When the 2024 GR Corolla acquired dropped off at our places of work, it took me all of a scorching second to appreciate that this wasn’t some lame, tarted-up Corolla with an unpleasant physique equipment, 5 further horsepower, and a GR badge affixed to its ass. No, this was an honest-to-God effort to construct and supply one thing most auto executives would NEVER dream of signing off on for worry of career-suicide. It’s a type of uncommon once-in-a-generation shoot-for-the-moon merchandise that truly pays off.
Whereas primarily based on the lowly Corolla platform, this ain’t no lowly Corolla. This automobile isn’t meant for the menial duties of commuting, hauling groceries, and stopping at storage gross sales in the hunt for second-hand dishes and furnishings. No, this Corolla has one other objective. And whereas it will possibly do all these issues we simply listed, it has a complete different facet to its character and that facet is known as “Efficiency.”
Say what?!
You heard me.
The GR Corolla began as a base Corolla however Toyota determined to tug out the merely satisfactory 2.0L four-cylinder engine that makes 170hp and 151lb-ft. They changed it with a 1.6L turbocharged three-cylinder that makes 300hp and 273 lb-ft of torque at 25 lbs of enhance. They they determined to hook up the again wheels to the driveline, making it AWD. Then they added locking entrance and rear differentials to make higher traction. And added larger brakes, larger wheels, and stickier tires. And seeing as how that made the GR Corolla look slightly odd, they widened the physique with some aggressive-looking bodywork to cowl the broader wheels. It’s lined with vents and scoops. The result’s an aggressive wanting scorching little hatch that growls whenever you begin it, snarls whenever you goose the throttle, sighs whenever you let off the throttle, and snaps and pops on overrun.
This appears promising sufficient, however lets climb inside and see what else the GR Corolla presents drivers. There are three drive modes: Eco, Regular, and Sport. You’ll end up in Sport more often than not. There’s a six-speed handbook transmission ready to your steering. There’s a dial on the console labelled “GR-4” that permits you to choose the way you need your energy delivered: 60/40 entrance/rear, 30/70 entrance/rear, or 50/50 entrance/rear. Wild, huh? In a Corolla! There are material seats to maintain you from slipping round, they usually’re bolstered sufficient to maintain you in place whereas flogging it by means of a collection of tight esses.
Trustworthy-to-God, all that’s lacking is a huge “HOONIGAN” sticker within the rear window.
We couldn’t wait to climb behind the wheel and take a look at it out. So we didn’t. Begin it up and it sounds…not like every Corolla we’ve ever been in earlier than. There’s a threatening growl to it. You possibly can instantly sense that this ain’t your sisters Corolla hatchback. Rev the engine and there’s a particular snarl to it. One thing animalistic that wishes to run free. Latch your seatbelt, shift into first, let loose the clutch aaaaand away we go. Good acceleration. Fast. Plant your foot a bit extra and it whooshes away faster and faster. Shift and also you hear the loud sigh of the wastegate blowing off stress. Plant the throttle and the GR Corolla pushes you again in your seat because it accelerates like a missile launching from an F-22. It’s darned fast. It’s not GR Supra fast, however you continue to understand you’re in one thing particular right here.
Flying down the street, it tracks straight and true. The journey is agency however not harsh. You don’t really feel the automobile lean in corners, it simply goes the place you ask it to, the AWD ensuring you have got loads of grip all over the place you go. Bumps come by means of the suspension however by no means in a harsh method. Let’s go quick once more: Downshift and stomp the throttle and the GR Corolla launches up the nation two-lane street we’re on like a rally automobile out for a championship win. With such a potent motor, you generally end up gaining too shortly on lesser site visitors however the giant pink brake calipers grip the big brake discs like they’re making an attempt to choke the life out of them they usually modulate properly, doing precisely what you ask of them. They’ve a really pure, intuitive really feel to them that generates confidence.
The brakes are giant, filling the massive 19” wheels. The tires are at least Michelin Pilot Sport 4’s – sticky rubber to safetly hold all of your hooning in verify, or increase the bar for efficiency a number of notches.
We went seeking out each enjoyable stretch of two-lane blacktop and grime street we might discover and the GR Corolla didn’t disappoint. It flew by means of tight S-curves, glued to the street. It slid round grime corners, it’s tires scrambling for grip. It’s engine revved, we shifted, and it’s wastegate sighed, generally violently. The clutch was mild, the gearshift easy and notchless. We needed to maintain driving it, exploring different roads we knew, however time was in opposition to us and we sadly needed to give it again to Toyota as our time with the GR Corolla ended.
Toyota claims it’ll do 0-60 in about 5 seconds and prime out at 143 mph. I don’t doubt these numbers in any respect, particularly the 5 second 0-60 time. It’s QUICK.
The EPA says it’ll get 28 mpg on the freeway and 21 within the metropolis. That sounds about proper except you drive it the way in which it begs to be pushed – you then’ll get considerably much less.
The value of entry is $36,000, however the one you need is $40,000. Which appears like loads for a Corolla, however whenever you understand precisely what you’re getting, it’s appears completely cheap.
It’s referred to as the GR Corolla but it surely’s not any Corolla you’ll acknowledge. Perhaps the physique model is harking back to a hotted-up Corolla, however beneath it’s a complete different automobile. A BETTER automobile. It’s the primary automobile with a “Corolla” nameplate that we’d wish to personal.
Efficiency: 7
Dealing with: 7
Design: 7
Inside: 6
Infotainment: 3
Sound: 8
Enjoyable: 9
General: 7
