5 Reasons to Be Excited About the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla

Do any of you out there still think that Toyota can’t make cars that are fun to drive? The sporty GR Supra and GR 86 certainly prove otherwise, and later in 2022 the company will launch a high-performance variant of the Corolla Hatchback that is hand-built at the same assembly plant as legends like the Toyota Supra A80 and Lexus LFA.

Oh yeah, the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla is a pretty exciting vehicle, one that promises to give the Honda Civic Type R and Volkswagen Golf R a serious run for their money. Here are five reasons to love this new hot hatch…

This One’s For Us

Specifically developed for the North American market but tested on many of Japan’s most renowned race tracks including Fuji and Suzuka, the GR Corolla is going to great lengths in order to please performance enthusiasts. We don’t have access to the hot little GR Yaris and its 268 horsepower here in North America, but it doesn’t really matter now: Toyota is giving us a more spacious and even more powerful car.

300 Horsepower

Despite featuring a small turbocharged 1.6-litre engine with just three cylinders, the GR Corolla delivers 300 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 273 pound-feet of torque from 3,000-5,500 rpm. No kidding. That’s nearly double the output of the regular Corolla Hatchback, which can do no better than 169 ponies. Acceleration times have yet to be announced, but prepare to strap in and hold on tight.

AWD and a Stick

The GR Corolla gets a GR Four all-wheel drive system derived from rally racing that automatically distributes torque from 50/50 up to 30/70 front and rear. Normal, Sport and Track modes are available. Want another proof that this hot hatch is aimed at driving enthusiasts? The transmission is a short-throw, six-speed manual with no autobox of any kind as an option.

Well-Trained Athlete

A redesigned grille and bumpers, wider fenders, reinforced chassis, slightly lower centre of gravity, functional intakes, hood and front doors made of aluminum to save weight, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires wrapping 18-inch alloy wheels in a gloss black finish—the GR Corolla has the body and attributes of a well-trained athlete. Oh, and the front brakes feature 355mm discs with four-piston callipers.

Circuit Edition

The GR Corolla will initially come to Canada this fall in Core trim. While very attractive in its own right, we’re more interested in the limited-run Circuit Edition available in 2023. This model adds a forged carbon fibre roof, hood vents, red-painted brake callipers, a sportier rear spoiler and limited-slip Torsen differentials for improved handling. Ultrasuede and synthetic leather-trimmed sport seats with red accents are found inside along with a launch-year-exclusive shift knob signed by none other than Toyota president Akio Toyota a.k.a. Morizo.