2023 Toyota GR Corolla debuts—The GR Yaris' bigger brother

After several teasers throughout the year and especially with the"The Focus Group" GR86 commercial, the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla has officially made its debut in the United States. What the hot hatchback brings to the table is a sporty new look that is ready to take on the tarmac or a rally stage along with a host of new features that make this one of the better-handling Corollas thus far. 

Under the hood, the GR Corolla packs the familiar G16E-GTS 1.6-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder gasoline engine. This version of the motor makes 300hp and 370 Nm of torque. If these power figures are familiar this is because it is the same engine that currently powers its much smaller brother the Toyota GR Yaris. Like its much small hatchback brother, the GR Corolla also gets a six-speed manual gearbox with a rev-matching functionality. It also gets a GR-Four all-wheel-drive system that has selectable 60-40, 50-50, and 30-70 front-rear torque split settings for better handling. 

The hot hatchback rides on a modified version of Toyota’s GA-C platform that has additional wild points for the frame to strengthen the joints along with more adhesive to give the vehicle a stiffer chassis. To make the GR Corolla handle better, the Japanese automaker has also employed some weight-saving tricks as the hood and front door panels are now made of aluminum. Aside from this, the body of the hatchback now comes with canards on the corners for some extra downforce and a smooth floor to reduce drag.

For its other handling parts, Toyota has beefed up certain components of the hatchback which include its MacPherson-type struts at the front and its double-wishbone set up at the rear. As it currently stands the GR Corolla rides on 18-inch alloys wheels with a 15-spoke design in a high gloss-black finish. These wheels are then paired with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires to get the maximum handling potential out of the car. 

In the U.S. the GR Corolla will be available in two different trim levels. The first is the Core model which is set to be officially launched later in 2022 in the country, while the second is the Circuit Edition which is coming in 2023 that offers a performance upgrade and forged carbon-fiber roof.