The 2023 GR Corolla is all about compromise. That's weird. A stick-shift hot hatch with all-wheel drive doesn't seem very appealing, especially to an enthusiast. Especially when the driveline whispers “WRC.” But compromise is something you have to make to fully enjoy the GR Corolla.
For starters, this isn't the more rally-related GR Yaris. This is as close as Toyota will get in America for reasons too long to discuss here. It's also compromised because while the MSRP of $35,900 is more than reasonable money for today's entry-level performance cars, you'll probably get around $40K for the GR Corolla you should have.
It might still have single-zone climate control, a headliner that feels more comfortable in a Yugo, and a buzzing resonance in the exhaust that you'd only experience when trying to maneuver in a parking lot in first gear. But guess what? None of that matters. The GR Corolla is easily one of the best performance cars I've ever driven, and if I were $39,870 richer right now, I'd call the nearest dealer.
Design Evaluation
Let's not kid ourselves- the GR Corolla is not a pretty car. It looks like the standard Corolla started getting synthol injections instead of going on a solid diet and a regular gym routine. It's just that this Gazoo does it - it's just performative bodywork that tricks you with oil-filled bumpers and fenders.
This sounds like a criticism, but it's not. Everything about the GR'olla and the bodywork conveys it perfectly. The bumpers are very aggressive for such a small car, and things get even sillier as you lower the body. The little GR badges on the sides are eye-catching enough to make you giggle, as are the fender vents and tiny fog lights (which should soon be replaced by the biggest Hellas on the market).
But it's the rear over fender that takes over because that's probably the most literal definition of "over fender" I've ever come across. As far as I know, they were simply bolted to the Corolla's existing rear door so the larger bumper (and also tires) could fit. It's cute, especially when you open the rear door and reveal the plastic rivets that hold everything together.
In fact, the “just make it work” vibe carries over into many places in the Corolla's design. Everything on this car seems to have been put there to accommodate the basics of the car's homologation. For that alone, it wins against the Honda Civic Type R – its biggest competitor.
Trial Summary
But to get this experience, you have to compromise all the time. How willing you are to do that influences whether you buy this or the Golf R. If you can't stand the shaky ride, exploding exhaust, or 2003 economy car materials, buy the Golf. There's no need to feel bad- the Golf and the GR are for different people, and it's okay if you don't want a car with a loud exhaust and a stiff ride anymore.
The Toyota doesn't drive well in the city. It leaves you confused because of the imperfections in the pavement. The exhaust, as I mentioned, is annoying at tamer speeds. Fuel economy, while a respectable 23 MPG in all my time with the car, is still not great.
For some people, myself included, that is not a problem. A car like this is like an addiction to anything - every time you need a little more to get you going. The GR Corolla has always been more than that; a dragon that you must relentlessly chase. If the bad ride, noise, and lack of interior design bother you, then you'll never get to enjoy the boisterous powertrain, fluttering wastegate, and WRC fantasy. As it turns out, compromise is necessary in this relationship.
Interior Assessment
This is where the idea of compromise starts to become clear. Although you certainly don't feel like you're compromising when you walk up to this beefy, wide, angry-looking little car. Get in, and you'll first notice what's familiar, especially if you've been in a Corolla in the last 15 years.
The climate controls and screen are completely different from the standard 'Rolla, as are many of the buttons and dials. Look out the windshield, and you won't know you're on the windshield. Look and giggle at the cheap headliner too. You'll giggle even more as Gazoo Racing's work becomes more visible. The gear shifter feels familiar- perhaps straight from the GR86. This is not a bad thing. The pedal has a dull metallic sound thanks to the surface being now made of metal. The seats hug you as you twist your body to look around the interior, and the wheels feel sleek, smooth, and very performance-oriented.
But from the rear GR-emblazoned seats (which are very comfortable despite the lack of lumbar adjustment), this is just another Toyota hatchback. I like it. This interior is a Jackson Pollock painting of GR-branded goodies interspersed with a backdrop of a base-trim Corolla. So, everything works. The hatch opens and closes, adults, even those over 6 feet tall, fit everywhere, and your groceries will fit in the trunk. Toyota says you can even fit four spare wheels in here for track days. I believe them. You'll definitely see all the standard Corolla bits as you look around, but ultimately, the big button that says /GR/ START STOP needs to be pressed. After that, you will forget everything you just read.
Driving Take
Sounds like a tractor. A very, very loud sound. A spicy tractor with childhood trauma that needs to be overcome. Put the GR Corolla into gear, and it seems like all you need to do is help the three-cylinder engine work out its problems. Clutch engagement happens suddenly, as does the boom of the exhaust behind you. At the first 2,000 RPM, an explosion filled the cabin, so much so that it sometimes shook the seatbacks.
The three-cylinder feels almost irritated as you shift it into a second. By now, you have started to progress. The suspension is firm, but the car feels confident. The impact of this replaces the auditory impact of the exhaust. I swear this car gets quieter as you pick up speed - even if only for a moment. Piling up to a certain speed, it's best to tinker with the car's best feature - the driver-controlled differential. All the great homologation rally rides have them, and this one is no different. Power is delivered 60:40 (front to back), 50:50, or 30:70.
The best way to describe them is to explain how they change the behavior of the car when cornering. Imagine a flat right hand at 90 degrees. Rally fans might call it the R3 in pacenote abbreviation. 60:40 ensures a slight understeer - a classic hot hatch akin to the current VW GTI, where you step on the accelerator early to let the diff pull you out. 50:50 is an all-out grip, and the GR remains very neutral to almost everything in this preset. 70:30 was the most enjoyable time, with the car allowing a lot of slip on our hypothetical corner exit. In this case, there is no need to compromise.
At least, in many ways. On the way to this pretend corner in your preferred differential preset, you should downshift slowly. Even though the shifter is nearly perfect, Toyota still makes this a yoga practice. On the smaller 10-footer, I had to buck my hips to move the throttle properly. But go around that corner, and you will once again forget whatever mistakes there were.
The GR Corolla stands tall. You're feeling very Michele Mouton at this point, and the car's chassis conveys that the best thing to do is to start lifting the throttle back, sending weight to the rear, and applying steering angle as needed. It is at this point that the GR Corolla feels most alive. North of 3,000 RPM, you're right on the three-cylinder's torque curve. The exhaust gets loud again, moving from uncharacteristic taka-taka to deep, airy nash. If you're even higher up in the rev range, you'll be treated to the sound of fluttering doves as you modulate the throttle. No other production car I've ever driven has provided that experience.
Knock the car off the rev limiter, which comes on very quickly thanks to its 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, and the pops, pops, and booms of that rowdy exhaust echo through my open window. I wish I could let this car stay there, fully locked on the Finnish dirt stage, exhaust popping, and waste door fluttering. This is the closest we'll come to being Michele, Walter, or one of the two Sebastians. Ultimately, this car does the one thing all great performance cars do: makes you want to do it again, but this time faster.
