Toyota Australia has confirmed that there will be approximately 500 units of the new GR Corolla hot hatch available for purchase locally, with deliveries commencing in early 2023.
The fastest Corolla ever will sit within Toyota’s Gazoo Racing sports car lineup that includes the GR Supra (from $84K), GR Yaris (from $49K) and the upcoming GR86 sports coupe (from $43K).
Pricing for the GR Corolla has not yet been revealed, but the local Toyota arm has said that the dealers have begun to take expressions of interest.
The Toyota GR Corolla is set to shake up the Volkswagen Golf R
It is expected that an online reservation and deposit process will once again be utilised for the GR Corolla, as it was for Australian sales of the GR Supra and GR Yaris.
What’s the big deal about the new GR Corolla?
Not only is the new Toyota GR Corolla the fastest production Corolla ever made, it is also the first to use a performance all-wheel drive system.
The hottest version of Toyota’s hatchback is powered by the G18E-GTS 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine also found in the GR Yaris, however the powertrain has been tweaked and tuned to produce more power than before.
The GR Corolla utilises a 1.6-litre turbo three-cylinder engine
Power and torque for the new GR Corolla is 220kW/370Nm which is a 10 percent increase in power, however torque remains unchanged.
Four drive modes will come standard with the performance Corolla – normal, sport, track and custom – that Toyota says pairs well with the standard limited-slip differential.
You will be able to distinguish the GR Corolla from the rest of the range thanks to a unique triple-exit exhaust system, a performance spoiler and a redesigned front grille.
A fleet of Toyota GR Corollas ready for action
What about interior technology?
All Australian-delivered GR Corollas will come fitted with an 8.0-inch central touchscreen display, while the driver gains a large 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display and wireless smartphone charging.
Also included on the sporty Corolla are features such as dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel and keyless smart entry.
The GR Corolla should also be safe, too, and will be fitted with plenty of active safety features such as AEB with cyclist and pedestrian detection, emergency steering assist, lane-follow assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a reversing camera and both front and rear parking sensors.
