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Toyota’s New Manual Hot Hatch Is an Enthusiast-Grade Performance Grail

The ultimate expression of the GR Corolla has arrived, and it brings upgrades honed at the world’s most unforgiving proving ground.

Rear view of a gray Toyota GRMN hatchback showing the illuminated right taillight and GRMN badge.Toyota
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By Gray Van Dyke

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If you’re living in the States, Toyota’s GR Yaris hatchback has likely caused some serious FOMO. While we do get a hot Corolla equivalent, tantalizing up-spec variations like the Morizo RR and Ogier editions have yet to hit our shores.

Now, however, Toyota has decided to bring some of that track-oriented expertise across the pond. After a long wait and no shortage of speculation, the American market is finally getting a hyper-focused, Nürburgring-honed GRMN edition of its own.

Matte black Toyota GR hatchback with bronze alloy wheels and aggressive front grille on a dark background.
The GRMN designation stands for “Gazoo Racing tuned by the Meister of the Nürburgring.”
Toyota

As track-ready as Corollas come

Toyota calls it the “ultimate expression” of the GR Corolla, and rightly so. After all, the car was developed specifically to drive at 10/10ths on one of the world’s most unforgiving race tracks, the Nürburgring Nordschleife or “Green Hell.”

In practice, this means the automaker has leaned hard into its motorsport experience to up the ante on the performance-focused Corolla. It’s a comprehensive effort, and no area goes overlooked.

Black carbon fiber rear spoiler mounted on a glossy black sports car roof.
Toyota adjusted the angle of the wing a degree at a time. The testing process was painstaking, to say the least.
Toyota

For instance, the hood and fender ducts, front side spoilers and rear wing are all aerodynamic elements honed in Japan’s Super Taikyu Series. They’re not just for show, then, as the added downforce makes for improved road holding.

Towards that end, Toyota upgraded the suspension setup with some exclusive monotube dampers and specially tuned rebound springs to improve traction on rough surfaces.

Moreover, the GRMN Corolla also benefits from some choice driver input and drivetrain tweaks. Along with revising the electric power steering for harder cornering, Toyota tuned the 4WD system for more stability and fitted some forged wheels wrapped in sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires to maximize grip.

Rear side view of a gray Toyota GR Yaris with bronze wheels and carbon fiber rear spoiler against a dark background.
While the GR Corolla is a four-door hatchback, you won’t find passenger seats in the rear.
Toyota

Refining the heart and spirit

Toyota’s efforts to rework the GR Corolla cut deeper still, as both the engine and the interior benefit from some impactful refinements.

To improve the response of the 1.6-liter triple, the development team focused on increasing mid-range torque between 4000 and 4,600 rpm. Moreover, the GRMN gains an intercooler spray system to help maintain stable output during extended full-throttle driving, along with the cool-air duct previously introduced on the GR-spec car.

Car engine bay with a black engine cover featuring a red accent and a "GR" logo, and a carbon fiber hood interior.
Toyota tweaked the engine to deliver more mid-range torque for improved acceleration out of corners.
Toyota

While power remains unchanged at 300 horses, this does mean that peak torque is up from 295 lb-ft to 302 lb-ft. It’s a slight increase, but Toyota says that it makes for a big difference when accelerating out of corners.

All the more so because the GRMN brings an improved power-to-weight ratio as part of the package. In keeping with the Corolla’s manual-only transmission option, Toyota ditches the rear seats entirely to drop some 66 pounds off the curb weight. 

Black manual gear shift knob with red trim and GR logo, surrounded by black and red leather interior with red stitching.
From the glare-reducing suede upholstery to the manual-only transmission and special commemorative touches, the cockpit is a celebration of driving.
Toyota

Add to that other focused changes like some deeply bolstered front semi-bucket seats, an abundance of suede to reduce glare and some distinctive GR and Morizo detailing, and the result is a cockpit that celebrates (and prioritizes) driving above all else.

Availability and pricing

Per Toyota’s announcement, the GRMN Corolla will be available in the US, Japan and Australia, with production taking place at the Japan-based Motomachi plant. Pricing has yet to be announced, but more information will be available closer to launch later this year.

About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

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