Apr 4, 20224 min read

The All New 2023 Toyota GR Corolla is Here!

Overview

Toyota has always produced cars that are loved by drivers and enthusiasts alike. TRD, the famous motorsports department of Toyota has given us some really amazing vehicles over the years. In light of growing competition and fierce rivalry in street motorsports, Toyota launched “Gazoo Racing (GR)”. The GR has grown immensely in a matter of few years and is becoming popular with their cars. Corolla has always been the choice of masses, offering superb reliability and joyous ownership experience.

After meddling with Yaris, Gazoo Racing has now teased a sportier version of Corolla that will hit the showroom floors in the late 2022. Unlike your normal 128 horsepower Corolla, the 2023 Corolla GR is a monster under the hood, and looks are not deceiving as well. Very aggressive design, an all-new platform, heavily tuned engine, and refined mechanics make 2023 Corolla GR a really scary contender for the crown of street motorsports and performance vehicles genre.

Performance – Engine and Transmission

Let's get to the good stuff first! The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla is the epitome of hot-hatch performance legacy. Packed under the hood is a ferocious 1.6L 3-cylinder turbo charged engine borrowed from Toyota Yaris GR. But unlike the 261 horsepower in Yaris, the G16E-GTS engine in GR Corolla is heavily tuned and produces an insane 300 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. That’s a mind-boggling 100 horsepower per cylinder, all credits to the newly designed three-piece muffler that offers an enhanced engine exhaust efficiency.

The performance gets a push with an all-new GA-C platform designed for sportier Toyota cars, offering a rigid and lightweight structure. All the power gets distributed among the four wheels via an intelligent 6-speed manual transmission. The gear ratios are modified to meet the performance and shifts relatively quicker. Thanks to an all-wheel-drive system, the GR Corolla offers superb traction and cornering experience. There are 3 power distributions that the driver can choose – 60:40 for routine driving, 30:70 for drifting fanatics, and a more stable 50:50 for traction.

The Circuit Edition would also come standard with a front and rear Torsen limited-slip differential as well. Complementing the performance are Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires and a reliable braking system with ventilated and slotted discs. Although Toyota is silent on the acceleration and top-speed figures, looking at Yaris’s 5.5 second 0-60 time, we can expect the new GR Corolla to be around a 5-second hot-hatch.

Exterior

The 2023 GR Corolla is the sportiest portrayal of the Corolla brand name. All the exterior accents and lines are enriched with curvy and stylish touches. The Front side is aggressive, thanks to the matrix grille with a GR-emblem and air vents on both sides. The LED DRLs and fog lamps, beefed-up fenders and 18-inch aluminum wheels make it stand out from the crowd.

The most eye-catching element on the rear side is the triple exhaust layout, forged with stainless steel. This sporty configuration not only adds to the looks but enhances the performance as well by lowering exhaust pressure, and spiking the efficiency. The roof is made of forged carbon sheet that is molded instead of woven, and gives an aggressive look. Such a sporty design has never been on the minds of Corolla designers, but the GR is a totally different story.

Interior – Comfort and Ambiance

Step inside the 2023 GR Corolla and you’re welcomed by the same quality interior panels and premium upholstery. A spacious cabin loaded with comfort and convenience features, offers a matchless driving experience. The 6-way adjustable electronic heated seats are wrapped in faux leather, auto climate control, heated steering wheel, push button start, and ambient interior lighting make the cabin utterly relaxing for the passengers. There are different storage cubbies for the hand held items, and Wireless smartphone charging to make everything hassle-free.

Infotainment and Connectivity

Like all other aspects, the technology and infotainment is also top-notch on the new GR Corolla. A new 12.3 inch TFT odometer displays all the information to the driver, such as turbo pressure, gear indicator and AWD mode. The steering wheel has easy-access controls to the TFT screen, volume and phone controls. The center touch screen is an 8 inch Toyota’s latest infotainment system. It lets you control the majority of the car features, and is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto enabled. Wireless connectivity allows seamless usability, and sound system is a top-notch 8-speaker JBL premium setup.

Trims and Pricing

The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla will be launched in two variants. A base variant called “Core” and a loaded, sportier version named “Circuit Edition”. The latter will be a limited-time offering and released as a Launch-Year exclusive. Toyota has not yet released the prices of GR Corolla - these are tentative prices.

Trim Price

Core $32,000 Circuit Edition $39,000

Safety and Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS)

At Toyota, there is no compromise on safety. Like other models, the new 2023 Toyota GR Corolla comes equipped with a suite of safety and driver assistance technology. The aim is to make daily driving seamless, and provide maximum safety to passengers in unforeseen situations. The safety and ADAS technology includes;

1. ABS with EBS and Brake Assist. 2. Electronic Stability Control. 3. Adaptive Cruise Control. 4. Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist. 5. Front Collision Avoidance with cyclist and pedestrian detection. 6. Adaptive headlights with smart high beams.

NHTSA gave 2023 Toyota GR Corolla a 5-Star Safety Rating.

Competition - Coming for Rivals

The competition has always been fierce in the hot hatchback niche. The sporty rally cars of 70s to the modern sports hatches, Toyota GR Corolla is going up against some big players of the industry. Some of the direct rivals of the new 2023 Toyota GR Corolla include the Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai Veloster N, Volkswagen Golf R, and Ford Focus RS. On paper, the GR Corolla seems to have immense capability to fight, let’s wait for it to hit the tarmac and see how it fares against the competition.