Toyota GR Corolla

One of Toyota’s highly-sought-after performance models, the new GR Corolla, upgraded and launched in Malaysia.

Based on the regular Corolla five-door hot hatch, the GR-fied and rally-bred C-segment is meaner-looking, and packs quite a punch.

Fully-imported (CBU - Japan), available via UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT - GR Garage - authorised dealers) is one variant (GR Corolla 1.6 M/T).

Priced (OTR, w/o insurance) at MYR 367,000, included is a standard vehicle warranty (five years, unlimited-mileage).

Four exterior colours (Precious Metal, Super White II, Emotional Red II, Black).

The new GR Corolla has a racing-inspired cockpit, featuring a symmetrically-tiered dashboard, linked to a low-rising centre console (wireless charger).

Hard-touched, it sees a single-tone (Black) colour scheme with contrast trims/stitching (Smoke Silver - dash, centre console/Red - steering wheel, centre console).

Filling-up the space are driver/central displays (instrument cluster, infotainment), angular air-con vents, and sport pedals (Aluminium).

Inclusively, the layout is well-designed and non-cluttered. Ergonomically-arranged with easy reachability (driver-oriented, user-friendly).

A GR instrument cluster, fitted is a 12.3-Inch Colour TFT Multi-Information Display (MID), with a Heads-Up Display (HUD).

The setup comes with an exclusive GR start-up animation, drive-mode-dependent layouts, and other driving functions.

Sportily-comfortable, the interior sees leather-Ultrasuede (Black) upholstery with contrast stitching (Red) and GR embroidery (Black-Red - front headrests).

The front gets manual-operated (driver-six-way, passenger-four-way) GR semi-bucket seats. The rear gets manual-operated (60:40 split-fold) bolstered seats.

Included are armrest (rear - centre seat fold-out), GR floor mats (GR logos), and a fabric headliner (Black).

The five-seater hatchback offers adequate cabin space, providing enough interior mobility for the occupants (front, rear).

Sufficient head-, shoulder-, and leg-room.

Mounted is a three-spoke-rounded GR steering wheel, wrapped in leather (Black) with contrast trims/stitching (Smoke Silver/Red) and GR emblem (Black-Red-Chrome - bottom-spoke).

Features are multi-function (Audio, MID, Telephone, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control - DRCC, Lane Tracing Assist - LTA), and column adjustments (tilt, telescopic).

Drive is aided by an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system.

Practical storage areas. E.g., side door/seatback pockets, partitioned/caverned centre console spaces, and a glove box.

Provided are four cup holders (two - front, two - rear), and four bottle holders (one - side doors).

Equipped are two USB ports (front - one, rear - one), and two 12 V sockets (front - one, rear - one), and one wireless charger (front).

Accessing its manual-operated (remote/key fob) tailgate, opens up to 213-Litres of load capacity (rear seats up).

Weighing in at 1,480 KG, the new GR Corolla measures at 4,408 MM long, 1,851 MM wide, 1,479 MM tall, and with a wheelbase spanning 2,640 MM.

Aerodynamically-sporty, its exterior exudes an athletically-planted stance, emphasised by sharply-rounded contours.

The front-end sees a bulging bonnet (vented), flared quarter panels (vented), and Toyota’s GR bumper (‘Functional Matrix Ver.2’ - three-split grille - side vents).

Accentuations, body trimmings (Black - grille, vents, side mirrors/window surrounds), roof (Carbon Fibre), and Toyota/GR emblems (Chrome, Black-Red-Chrome).

Widely-toned, it continues the athletically-planted profile, emphasised by cleanly-formed and horizontally-aligned surfaces.

The rear-end sees a mildly-dipped roofline, a roof-edge spoiler, a shark fin antenna, a bulging tailgate, muscular quarter panels, and Toyota’s GR bumper (diffuser, vented, triple exhausts).

Accentuations, body trimmings (Black - diffuser, vents, side window surrounds/body-colour - shark fin antenna/Chrome - exhausts), roof (Carbon Fibre), and Toyota/GR emblems (Chrome/Black-Red-Chrome).

Sharply-shaped, the headlamps are framed inward-tilted with pointed edges. Installed are Bi-LED units with axe outline light graphics.

Features are automatic On/Off, axe-shaped LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), Automatic High Beam (AHB), manual levelling, Follow-Me-Home lights, and sequential turn signals (LED).

