Toyota GR Yaris Goes Automatic
The GR Yaris has proved to be quite a success for Toyota, with more than 18,000 units sold across Europe alone over the last three years. With the Tokyo Auto Salon underway, Toyota brought an updated variant of the hot hatch on Friday, complete with a more powerful engine, revised chassis, and an all-new automatic transmission option.
From the launch of the first GR Yaris back in September 2020, Toyota has been working alongside its rally and racing drivers to enhance the offering. While the changes on the exterior may be relatively few and far between, what’s under the skin has changed in some welcomed ways. The enhancements start with a more rigid chassis, thanks to a 13 percent increase in spot welds and a 24 percent increase in structural adhesive used throughout. A MacPherson strut front and double wishbone rear suspension setup remains, but more bolts have been used to mount the shocks to eliminate alignment changes caused by bushing deformation under high load. The brand’s rally-honed GR-FOUR full-time all-wheel drive is back, packing three drive modes: Normal, Sport, and Track.
Toyota has also enhanced the car’s turbocharged 1.6-liter three-pot, installing tougher valvetrain hardware, lighter pistons, and wear-resistant rings. The fuel pressure has also been cranked up, while a new intake pressure sensor has been added to the system. Other tweaks include reworked exhaust valves made from a different material. Toyota says the changes are enough to raise output to 276 hp and 288 lb-ft. That engine comes as standard with a six-speed manual attached, but Toyota is now offering an eight-speed automatic for the track-minded buyer. The automatic features tight ratios and is backed by the car’s drive-mode selector to help ensure the powertrain is always giving you the right stuff. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a similar transmission offering find its way to the States by way of the larger GR Corolla.
Toyota’s racing drivers had a real impact on the inside of the GR Yaris, which has been reworked for better driver ergonomics. The seat has been lowered about an inch, with the steering wheel moving to join it. A number of hard buttons, such as traction control, have also been moved closer to the driver for ease of use on track and a new 12.3-inch display has been added. Additionally, engineers added tweaks to the shift action so that it is more in line with the push/pull feeling of a racing gear change.
The GR Yaris is still not slated for American shores, but European buyers can expect the new model to arrive this spring. That said, Toyota has cut the model line down to just the Circuit trim for the moment. The model is backed by an upgraded cooling package, which includes an additional radiator, a modified intake, and an intercooler sprayer. The brand will also be releasing a number of new special edition models this year, including two rally-derived trims. The Sébastien Ogier Special Edition and Kalle Rovanperä Special Edition are currently slated to debut at the Rallye Monte-Carlo, which will open the WRC season on January 25-28.
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