We shut down a mountain pass to allow us to fully experience the 221 kW Toyota GR Corolla. Ciro De Siena answers the question: is this the best hot hatch you can buy right now?
We feel that if you asked any petrolhead which car brand would be building the most exciting enthusiast-focused cars in 2023, very few would have guessed Toyota.
But the reality is that the storied Japanese firm is cranking out some of the best performance cars in the world right now, from the GR Yaris to the GR Supra to the GR 86, and all with manual gearboxes.
The latest addition to this exciting stable is the GR Corolla. Employing the same (but highly fettled) motor as the GR Yaris, the GR Corolla is a mean-looking machine, offering 221 kW, all-wheel drive and yes, a manual cog swapper.
We shut down the dramatic Bainskloof mountain pass outside Cape Town, South Africa for this shoot and we sincerely hope you enjoy watching this as much as we enjoyed making it.
Want to purchase a new or used Toyota Corolla? Browse units for sale.
The prices and specifications of the new GR Corolla here.
Toyota GR Corolla Price in South Africa (September 2023)
1.6T GR-Four Core – R841 000
1.6T GR-Four Circuit – R902 400
