Sporty compacts | The GR Corolla Orchestrates Toyota’s Long-Awaited Return

With its very cautious stance and its design philosophy that values ​​reliability above all else, the Toyota Corolla has become an icon of automotive standardization and a certain banality that nevertheless make it one of the best choices in its segment. for many. Driven by a desire to revitalize its portfolio, the Japanese brand presented Thursday a highly anticipated version that will want to silence its detractors: the GR Corolla, which displays 300 hp to convince customers.

Charles Rene
The Press

Attempting to capture the sheen of the past from a model that was once considered a dynamic benchmark in the 1980s, this new livery marries that idea with that of the world of motor rallying. Thus, this GR Corolla exposes aesthetic additions to mark a break with the production model. The multiple functional air intakes and the large gloss black grille show it off, as do the aerodynamically sculpted skirts and rear diffuser. The three tailpipes are particularly expressive, as are the curved wings, but the whole exudes a certain salutary restraint, like the Volkswagen Golf R.

All-wheel drive and stiffer platform

To support this sporty presentation, the GR Corolla will rely, as expected, on a particularly sophisticated all-wheel drive. It will allow the driver three levels of front/rear torque distribution (60:50, 30:70 and 50:50). This should have a tangible effect on how the car will handle in sporty driving.

To negotiate with this more dynamic approach, the chassis has been stiffened by the addition of spot welds and the more widespread use of adhesives. Damping remains McPherson strut up front and uses double wishbones at the rear for more precision. The set has obviously been completely overhauled and works together with standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires to glue this GR Corolla to the bitumen. Fortunately, enveloping front buckets are available!

Three cylinders rather than four

Unlike the competition, which uses turbocharged four-cylinders, the GR Corolla will draw its punch from an equally turbocharged three-cylinder that was inaugurated in Europe by the acclaimed GR Yaris. In the case of the Corolla, the power of this small 1.6 L mill is increased to 300 hp and its torque is 273 lb-ft. That’s pretty impressive for such a small block. Only a six-speed manual gearbox equipped with downshift synchronization is on the menu. It’s obviously a driving enthusiast audience that’s being targeted here.

Reflecting the attention to detail often associated with Toyota, assembly of the GR Corolla will be done in Japan at the Motomachi plant by specialist technicians. The first copies will arrive in Canada by the end of the year. Pricing has yet to be released, but the starting bill for the Core livery should logically compete with the Golf R which retails for $45,995. The Circuit Edition should definitely command several thousand dollars more.