The product has been the subject of a months-long teaser campaign. Toyota’s marketing department hid little clues and hints in adverts for other products, such as this recent GR86 television commercial. Now, the time has come as the Toyota GR Corolla finally makes its international debut.

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A new addition to the family

After years of producing humdrum vehicles, Toyota decided that it was going to expand its performance portfolio. The newly formed GR, for Gazoo Racing, the name would be the umbrella under which the hottest models of each range would sit.

First of the newcomers was the GR Supra. This was followed by GR Yaris, which we drove and reported on here. The GR86 was next, a car that is heading to SA in the not too distant future. As of today, the GR family expands even further with the addition of the Toyota GR Corolla.

Hot hatching

There was a time when South Africans Toyota fans could rely on the Japanese automaker for a competitive hot hatch from. Cars such as the RSi were much loved, and a decent foil to other automakers with similar products, and it seems those days have returned. The Toyota GR Corolla has all the right ingredients to make it a serious contender.

This new model is based on the already excellent Corolla hatch. The same 1,6-litre turbocharged engine, as used in the GR Yaris, is found beneath the vented bonnet. In the larger hatch peak power from the G16E-GTS has been ramped up to 224 kW. In addition, maximum torque is also up to a peak of 370 N.m. Oddly, there are no performance claims released with the car’s press material.

Read our driving review of the regular Toyota Corolla Hatch at this link.

The inline three-cylinder motor is mated with a six-speed manual transmission. Under the bespoke shell is an all-wheel-drive system. This drivetrain gives drivers a choice of 60-40, 50-50, or 30-70 power distribution to the front and rear wheels. Incidentally, the Toyota GR Corolla has more weld points in its structure well as added structural adhesive to provide a stiffer platform.

GR Corolla will be available in two derivatives. The more hard-core will have front and rear Torsen Limited Slip Differentials (LSD). The front suspension is a MacPherson-type strut design whereas the rear arrangement uses double-wishbone type multi-links. Vented and slotted discs handle braking duties upfront. These are clamped by four-piston callipers while the rear discs are held by two-pot clamps.

Bespoke appearance

The Toyota GR Corolla has a number of aesthetic changes to help differentiate it from its siblings. On the outside, we can see a set of model-specific fenders that are wider front and rear, bonnet vents, wider side sills and a large rear spoiler. As a result, the revised appearance is more in-your-face Civic Type-R than a subtle Golf R. 

High-performance low-profile Michelin rubber is wrapped around dark-finish 18-inch alloys. Inside there are several touches to make the range-leading Corolla more special, too. There are body-hugging seats to counter high cornering forces, sportier steering and a proper handbrake, too – NICE!