2023 Toyota GR Corolla: A Real Hot Hatch Arrives From Toyota

For years we’ve had the Honda Civic Type-R and wondered when Toyota would compete. Now, the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla is here to do just that.

The Gazoo Racing brand of Toyota took the success of the latest Supra sports car and has found ways to apply it to various models in the lineup. First, we saw the Yaris, which sadly isn’t coming to America, wearing the GR badge; now we have the GR Corolla. This is the version of the Corolla we’ve wanted and finally will see.

When Will the New Corolla Arrive?

The hot-hatch version of this Toyota compact car should arrive before the end of 2022. It is part of the 2023 model lineup and give us a true competitor for the Civic Type-R. At a time when most automakers, Toyota included, are focused on building electric vehicles, we see a series of high-performance Toyotas arrive. The tuner treatments from the GR team make this new Corolla one that we’re sure to love driving. It’s not likely many of these cars will spend a lot of time on dealer lots; they’ll be scooped up quickly and out on the roads.

How Much Power Does the GR Corolla Offer?

We do know the same powertrain used in the GR Yaris is also coming in the Toyota GR Corolla. The power is tuned to 300 horsepower, giving us a small car with a lot of juice under the hood. The engine is a 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbocharged model that delivers this power, making it one of the smallest engines to reach this mark. The only transmission offered is a six-speed manual, which means you need to know how to shift gears if you want to drive this new hot hatch.

A New GR-Four System Arrives in the United States

Because we don’t get to have the GR Yaris in the US, bummer for us, the GR Corolla is the first model that brings the GR-Four AWD system to our shores. This system allows the driver to select the power distribution desired. Normal everyday driving has the power with a 60/40 front-to-rear split, but if you want to drift, a 30/70 split is optimal. When you want to enjoy some serious fun on the track, you might want the 50/50 split of the power to give you the maximum traction around the course.

Is This the First True Racing Corolla?

The current lineup of this car gives us the sporty SE and XSE models, but neither has the performance of the GR-Four system. The new Toyota GR Corolla is the first version of this car to offer true racing chops that make it a legitimate contender in a sports car competition in the compact segment. The Circuit Edition of this car has standard front and rear limited-slip differentials, adding to the impressive qualities of this car. If you don’t want the top model, you can opt for these items in the base, Core model.

Designed for Performance, Delivering Fuel Economy

This new Toyota offers impressive power and performance. It’s light, quick, and fun to drive. What you might not realize is that it should also deliver good fuel economy as well. While we don’t have the numbers yet, the expected EPA highway rating could reach 30 mpg for this little sports car. That puts the GR Corolla in contention with the Veloster N at 29 mpg and the Golf GTI at 32 mpg. We’ll have a much better idea of the fuel mileage once this car arrives in America.

What Features Will You Find Inside this Toyota?

The Toyota GR Corolla is an affordable sports car. You won’t find a great departure from the models we see in the market now when you look at what this racing version offers. Some of what you’ll find in the Circuit Edition include:

• Ambient interior lighting
• 6-wau adjustable driver’s seat
• Push-button starting
• Aluminum pedal covers
• Automatic climate control
• Heated seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Suede and faux-leather upholstery
• 8.0-inch infotainment screen
• Apple Car Play and Android Auto
• Amazon Alexa
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• 8-speaker JBL audio system
• Wireless smartphone charging pad
• Navigation system

Lower trims won’t have some of these items, but this car is ready to be a daily driver that can spend weekends at the track or drifting around a vacant lot.

Are you looking forward to the new 2023 Toyota GR Corolla? It will be here soon, and it’s a car that can deliver the fun and performance you’ve been waiting to experience.