Features / 12 August 2023 / Michael Taylor

Hot hatches competing against the new Toyota GR Corolla

The new Toyota GR Corolla has finally gone on sale in South Africa at a starting price of R841,000.

It uses an uprated version of the same 1.6-litre, turbocharged petrol engine found in the GR Yaris, giving it a higher power ceiling of 221kW and 370Nm.

Combined with a GR-Four all-wheel-drive system and a six-speed manual gearbox, the new Corolla-badged hot hatch can sprint to 100km/h in roughly 5.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 230km/h.

Other sporty improvements include a weight loss of 13kg, new shock absorbers, coil springs, and a set of red GR aluminium brake calipers. It also has driving modes for Eco, Normal, and Sport which adjust the powertrain, suspension, steering, and aircon to suit the situation.

On the visual front, buyers of the new GR can expect automatic LED headlights, daytime running lights, 18-inch ENKEI cast aluminium rims, redesigned wheel arches for better airflow, and a new rear diffuser with a triple exhaust that reduces backpressure and improves performance.

Equipment-wise, the Corolla comes with a three-spoke steering wheel, gear shift, and manual hand brake all covered in leather with silver contrast stitching, BRIN-NAUB suede and leather heated bucket seats in either a black/white or black/red colour scheme, a GR-branded start button, aluminium pedals, dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and 7.0-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It also features adaptive cruise control, steering and lane-keep assist, front and rear parking sensors, and a reverse camera.