Largely-angular, the smoked-out (Black tint) tail lamps are framed front-matching (axe-shaped theme). Installed are LED combination units.

Features are automatic On/Off, Follow-Me-Home lights, and sequential turn signals (LED). Paired to the layout is a set of fog lamps.

The side mirrors (Black) are electronic-powered (auto-fold, adjust), with turn signals and blind-spot indicators (Blind Spot Monitor - BSM).

Fitted are ventilated-slotted (front - four-piston Monoblock callipers, rear - two-piston Monoblock callipers) disc brakes, incorporating a conventional handbrake lever.

Gripping it to the tarmac is a set of 18-Inch multi-axis-spoke (single-tone - Black) Enkei aluminium-alloy rims, wrapped in 235/40 R18 (front, rear) Yokohama Advan Apex tyres.

The new GR Corolla features the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). 

Grouped are Pre-Collision System (PCS), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) for High-Speed Range, Lane Departure Alert (LDA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), and Automatic High Beam (AHB).

Others comprise of Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with Expert Mode, Traction Control (TRC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS).

Passive safety includes seven airbags (driver-passenger, driver-knee, front sides, front-rear curtains), seat belts (reminders, pretensioners, anchors), ISOFIX (rear-outer seats), automatic door locks (speed-sensing), electrochromic rear-view mirror (interior), parking sensors (four - front, rear), parking cameras (reverse), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Vehicle Telematics System (VTS - optional - MYR 2,000), anti-theft system (security alarm, immobiliser), Digital Video Recorder (DVR - front-rear), and Toyota Premium Security/Solar Film.

Provided are three standard drive modes (NORMAL, ECO, SPORT), and three GR-Four AWD modes (NORMAL, GRAVEL, TRACK).

Installed is a 9.0-Inch touchscreen central display (infotainment). 

The system supports Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (wireless), live navigation, USB and Bluetooth.

Entertainment is channelled via a six-speaker setup.

The new GR Corolla nestles a 1.6-Litre in-line, three-cylinder 12-valve, turbocharged D-4ST direct-port injection DOHC with Dual VVT-i, petrol engine (G16E-GTS), producing 296 HP (221 KW) at 6,500 RPM and 400 NM at 3,000 to 5,500 RPM.

Mated to the mill is a six-speed manual transmission (rev-matching) with iMT (Intelligent Manual Transmission).

Power is sent to all four wheels, via Toyota’s ‘GR-Four Full-Time Sports All-Wheel Drive’ (AWD) system. 

Incorporated is an Electronic Multi-plate clutch AWD (selectable torque split - three drive modes - NORMAL, GRAVEL, TRACK), and a Torsen LSD (Limited-Slip Differential - front, rear) setup.

Acceleration from 0 to 100 KM/H is done in 5.3 seconds and top speed is electronically-capped at 230 KM/H.

Fuel tank capacity is at 50-Litres.

The new GR Corolla features these conveniences.

E.g., Smart Entry/Start system (engine Start/Stop button - GR-branded), illumination entry system, automatic headlamps (On/Off, Follow-Me-Home, Automatic High Beam - AHB), steering wheel (multi-function, column adjustments, EPS), GR semi-bucket seats, automatic door locks (speed-sensing), electrochromic rear-view mirror (interior), parking sensors (four - front, rear), parking cameras (reverse), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), side mirrors (BSM, auto-fold, adjust), dual-zone automatic climate control system, wireless charger, automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), and portable tyre pump.

Installed is a dual-zone automatic climate control system. 

Installed is a GR-tuned setup of MacPherson strut with stabiliser (front) and double wishbone with stabiliser (rear).

Overall, it is punchy, firm and safe. The ride quality is solid, agile and responsive, with the seats well-bolstered and supportive, offering a sporty driving dynamic.

Good sound insulation, covering all the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) aspects adequately. Minimal wind, road, engine and tyre noises.

The new Toyota GR Corolla is no ordinary hot hatch. It is a performance-oriented-daily-driver, offering powerful performance with the style to match.

Strikingly, the exterior boasts a very sporty and athletic outlook, with sharp proportions, powerful contours, and an aggressively-planted stance.

Ultimately, the new GR Corolla is satisfactory. A well-built performance-oriented vehicle, especially with all the bells and whistles it comes with.