Means Business.
The wide body flares almost seem aftermarket sourced. At times the GR Corolla resembles a cross between Rocket Bunny and Rallycross. Quite over the top, look-at-me sort but in a good way. The 4 door configuration makes it even more badass, yet practical at the same time.
This car is literally a modern remake of 4WD JDM specials from the 80s and 90s. GR FOUR indentation on the side skirts just screams Evolution III. Super nostalgic.
But of course the motif was surely meant as an homage to Toyota’s own Celica GT-Four, a highly celebrated car in WRC and Sega Rally.
The bulging bonnet with 2 cutouts for air outlets is another big GR visual cue and tops off the retro car cult trip. It is made of aluminium and felt very apparent when lifting it up and being quite surprised by its extreme lightness.
Then, there is the even more elite specced, weight saving, forged carbon fiber roof that is hard to notice as it is matte and slightly opaque in appearance. If the aluminium bonnet feels that light, this cf roof surely contributes to lowering the GR Corolla's center of gravity further, adding a good amount of agility to its handling.
It"s got exhaust tips right, left, center so anyone can hear it coming and see it going. When starting from cold, the GR Corolla is very audible.
It's the kind of hum your neighbours will hear. Low bass, throbbing mids with a slight raspy idle. But it does get quiet once it's warmed up. Which will take minutes.
First Drive
Very serious out of the box, not going to lie. Suspension can be damn stiff on uneven roads at lower city driving pace, but super planted everywhere else at speed. Was expecting a tamer, 4 door family man version of the GR Yaris but in fact it feels substantially more hardcore than.
Despite the extreme physique, motorsport pedigree hype surrounding it, the GR Corolla in reality is easy to start. Just like a regular Corolla pretty much, but manual. There is no learning curve, is effortless, light and smooth on the get go. Feels very heavy duty all round and absorbs imperfect driving really well, if any.
It comes with driving assists which dilute some of its seriousness. Lane keep assist intervenes at times, although mildly so. It's not straightaway adjustable, wasn't able to easily locate the settings so left it at that. It was not a problem throughout the days with this car so it's all good.
2025 Toyota GR Corolla Specs
5.2 secs / 230kmh / 300ps / 400nm / G16E-GTS 3 cylinder turbo / 6 speed manual / 4WD / From RM367,000.0
Power
By the first corner up the hills, it already feels more highly strung than the original GR Yaris. Power is obviously more and It can be intimidatingly fast at times. This is probably because of a strong surge that happens near the end of the rev range.This GR Corolla may be heavier than sibling GR Yaris, yet at full throttle, full boost, on the uphill, it feels punchier than the claimed 300hp.
There is an exponential curve to the delivery part of that 300hp. This high output 3 cylinder turbo is identical to the first edition GR Yaris' 260hp 1.6L engine, but has been overclocked to 300hp. Making the GR Corolla feel more explosive on acceleration but also less linear, with a compounding effect when compared, especially at the hill climb.
It posses a kind of a rush, like a surge, akin to aftermarket tuned turbo cars of the 90s when flooring past 5000rpm.
The updated 2025 GR Yaris now gets this same 300hp spec.
When hill climbing, it seemingly prefers either full attack or to fly low. Power can feel somewhat dry for anything in between, such as gunning it at from lower revs in higher gears, on steeper inclines.
It can sometimes be a touch laggy. Although it has to be said that the gear ratios on this car are quite long and makes it even more apparent
In Sport mode, this exponential sensation is more amplified. Being in normal mode helps mitigate and smoothen the graph but sacrifices the quick throttle response that sport mode offers. Somehow this aggressive full throttle curve highlights the original 260hp GR Yaris' supreme balance in all round power delivery with the compact 3 cylinder engine, where squeezing anything more may see diminishing returns, as experienced in the GR Corolla.
Still, the outright power at full boost is undeniably impressive when climbing the highlands of Genting. It's hard to believe at times, how the little 1.6L turbo and a 3 potter at that, can supply this sort of punch. It's a real rocket at full throttle. But you must be in the right gear.
The gear ratios are somewhat longish and the engine really only sings when the revs are past the mid range. Slowing down too much for a hairpin or a speedbump in 2nd gear at low revs while uphill can present a sense of sluggishness when getting back on throttle. First gear is often summoned for such instances.
On highways however, the long gearing is a blessing. Allowing it to build up speed and cruise at higher velocity without the engine screaming. That said, the GR Corolla really is quite relaxed on the highways.
The force is strong in these brakes
Overspecced is the first word that comes to mind when speaking about the GR Corolla's brakes.Even features a 2 piece front disc setup by default. Pretty high end spec for a retail hot hatch. In city driving the brake pedal is exquisite to squeeze, has just the right resistance and exudes an obvious sense of a well configured system.
Didn't think the brakes would be a highlight to remember, but it was a highlight.
At the hills the brakes felt very reassuring. Effortless and notably strong. It stops better than expected, almost encourages one to extend their braking points after every corner.
The suspension probably plays a big part in that ability, not forgetting the grippier Advan tyres completing this trinity of grip.
City Driving
At times one can hear and feel the 4WD mechanism whirring underneath, especially during quiet low revs city driving. It's a mild mechanical sensation but obvious enough to travel up through the seats.
Just one of those rare things that add to the GR Corolla's specialness.
At low speeds and off boost, the GR Corolla is just as tame as a regular Corolla, with the exception of its firm suspension, which in all fairness does behave superbly on blemish free roads. But on not so good roads, this firm suspension can get pretty dramatic.
Firm Suspension & Handling
The suspension is a love hate situation. Really love how it is so no nonsense, all out about grip and handling without much care for the practicality side of things, such as comfort for one. Which is easy to hate when first negotiating speed bumps or bad roads.
