Toyota GR Corolla Debuts in Thailand – RM500K, Malaysia Next?

Months after making its global debut, the Toyota GR Corolla has finally set ashore in ASEAN, with Thailand getting the first slice. Debuting in the 39th Thailand International Motor Expo, Toyota’s latest hot-hatch will join fellow GR siblings offered in Thailand, such as the GR86 and GR Supra. This hot-hatch’s Thai debut also marks Toyota Motor Thailand’s 60th anniversary.

Only offered in a single variant, the Thai-bound GR Corolla will share similar spec and trim level as the US-only Circuit Edition variant. This means it’ll boast the same 1.6-litre 3-cyl G16E-GTS turbocharged mill that also powers its little sibling, the GR Yaris, though this one comes with a higher state-of-tune at 300 HP and 370 NM.

Said powertrain pairs up with a six-speed manual gearbox, with auto rev-matching enabled. Power is then delivered to all four wheels via Toyota’s GT-FOUR all-wheel drive (AWD) system that comes in three driving modes – Normal, Sport and Track.

As mentioned earlier, the Thai-spec GR Corolla comes with Circuit Edition kit that includes a set of 18-inch alloy wheels, vented bonnet and carbon-fibre roof, apart from the standard amenities found in the baseline GR Corolla.

Inside the GR Corolla, its cabin space is draped in Brin Naub leather upholstery, alongside standard tech bits like a wireless charger, a 12.3-inch driver’s display, as well as a seven-inch infotainment display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity enabled.

Plus, this track-oriented hot-hatch also comes with a rather comprehensive set of safety features. Included is the Toyota’s latest advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) suite called Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 3.0, which laces this hot-hatch with auto-emergency braking, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control, to name a few.

Just two paint options are offered in Thailand, that being the Ice Cap White and Precious Black, with an option of either Black Smoke or Ignition Red interior hues.

In conjunction with its 60th anniversary, Toyota Motor Thailand also debuted several commemorative special models featuring existing models such as the Camry, Corolla Altis and more, alongside the GR Corolla.

In said Kingdom just north of our border, the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla hot-hatch is priced at a ridiculous THB 3.949 million figure - roughly RM500,352. Essentially, the GR Corolla has priced itself out of contention against its closest rival yet, the 2023 Honda Civic Type-R. To compare, the smaller Toyota GR Yaris was priced in Malaysia at RM299,000 OTR, while the Vietnam-bound FL5 Civic Type-R’s estimated price rings around the VMD 2 billion figure (roughly RM379,000).

To make things worse, Thai auto news portal Headlightmag reports a total of nine units will be brought into the Thai market initially – thus partially explaining the enormous asking price.

Folks, what are your thoughts on the latest GR Corolla? Should UMW Toyota bring this super-overpriced JDM hot-hatch to our local market? If it retains the astronomical price, perhaps the Mercedes-AMG A45 S hot-hatch that we’ve recently reviewed seems like a better deal at RM481,888, no? As always, leave your thoughts in the comments down below…