
Tons of power out of a small engine
What would you expect out of a 1.6-liter 3-cylinder engine? Most of us wouldn’t expect much and wonder if we’re talking about the Mitsubishi Mirage and not a high-performance hot hatch. This engine is turbocharged, and it produces 300 horsepower in the Toyota GR Corolla. That’s 43 more horsepower than the GR Yaris, which is sold in every market except ours. This incredible number makes it easy to love what this high-performance Corolla brings to the table.
Currently, the only transmission offered is a 6-speed manual, which is an excellent choice for this performance-oriented Corolla.
You choose where the power goes
The AWD system of the GR Corolla receives inspiration from the World Rally Car circuit. This system allows the driver to choose where to send the power. There are three power distribution modes to give you the power right where you need it. During daily driving, you’ll want the 60/40 front-to-rear split, but if you want to toss the rear around, choose a 30/70 split for some incredible fun. If you’re ready to lay down some fast laps, the 50/50 power split is perfect for your time on the track.
More than one version of this Corolla
Most people might think the Toyota GR Corolla is simply one additional trim level in the Corolla lineup, but that’s not the case. In fact, there are several trim levels and special editions of the GR Corolla, making this car its own lineup. The trims are Core, Circuit, and Morizo Edition. This top model is the only current special edition, with only 200 copies being made. This top model is 100 pounds lighter than the Circuit Edition to be a more track-focused car.
What makes the Morizo Edition special
The limited production run of this top-level GR Corolla certainly makes this car special, but there’s more to it than that. The lighter weight is achieved by deleting the rear seat and adding a forged carbon fiber roof while also removing the speakers and window regulators from the rear doors. For a small weight savings, the rear wiper blade and motor are also removed from this car.
These weight-saving measures allow this top-level performance model to have figures that are better than the other two trims. The Morizo model rides on a special suspension with monotube shocks and wheels with wider tires and lighter rims. The final benefit of this special model of the Toyota GR Corolla is the name. This edition comes from Akio Toyoda’s racing nickname, and it has his signature scrawled on the shifter.
Are you protected like normal with this performance Corolla?
This high-performance version of the Corolla is protected under the same warranty as the regular Corolla. This means you don’t have to break your warranty to tune up your car or add performance features to the mix. The GR Corolla offers a 3-year/36,000-mile standard warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Will you drive the Toyota GR Corolla?
Between the high praise from the team of MotorTrend editors and the incredible package of performance and power features, this is a car that checks off a lot of boxes. If you’ve been searching for a hot hatch with a lot of juice, it’s easy to find what you want when you take the Toyota GR Corolla out for a drive. This could be the car that you use to give your friends a challenge in their Honda Civic Type R. Which car will come out on top?
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