The good news is, this hate does fade over a couple of days, once the GR Corolla runs you in.
It reels you in, in time, the hardness.
Manning you up in a positive way which adds to the full body GR experience. What makes the hardship worth it is that this firm suspension actually excels at its main job, finding grip.
At speed, on highways or highlands, the GR Corolla feels super planted. All the notorious big bumps and dips up Genting were absorbed like magic, which very few cars can do.
There is very little sense of roll anywhere, and all you feel is grip grip grip, with a big dose of lateral g.
These pretty looking UHP Yokohama Advan Apex V601 tyres and the GR Corolla are a match made in highlands, it sure feels different from the usual, is sticky so to speak and hardly squeak when driven hard.
On the edge is where the GR Corolla's chassis really rewards. With its sky high limits, it's hard to realise the full 4WD potential on the road.
But even without chasing the edge, the all wheel traction does present itself and adds to the joy of having it.
Such as exiting tight turns, when power is applied, the rear wheels just help keep the front end tucked in.
There is nothing you need to do, the GR 4WD effect just happens and it can be quite an obvious feeling, even in normal mode, which supplies 60:40 torque split between the front and rear wheels.
There are 2 advantages to this. One, it cures the car from running wide like a FWD car is naturally known for. Two, you can be on power way earlier, also with more throttle than you would in a non 4WD car.
GR Four Modes:
Normal Mode 60:40 front-to-rear
Gravel Mode 50:50
Track Mode 30:70 front-to-rear
Cockpit
Nice cockpit. When inside, the interior feels deep and sunken in. Front GR sport seats accentuate this low seating position. They are firm, functional, looks good and manually operated. Only the driver's side offer height adjustment.The manual seats go well with the analog theme of the manual GR Corolla., Any additional function or worse, electric adjustment, would weigh the GR Corolla down unnecessarily, especially it being a 3 cylinder, despite being a good one.
Overall the minimalist interior offers good driving experience and does feel special when inside. Sporty for sure and definitely has a more premium GR tier ambience to it.
It is also mostly black throughout, black roofliner goes without saying, has glossy piano black accents with red stitching here and there.
If there was one thing they needn't include is the central entertainment screen. It is a hindrance to the driver's POV because of the high placement, large size and thick bezel.
Steering wheel is refreshingly thin rimmed. Thinner than usual, not like the meaty ones we're used to. Easier on the hands in a way, versus gripping a thicker rim on long drives.
Nice to see, nice to hold and has good weight to it. Comes with red stitches and the 6 o clock GR logo completes the sportish steering wheel.
It is tilt and reach adjustable, unsurprisingly.
The digital instrument cluster is cool during startups, displays gear number, vital temps, has a g meter, digital tachometer in 2 versions, normal and sport. The G meter is a nice touch, although tiny, provides an indication of the GR Corolla's lateral grip when carving the hills. The instrument cluster also features a braking indicator at the bottom that tells you when you're applying the brakes.
Sport mode presents the tachometer in a linear bar with the lower revs squashed and higher revs stretched. This makes the rev counter move in an exponential manner. Visually, it makes the lower revs hard to read and the higher revs appear slow to rise.
Brownie points for adding a unique back-to-the-future touch at first glance, but It's probably the least driver oriented feature of the GR Corolla.
It's times like these that an analog cluster would shine instead, especially the tachometer part.
Rear USB C fast charging is a superb feature for powering an action camera, so is the front wireless charging pad for phones, also fast charging.
A definite big plus in spite of the GR Corolla's actual combat purpose.
Our On-Board Cam Mount Kit
Do you like this headrest post mounted car cam mount? We made it. It's how our on board videos are filmed.After several phases, this system now features a carbon fiber rod for lightness and rigidity.
It is quick to mount, adjust or remove and works on either left or right side seats.
The main clamps grip the headrest posts, which also holds the cf rod, that carries the camera mounts.
It has mounts for a typical GoPro or generic action cam, plus a double duty phone camera clamp that holds anything from an iPhone to a Folding phone.
This kit fits most seats with typical vertical headrest posts. (Recaro type harness pass through mount option is coming) If you are keen to own this Car Cockpit Cam mount, please tell us via this quick Google Form:
Zerotohundred On Board Cam Mount Kit – Early Access & Interest List
More visuals of the Car Cockpit Cam Mount Kit:
Manual experience
Gear Lever - Gear shifting, like the Yaris GR, is just spot on. Short throw, magnetic almost, weighty, and precise. Undoubtedly another highlight of the GR Corolla.
The knob is upholstered in black faux leather and has a pleasant bulb shape. Gear layout badge on the knob is a classic move, GR logo is nice, not rice.
Foot Pedals - Pedal set looks average hatch, almost unchanged from the 90s, but is well setup. Pedal placement feels far apart, especially throttle and brake pedals. Either that or they are too small in size. Brakes are top notch as mentioned.
The clutch pedal can feel a bit deep when in use but no complaints there. It has a nice light to medium resistance when squeezed. The throttle pedal is just like any regular hatch. It's probably a big ask for a floor mounted throttle pedal, which will surely elevate the driving experience, but all is good.
Conclusion
The GR Corolla is not here to please everyone. It’s raw, unstealthy, stiff, and serious. But it’s also easy to live with once you adjust to it.It rewards those who understand what it’s trying to do.
This isn’t another family Toyota. It is literally a meaner 4 door version of the already hot GR Yaris, that just happens to fit five, but not in comfort.
Daily friendly, touge ready. The GR Corolla is for anyone who appreciates the thrill of analog driving, even noobs.
It'll compliment every manual driver, while the experienced pro will be able to savour its full 4WD abilities.
More about the GR Corolla via official Toyota Malaysia:
Toyota GR Corolla | Sports Hatchback | Toyota Malaysia
