First drive: Toyota GR Corolla

Thursday, 30 March 2023

• TOYOTA GR COROLLA

• Price: $74,990 (Clean Car Discount fee $1,552.50)

• Powertrain: 1.6-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol, 221kW/370Nm, 6-speed manual, all-wheel drive

• Bodystyle: Hatchback

• On sale: Orders open via ballot

The Toyota Corolla is unquestionably a motoring icon. Which makes it all the more interesting that despite its popularity, a respectable rallying pedigree, and its position at the core of the birth of the entire subculture we know today as drifting, that Toyota has never actually made a proper, bona fide Corolla hot hatch.

Yes, there have been plenty of warmed up Corollas over the years of course. There was the Celica-powered Corolla GT almost two decades ago. Those lovely FX-GTs through the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. But never really anything designed to really take it to the GTIs and Type Rs of this world. If only the might of Toyota poured its heart and soul into the creation of such a car, hey …

It can’t be underestimated what a big deal it is for Toyota to finally debut this, the GR Corolla – a scorching hot hatch designed to be no less than the most fun you can have in hatchback form. So, is it?

Make me an instant expert: what do I need to know?

The GR Corolla is the bigger, more practical sibling to one of the motoring world’s undoubted media darlings from recent years; the smaller GR Yaris.

The pair share plenty of key similarities. They share the same 1.6-litre turbocharged triple, although the Corolla’s gets an extra 21kW thanks to revised pistons, stiffer valve springs, and a new turbo that creates more boost. They both get Toyota’s GR-Four all-wheel drive system. They both are sold exclusively with a manual 6-speed transmission. Each features uprated dampers, springs, and stabiliser bars.

But there are loads of key differences, too.

The Yaris is built on a Frankenstein platform as a proper homologation special, whilst the Corolla is … well … a sharpened up Corolla with a stiffer platform. Because of this it gets 80 more millimetres between its wheels and has to carry around roughly 200kg in added weight.

Aggressive boxed arches emphasise the Corolla’s wider track, and enlarged Yokohama Advan Apex rubber. An exposed forged carbon roof reduces weight and helps lower the centre of gravity. And there are three exhaust pipes pointing out from under the angular rear diffuser.

New Zealand gets just the one GR Corolla spec priced at $74,990, meaning it undercuts the Volkswagen Golf R by more than 10 grand, while being $5,990 more than a Honda Civic Type R and $14,000 more than the base manual Hyundai i30 N.

Want one? Well, good luck. Toyota only plans to bring 150 of them to New Zealand. With more than 1000 people sending in expressions of interest and a three-phase ballot process being used to decide who gets one and who doesn’t, the GR is probably tougher to get your hands on than most supercars.

Where did you drive it?

Our first drive of the GR started in Queenstown, with a drive up the Crown Range to neighbouring Cromwell. After a good night’s rest dreaming about screaming three-pots and 4A-GE engines, we then got a chance to whip the Corolla around Highlands Motorsport Park as part of the annual Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival across a pair of rapid 15-minute sessions. Helpfully, Toyota also gave us a burn with the GR Yaris, too.

Unfortunately the Crown Range drive was plagued by traffic, meaning our experience of its capabilities on cambered, vibrant New Zealand roads is still a bit of a work in progress. Still, there are a few things we can speak to.

Its ride is firm enough to help with giving feedback, but remains quite pliant regardless of which drive mode you’re in (even on the coarse chip-seal stuff), and its controls are mostly light and friendly. Despite all the super serious marketing guff showing the G-Rolla tackling gravel and tarmac with precision, it’s actually a bit of a liveable softy on typical Kiwi roads.

The triple is also suitably laid back at commuting speeds, too. It wasn’t too long ago that hot hatches would struggle to balance their wild circuit persona and mild daily driver mannerisms. These days most in the genre are good at feeling tame whilst commuting, and the GR is no exception.

And, yes, the GR’s on track persona is quite a wild one. Seeing that the launch would be held at Highlands, I was worried that the track, with its wide expanses, would be a bit ‘too big’ for the Corolla to feel at home. But I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The Corolla brings plenty of grip and slip. The latter is the leading ace up its sleeve in the battle for fun factor supremacy against the rest of the hot hatch mob. Setting sharp lap times is one thing, but the Corolla also does what it can to feel lively via its all-wheel drive system and dual Torsen diffs.

It’s a system capable of operating with either a 30/70 or 50/50 torque split, just like the Yaris. And subsequently, just like the Yaris, it doesn’t mind moving around a little when it goes light or when getting pressed on mid-corner. This is particularly true through Highlands’ challenging endlessly long right-hand sweeper, where you can feel the Corolla pivoting underneath you. It’s predictable enough to be controllable, but enough of a white-knuckle trait that it makes the GR a genuinely satisfying steer.

The manual isn’t as precise as that of the FL5 Type R, but it’s friendly enough in its feel on track, with rev-matching tech that works seamlessly for those too nervous to engage in a spot of heel-and-toe.

How does it compare to a GR Yaris?

The fear I have sometimes when a car manufacturer has more than one hot hatch in its stable is that they’ll be more or less identical. Difference is something the enthusiast market celebrates and craves. And on the surface it might seem that the Corolla and Yaris pair would be likely case of unfortunate doubling up.

But actually, they have surprisingly different personalities. Much of this owes to the difference in wheelbase and size. On track, the Corolla feels more planted and assured, with a bit more top-end punch. The Yaris by contrast is twitchier, moving around a bit more when pressed and under brakes and rotating a little quicker than the Corolla. It’s more of a challenge and therefore a bit more rewarding.

For the record, the Yaris is also a tiny smidgen quicker to 100kph, with Toyota claiming it can perform the feat in 5.2 seconds to the Corolla’s 5.3.

The Corolla also corrects the GR Yaris’ slightly awkward seating position. You sit nice and low, improving the connection you have with what’s unfolding underneath you. The Corolla is inevitably more practical, too, thanks to its extra doors. Although it’s worth underscoring that it continues to have one of the tiniest boot spaces in any hatch. Its 213L is less than that of a standard Yaris (but slightly more than the GR Yaris), and just over half what you can cram into a Civic Type R.

Why would I buy it?

It’s a zesty all-wheel drive hot hatch with plenty of charm and capability … why wouldn’t I?

The GR Corolla is a rare instance where you can believe the hype. On track it does everything it says on the tin and then some. A longer loan and a few back road jaunts with less traffic present will likely confirm that it’s just as good on the twisty civilian stuff, too.

Why wouldn’t I buy it?

Perhaps you already own a GR Yaris, or – erm – a Civic Type R. Whilst the GR Corolla is much more practical than its Yaris stable-mate, it cannot hold a candle to the practicality you get in a Golf R or Type R.

There’s also the prickly question of actually being able to buy the thing. Those unable to win a build slot through the ballot system will have a very tough time getting their hands on one of these, which only adds to the allure. If the GR Yaris is anything to go by, we can expect to start seeing these popping up for sale online with prices that are 10, 15 grand higher than sticker in no time.