This is not your Grandfather’s (or Grandmother’s) compact Toyota Corolla primarily driven to Sunday morning spiritual services. Instead, the Corolla GR ‘Hot Hatch’ rates as one of handful of GR-badged Toyota products referencing ‘Gazoo Racing’, a potent choice for those wishing a little extra performance fun from their purchase dollars.
Racetracks of all sizes around the world remain high-speed testing incubators for automakers at large. Toyota started playing at the track in earnest back in the 1950s with small budgets and large learning curves. Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) stumbled into existence decades later in 2007 as an unofficial extracurricular activity consisting of a dedicated team of Toyota employees participating in the 24 hour endurance races. By the early 20’s, the latest batch of GR badged vehicles hit Toyota showrooms. The Gazoo Racing namesake builds upon the Japanese word ‘Gazo’ which loosely translates into English as ‘picture’ or ‘image’.
Toyota also offers vehicle perks/upgrades through its long-standing TRD subset/division reflecting ‘Toyota Racing Development.’ Think of TRD as an in-house tuning division upgrading existing vehicles with factory-built and specified parts largely gleaned from intense off-road competitions that’s been part of Toyota’s vocabulary for 45 years. Generally, TRD highlights grace existing pickup trucks and large sport utility vehicles enhancing off-road durability while GR opts for smaller, lighter-weight cars tweaking up performance.
During the 2024 model year only a handful of cars earn GR badging including the three-door four-cylinder GR86 hatchback, three-door six-cylinder GR Supra hatchback and this week’s tester, the five-door Corolla GR hatchback.
The all-wheel drive Corolla GR five-door hatchback specifically tailors to the North American market arriving in the 2023 model year. It’s not a traditional crossover, but a smaller, compact sized hatchback product closer in status to lower-slung wagon. European customers get treated to the smaller subcompact three-cylinder Yaris GR instead of the Corolla GR partly because Yaris no longer markets in the U.S.
The worldwide success of Corolla can’t be underestimated. Since its successful 1968 introduction in the U.S., more than 53 million units have sold worldwide. That’s a staggering large number representing 18 percent of all the vehicles Toyota has ever made since starting in the business back in Japan in 1935. The name remains so recognizable and respected, Toyota introduced gobs of variants and versions including five-door hatchbacks, gas-electric hybrid versions and, of course, the performance leader, Corolla GR.
Three 2024 Corolla GR trims include Core Grade, Premium Grade (new for 2024) and our tester, the upmarket Circuit Edition representing the highest level of GR enticement. Originally pegged as a specialty trim for its inaugural 2023 year, the Circuit Edition stuck around for 2024 with a new Blue Flame exterior color and black contrasting enhancements. Grab one if tempted since Circuit Edition’s not on the books in 2025. Inside, GR badging makes an appearance on the three-spoke steering wheel at the 6 o’clock position, topping the manual transmission shifter, seat headrests and in animated form within the digital instrument panel during engine starts. Outside, badging appears on both front fenders alongside functional air vents and on the back hatch above the stylish, triple in-row exhaust pipes.
In front, a large lower black functional air dam with honeycomb-like filling dominates with the front hood coming to a center point above and circular Toyota T logo. Long eyebrow-style frosted lighting stretches from side fenders towards the logo doubling as daytime running lights and amber turn-signal indicators. Automatic high beams come standard, activated when no visible oncoming headlights are detected at night. Side view mirrors include secondary amber blinkers.
Sides include body-colored strap-like openers. The steeply raked windshield parallels with front A-pillar angles creating a deep dashboard top inside. Flared front and rear fenders add to a wide, planted stance increasing road grip.
Keeping the performance theme going strong, a six-speed manual transmission comes standard. For gear head geeks (guilty as charged) the lost art of manual shifting offers a connection not experienced with standard automatics, dual clutch transmissions or continuously variable transmissions. Spoiler alert: 2025 Corolla GRs will offer an optional eight-speed Gazoo Racing direct automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters.
Corolla GR’s manual six speeds shift predictably with a clutch that grabs at a comfortable mid-point during the gentle lift up of the left foot. Some clutches (most notable the European variety) grab too early creating a lurching-type sensation. The long logoed stick handle includes a pull ring needed when shifting left and up into reverse. Also included at no extra coast, a hill-holder clutch technology basically keeping the vehicle in place about three seconds when plying the brake pedal. This prevents the GR from rolling backwards if stationed on an incline while the right foot gently lifts off the aluminum sport brake pedal and the right-hand shifts into first gear from neutral.
