New Automatic Transmission Rumoured For Toyota GR Corolla

The Toyota GR Corolla is allegedly set to receive a slew of updates for its upcoming 2025MY revision, and it's rumoured to include an automatic transmission option too.

Though this news will make driving enthusiasts – us included – groan, we cannot deny that it makes solid business sense. Various reports have emerged online this week indicating that an automatic transmission (AT) option will be ready for the Toyota GR Corolla soon.

Said reports cited allegedly leaked documents detailing upcoming revisions planned for the 2025 model year version for the bigger sibling of the Toyota GR Yaris. In fact, the latter was the first to be treated with an AT option added in its 2024MY version that debuted this year.

Earlier this year, the smaller GR Yaris was revised for its 2024MY iteration and it saw both the existing 6-speed manual retained alongside a new -speed automatic option, the latter boasting paddle-shifters too.

Given the fact that both the GR Yaris and GR Corolla share identical powertrain packages, the arrival of an AT transmission option is perhaps expected. As a refresher, said AT hardware primed in the 2024MY GR Yaris is an 8-speed torque converter that also boasts paddle-shifters.

And like the smaller GR Yaris mentioned, the new 8-speed AT is expected to be offered alongside the existing 6-speed manual box primed. In the smaller GR Yaris though, said new automatic box does add to the hot hatch’s weight, but not by much – roughly 18 KG.

THe 2025MY will also allegedly gain a slight torque bump of up to 400 NM. Presently, the 1.6-litre 3-cyl turbo it shares with the GR Yaris develops 296 HP ( 300PS) and 370 NM, and it's paired exclusively with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Crucially, the new 8-speed AT option’s addition also likely stemmed from the alleged torque bump the 2025MY GR Corolla is set to gain. Presently, the GR Corolla’s 1.6-litre 3-cyl turbo heart churns out 296 HP (300 PS) and 370 NM. The latter is expected to rise to 400 NM.

 Other key new bits expected based on said leaked document mentioned include an improved radiator and brake cooling duct, a host of newly added luxuries on board such as heated steering wheel, as well as mild styling revisions.

However, much of what’s detailed remains to be seen still as Toyota remains tight-lipped about the matter. Nevertheless, the possible availability of an automatic transmission option in this larger GR-badged hot hatch could make it much more accessible to more buyers.

Would you still fancy this rally-bred hot hatch if it was offered with a automatic transmission option?

We at CariCarz.com had a go in the hot seat and behind the wheel of the current GR Corolla earlier this year. Suffice to say, rowing our own gears in this hot hatch proved to be quite a joy. It also induced lots of nostalgia of a by-gone era of road-going rally replicas from the 80s and 90s.

So as long as you don’t mind its steep asking price of RM355,000, as well as rowing your own gears and managing a clutch pedal, the GR Corolla stands as a exceptional performance drive for the daily that you can still buy today.