THE GR COROLLA IS PROOF OF TOYOTA'S PUSH FOR EVER MORE EXCITING CARS

GR COROLLA

- By ULYSSES ANG

Who could have expected enthusiasts to be excited about, of all things, a Toyota Corolla.

An iconic nameplate known more for being a no-nonsense commuter car just got a sprinkling of that Toyota Gazoo Racing magic, and in the process has turned the potential work (or school) run into something decidedly more exciting. Meet the first-ever GR Corolla and it's now available for reservations at all Toyota GR Performance dealerships.

Helping shed its boring-as-missionary image, the GR Corolla packs a wallop courtesy of a turbocharged 1.6-liter 3-cylinder (G16E-GTS) engine. Shared with the impeccable GR Yaris, it's been uprated here to an even 300 PS and 400 Nm of torque thanks to a strict 100-octane diet. An unconventional exhaust layout—with three outlets—reduces backpressure, while also helping generate a far more sonorous note than the GR Yaris.