Updated 2025 Toyota GR Corolla Announced In Japan

The face-lifted 2025 Toyota GR Corolla has received another round of minor changes in its Japanese market model that goes on sale starting Nov this year.

The 2025 Toyota GR Corolla has been given another update in Japan. The automaker confirmed which via a press release issued earlier today, and the refresh brings enhanced cooling, increased body rigidity plus an upcoming software update that covers existing owners too.

According to Toyota, this latest round of minor changes stemmed from lessons the carmaker learnt competing with the hot hatch in the Super Taikyu Series – Japan’s popular and fiercely competitive domestic pro-am endurance racing series.

The latest round of changes uses data gained from competing in the Super Taikyu Series.

One key change is the increased body rigidity that Toyota acheived through increased use of adhesive in select spots (front, floor and rear wheel wells).

Key to which is the updated model’s reinforced body rigidity to better endure vertical and lateral G-forces – it seems Japanese circuits where the aforementioned Super Taikyu Racing events are competed on tend to generate more intense levels for which.

Part of the process includes applying up to 32.7 metres of structural adhesive – 13.9 metres more than before.  Much of which is concentrated in the body ‘s front, floor and areas surrounding the rear wheel wells.

Under the hood, the 1.6-litre 3-cyl turbo mill gains enhanced cooling thanks to a new cool air duct - another lesson learnt from racing.

Next comes enhanced cooling through a new high-engine-speed-activated cool air duct that sits below the air filter. It draws in outside air directly from the front grille, which in turn lowers intake-air temperature too.

In turn, this allows the blown 3-cyl mill to maintain stable high outputs even when the engine compartment’s temperature rises due to prolonged full-throttle driving. In other words, this GR Corolla won’t get too hot and bothered when caned.

Upgraded now too is the optional JLB audio suite, which is now beefed up with nine speakers plus an updated Active Sound Control function.

Next on the list of changes for this updated late-2025MY model is an upgraded JBL audio suite. Speaker count has risen from eight to nine thanks to a newly added subwoofer in the boot. The suite also works with the existing Active Noice Control (ANC) function.

Additionally, models fitted with this optional JBL system detailed offer the Active Sound Control function too. Existing owners know this system for piping in artificial engine sound which, as Toyota puts it, helps to enhance sporty driving excitement.

This update sees said Active Sound Control function offer owners three sound patterns plus three volume settings. Toyota goes as far as adding that this now also emits sounds a la any anti-lag systems, but owners can also switch this off entirely.

Toyota will begin sales of the updated late-2025MY GR Corolla model starting Nov this year in Japan, and it will no longer be offered through a lottery system thanks to improved stock availability.

Changes continue with sale method for this updated late-20245MY model specifically. Starting from which, Toyota will shift away from the previous lottery system thanks to revised supply system making the model readily available, and at unchanged prices too.

In its home market, the updated 2025 Toyota GR Corolla in RZ 6MT guise commands ¥5.68 million (approx. RM161,783) whilst the 8AT option raises things up to ¥5.98 million (approx. RM170,329) instead (Japanese ‘consumption tax’ included).

2023MY Toyota GR Corolla pictured. Toyota have confirmed owners for which will benefit with an updated software programme that promises a 30 Nm torque bump and enhanced GR Four AWD modes.

Lastly, Toyota also confirmed that it is developing a software upgrade programme that boosts performance and peak torque. Specifically, this will benefit existing owners with 2023MY version units onwards, and this arrives early next year.

Firstly, this update promises a 30 Nm torque bump for the 1.6-litre 3-cyl turbo mill to match the current face-lifted model. As a refresher, said mill was updated with increased torque of 400 Nm – the pre-facelift version only offered 370 Nm.

Specifically, the software update mentioned brings tweaked 'Gravel' and 'Track' modes with a range of front-rear torque-split settings.

Next, the software update also tweaks the GR Four all-wheel-drive (AWD) suite by replacing ‘Rear’ mode with ‘Gravel’ mode, the latter offering a 30:70 front/rear torque split.

Also part of this update is a revised ‘Track’ mode that’s been tweaked to offer variable torque-split adjustments ranging between 60:40 to 30:70 too – it was previously set at 50:50.

Presently, UMW Toyota Motor officially offers the face-lifted GR Corolla solely in 6MT guise priced at RM367,000. Expect changes from this updated Japanese market model to be reflected in official Malaysia-bound units soon.