GR adds two-pedal convenience to its AWD Corolla rocket. Is it a crime against hot hatches, or a shrewd move?
The GR Corolla hasn’t been around all that long, yet Toyota has already fiddled with the formula. Along with suspension tweaks, additional cooling and a little more torque, they’ve added the option of an eight-speed auto. While that might sound like hot hatch heresy, a little everyday convenience always helps boost the appeal. Modern autos are slick operators, and ultimately they make for a quicker drive simply because they never miss a shift, while you’re left to concentrate on perfecting your braking and steering.

Just Easier
For general commuting, the two-pedal GR Corolla is much easier to live with. Simply select D and let it sort itself out, crawling through traffic without fuss and there’s no smelly clutch after a hill start. To get 221kW and 400Nm from a 1.6 triple, you need a bit of boost. And that means lag. The engine isn’t really happy below 2000rpm. With the manual, you’re constantly working the gears to keep that triple merry. The auto makes that job easier, sitting it at around 2000rpm in daily use, and stepping down a cog smartly when more pace is needed. There’s still lag as it tries to pull away in second gear at lower speeds, but mostly the gearbox masks the grumpy low-end nature of this highly strung motor.
Software mods are responsible for bulking up the midrange torque but the engine requires 98 octane, and the triple loves it. Around town, you’ll likely see averages in the mid-13L/100km range. As gears seventh and eighth are well overdriven, motorway cruising will net an average between 8–9L/100km. It’s not hard to see high teens when out enjoying it properly.

Practical still
The GR Corolla sports suspension tweaks with increased spring rates and new dampers, so the ride is firm but not punishing. Around town, however, you’ll notice it gets a bit lumpy. That said, the ride height is driveway ready, the steering weight friendly and so too the turning circle.
Up front, you’re held by heated GR sport seats with bolstering that is supportive but not punitive. Adjustment is purely manual, but it’s no real hardship. Behind the wheel (nice and circular, heated too) sits a digital cluster that can display how many Gs you’re pulling, how the torque is being distributed, or how much boost you’re making. A tacho is always present, changing to a strip layout in Sport mode. The infotainment system is simple but easy to use, favouring function over flash. Enthusiasts will appreciate that Toyota has kept a mechanical handbrake so you can show the kids how to do a proper U-turn.
While it’s a five seater, space is tight for those in the rear. Three young ones can squeeze across the bench but legroom is hardly generous. It’s the same for boot space, with a high floor and limited depth. Practical? Well, more so than the pint-sized GR Yaris, but the GR Corolla is not the roomiest five-door hatch on the market.
Still fun but?
We pointed the GR Corolla down a familiar fun road, clicking into Sport mode, and leaving the GR Four AWD system in its Normal setting (torque split 60:40).
The auto is a smart operator when left to do its thing, holding gears when you lift, and snapping a downshift when you’re on the picks. Its changes are quick and crisp, right up at 7000rpm, without being so abrupt that they upset the flow. Out of slower corners however, it would stubbornly select third gear, while we were hoping it would hook second to really haul off the bend.
Get into a flowing section of road and the suspension gels nicely, not bullied about by the lumps. It manages bumps and roll well, staying composed when shown a cornering load. While not the sharpest steerer, it does turn nicely, the assistance measured, as is the feedback. The suspenders now have a separate rebound spring to improve roll stiffness, while some changes on the trailing arm shore up the rear end to help it steer better through the bends.
While we thought it didn’t lean into understeer quite as readily as the old one, the tendency is still present. And the ESP can edge its way into the act, its presence unwelcome. Nearing the end of the loop, we thought; hmm, this is okay, but not great. So we yanked on that handbrake to spin it around and do it again properly. This time we slipped the stick into the manual mode, clicked the ESP into ‘Expert’ mode, and switched the AWD into ‘Track’ (where it can send as much as 70 per cent of the drive to the rears). And that unlocks its charms.
It’s a proper manual mode, with no silly overriding functions, each click of the paddles (which probably need to be bigger) met with the desired cog change, initiated quick smart. And it meant we could hook into second gear for properly enthusiastic corner exits. Dialling the stability control into Expert mode lets the car breathe more. It’s playful, with enough slip at both ends to keep you entertained while still feeling secure.
This has a good balance of power; exciting enough without straying into silly speeds too quickly. And you can definitely use that full bandwidth of the engine. The brakes are strong performers, though leaning heavily on them will occasionally trigger early intervention from the ABS. Still, the car remains stable under hard stops. You might need to pack some hearing protection when back road touring as tyre roar is a constant. At least the soundtrack compensates: the three-cylinder rasp has character, and you’ll occasionally catch the whistle of spent boost when pressing on.
So the GR Corolla auto is no less thrilling than the manual, just easier.

It’s not quite as sharp or involving as a Civic Type R, but it’s more entertaining than a Golf GTI, both of which are slightly more expensive than the auto GR. At $69,990 it asks five grand more than the manual.
The auto adds a layer of civility to the GR Corolla and makes it more accessible to a wider audience. It simply enhances usability and makes the racy 1.6 turbo easier to enjoy day to day.
And it’s fast, practical and comes with enough character to get our approval.

Toyota GR Corolla
$69,990 / 10.6L/100km / 240g/km
0-100 km/h 5.45s
80-120 km/h 3.30s (96m)
100-0 km/h 34.56m
Speedo error 97 at an indicated 100km/h
Ambient cabin noise 77.9dB@100km/h
Engine 1618cc / IL3 / T / DI
Max power 221kW@6500rpm
Max torque 400Nm@3250-4600rpm
Drivetrain 8-speed auto / AWD
Front suspension Mac strut / swaybar
Rear suspension Wishbones / swaybar
Turning circle 11.0m (2.3 turns)
Front brakes Ventilated discs
Rear brakes Ventilated discs
Stability systems ABS, ESP, TV
Safety AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB
Tyre size f/r-235/40R18
Wheelbase 2640mm
L/W/H 4410 / 1850 / 1480mm
Track f-1590mm r-1620mm
Fuel capacity 50L
Luggage capacity 213L
Tow rating Not rated to tow
Service intervals 12 months / 15,000km
Warranty 5yrs / 150,000km
ANCAP rating Not rated
Weight (claimed) 1510kg

Broadening the appeal
The Gazoo Racing Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT) was something the boss wanted. Apparently Akiyo Toyoda remarked that not everyone can drive a manual car these days, and that he wanted ‘to spread the joy of driving,’ which set Toyota working on the GR DAT. In Japan, 70 per cent of drivers are only licensed to drive automatic transmissions, so it allows more people to contemplate GR Corolla ownership.
The GR DAT is based on the standard Toyota eight-speed transaxle box, but they say the casing is about all they share in common. In pursuit of a crisp response, it has unique solenoid valves, more durable clutches and the torque converter lock up is snappier. Toyota claims the GR DAT shifts in under 300 milliseconds. The ratios have been altered, gears one to five being shorter, while seventh and eighth are overdriven to improve cruising. Development was helped via racing, the box used in the Super Taikyu endurance series and in domestic rallying in the Yaris.