Adjacent to the shifter; an old-school manually operated parking brake pull handle and dual inline beverage holders. Four drive modes (normal, sport, eco and custom) select from a narrow pull/push tab north of the six-speed stick with the chosen winner displayed within the digital instrument panel. Next store, a button to disengage the traction control enhancing the slip and slide factor when/if desired. Storage opportunities remain limited as no flip-top arm rest/bin finds its way between front buckets.
Unique to all GR offerings, a twist dial between buckets allowing drivers to manually adjust the all-wheel drive torque, known in some circles as adaptive all-wheel drive. Choose a 60:40 front/rear split for commuter driving, 30:70 during winding road travel and 50:50 on track day. The chosen percentage also displays within the highly digital 12.3-inch instrument panel including a tri-section format with each window including multiple layouts controlled by 9 o’clock buttons found on the three-spoke steering wheel.
The niche Toyota GR Corolla comes fully loaded with precious few factory options, helping speed through the purchasing process. Each of the three trims adds additional standard equipment from the level below. Our Blue Flame exteriored 2024 top-tier Circuit Edition tester included a $44,740 starting price. The few dealer add-ons included carpeted floor mats ($289), door sill protectors ($179) and a frameless rearview mirror ($175) presumably added at the factory. The bottom line, with $1,095 destination charge, reached $46,478.
A 2024 Core Grade GR trim starts at $36,100 while the new-for-2024 Premium Grade GR checks in at $39,920. By comparison the lowest-priced ‘conventional’ Corolla LE sedan checks in around $21,500. Toyota produces a limited number of GR offerings helping demand out pace supply. If one’s spotted on the dealer lot and tempted, latch on as they don’t gather dust very long with less than 2,000 Circuit Editions built for 2024.
Unique to the Circuit Edition trim: black, 10-spoke gloss black forged-alloy wheels differing from the other two’s 15-spoke cast alloy wheels. Also, Circuit Editions add a carbon fiber black roof, imposing gloss black high mounted rear spoiler, functional hood-mounted air vents and bulge with gloss black highlights and blue stitched interior accents matching the sole exterior blue color.
All trims include double wishbone multi-link sports tuned rear suspension and specially tuned electric power steering. notching up performance. Ventilated and slotted brake rotors help dissipate heat for increased performance. It’s fun and responsive with a planted feel when gliding through spirited turns.
The sole engine in all three trims, a 1.6-liter turbo-inspired three-cylinder engine produces an impressive 300 horsepower. Gas mileage, however, did not reach impressive status, miles below conventional Corollas, checking in at 21 miles per gallon city and 28 mpg highway. Be prepared to employ premium 91-octane premium grade unleaded fuel to fill the 13.2-gallon tank. By comparison the highly pedestrian 2024 Toyota Corolla LE front-wheel drive sedan generates a combined 35 city/highway miles per gallon with regular 87-octane fuel in exchange for a lesser 169 horsepower output from a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter four cylinder.
Our Circuit Edition’s sole interior color scheme includes Black with blue accents. Core and Premium grades include black with gray accents. Once positioned inside, the relative comfortable seating height resolved fears of a seating position too low for some tastes. This GR Corolla suited my shotgun partner’s mobility issues just fine. Back seat riders contend with narrow door openings and once inside two riders fit with optimal comfort with the vertical floor hump carving out two twin regions. Seatbacks manually fold down onto cushions with a 60/40 split opening up cargo opportunities.
The eight-inch multi-function touch screen dons a flat back style jetting up gently above the dashboard top with a logical design path. A welcome on-off/volume twist knob helps monitor sound experience through eight speakers. Apple CarPlay and Android auto compatibility come standard along with a USB type-C plug port both front and back. Our Circuit Edition trim included a flat wireless charging pad deep withing the lower dash. Below the screen resides to small vents flanking the bright red hazard button.
The smallish touch screen design leaves room within the lower central dash for a dedicated tactile HVAC system with left-side temperature dial, right-side fan-speed dial and push buttons in between ranging from fan direction to air conditioning and front/rear defroster. It’s rather old-school….and works just fine. The electronic start/stop push button resides on the dashboard left of the manually operated steering column with GR badging.
Corolla GR and just about all Toyota products sold in the U.S. qualifies for Toyota Care, an extra no cost maintenance plan covering normal factory scheduled maintenance taking place at a Toyota dealership for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. Included in the program: tire rotation, engine oil and filter changes and inspection and adjustment of fluid levels.
2024 Toyota Corolla GR Circuit Edition
Price as tested: $46,478
Engine: 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder
Horsepower: 300
Wheelbase: 103.9 inches
Overall Length: 173.6 inches
Overall Width: 72.8 inches
Overall Height: 58.2 inches
Curb Weight: 3,268 pounds
Fuel Economy: 21 mpg city/ 28mpg highway
Powertrain warranty: Five years/60,000 miles
Assembly: Japan
|
