The venue: Zwartkops Raceway. The weapon of choice: Toyota’s latest Gazoo Racing creation – the GR Corolla. Does this model live up to the reputations of its celebrated predecessors and, is it a genuine, more visceral, alternative to the Golf R? Read on…
Just over a decade ago, Toyota enthusiasts were hard-pressed to find a sportscar in the Aichi-based firm’s stable that was worth getting excited about. Then came the 86 (now known as the GR86), the advent of Gazoo Racing (GR) – Toyota’s motorsport division – and soon after, fiery iterations of the Yaris. First, the high-performance GRMN, followed by the GR Yaris – the 3-pot turbopetrol supermini with all-wheel drive and performance beyond its credentials. Meanwhile, the 1st production car to wear the GR prefix was the 5th-gen Supra, which is now available in manual guise, but that’s a story for another day.
Corollas and Motorsport, though?
Of course! How short have our memories become now that the internet remembers everything for us? Globally and internationally, on tarmac and gravel, Corollas have excelled; sedans, coupes, hatchbacks and fastbacks, maybe a wagon or two – don’t sleep on the pedigree of the Corolla. The GR Corolla is no exception – it’s based on the current-gen hatchback, but seriously augmented for speed and handling.
Toyota proclaims the newcomer has been developed for drivers by drivers, and honed under motorsport conditions. Like the GR Yaris, the GR Corolla boasts a 1.6-litre 3-cylinder turbopetrol (now with 221 kW and 360 Nm) and it’s said to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 5.29 sec and go on to a top speed of 230 kph. In my experience, the all-paw hot hatchback feels quicker than that; its launch control, aided by a configurable GR-Four all-wheel drivetrain, gargled like a demon and spat us at the horizon at a rapid rate.
No, this is not your parents’ Corolla
Compared with its demure brethren, the GR Corolla has a much wider stance thanks to pumped-up wheel arches, in which sleek matte black 215/40 R18 aluminium wheels have been tucked away. It also benefits from a strengthened cooling system, several lightweight components, and a centre-mounted (and functional) exhaust muffler, for that (frankly prerequisite) rowdy 3-pipe aural presence.
Then there’s the array of air vents and -dams designed to keep operations cool (and help the GR slice through the air). My favourites are the ones on the bonnet, with the black plastic colour coded to that carbon-fibre roof. I am a fan of this emphatically sporty aesthetic. Who knew GR was onomatopoeic?
Growling aside, the GR Corolla also features Toyota’s intelligent manual transmission, which is optimised for those rapid (or rabid?) launches the newcomer will often be tasked to perform. When the asphalt gets twisty, Gazoo’s fettled suspension shines the most. The hardware is a tried and tested setup: McPherson struts at the front, trailing wishbones at the rear, with 1 or 2 limited-slip differentials to maximise traction.
My track time at the ‘wheel of the GR Corolla was nothing short of thrilling. Each time I pitched the chassis deeply into each of Zwartkops’ eight turns, I marvelled at the feedback from the Toyota’s helm (of which there is plenty), the sharpness of the brakes and the way the suspension stays admirably flat.
The GR Corolla’s handling felt predictable and forgiving, plus it allowed me to get to grips with the car’s controls quite quickly. It encourages you to rotate the all-paw performance hatchback either via the steering wheel or loud pedal – and is happy for you to mix it up. It certainly inspires confidence to know that you can probably get yourself out of any trouble (you’ve put yourself in) with a few deft corrections.
GR Corolla is like its sibling, but less frenetic
Even when near the limits of its adhesion, the GR Corrola doesn’t feel scary to pilot; in fact, it’s marginally less frenetic than its smaller Yaris counterpart. The hardware is similar – they’re similar machines – but bigger means different and, in this instance, I’d wager the dynamics have calmed down. But like, by a whole 1%. So really not a lot at all. And, in exchange, you get 2 extra doors and a more spacious cabin.
With the Corolla safely pitted, I could finally reflect on a cabin that feels mature, but still special thanks to lashings of carbon fibre and strategically applied GR badges. The interior features a digital instrument cluster, and can be had in black with white or red stitching. There are four exterior colours – red, white and black (typical GR palette), with midnight grey on offer on the Circuit grade (R902 400) exclusively.
The Toyota GR Corolla 1.6T GR-Four Circuit is the higher-end and more track-focused version compared with the entry-level Core grade (R841 000), which loses the Dual Torsen LSD. The Core GR Corolla also misses out on that carbon roof and hood vents, plus the heads-up display and gloss-black lower grille treatment, which is a great pity. I’d say just shell out the extra R60k and get one in its beefiest form.
And, if you want one, you better move quickly. Toyota only brings 5 of these in every month, which I think means that the lucky few who manage to buy one, will take it in any damn trim they can get it… I would.
Summary
Considering there is only a R10 400 difference between the top-rung GR Corolla and the Volkswagen Golf 8 R (July 2023) – and Toyota and VW are archrivals, remember – comparisons between this model and the apex Golf are inevitable. The two cars are both potent all-wheel drive performance hatchbacks, but whereas the clinical German offering grips tenaciously at each corner, the Japanese car’s GR Four systems seem lairier – more playful. Plus, its 3-pot, manual-shift powertrain makes it feel unconventional, or rather characterful, in a class of car that typically favours inline fours mated with auto transmissions.
But, in a way, the GR Corolla doesn’t have conventional rivals – apart from perhaps the GR Yaris, because Toyota performance enthusiasts won’t be looking elsewhere. They’re a committed bunch who cannot believe their good fortune to have a pair of strong contenders within their favourite stable. That storied stable extends deeply into the past with monikers such as RSI and RXI, TRD and Twincam. After a day at the ‘wheel, I can say with authority: the GR Corolla has earned its stripes… and a place in this legacy.
Related content:
Toyota GR Corolla (2023) Price & Specs
Volkswagen Golf 8 R (2023) Review
