Let’s get one thing straight, the original Toyota GR Yaris was a giant thunderclap in a quiet sky of shopping carts. A rally-bred homologation special that gatecrashed the hot hatch party and promptly rewrote the rulebook. It was raw, aggressive, and defiantly, exclusively manual. For purists, it was perfection, a direct, unfiltered connection between driver, machine, and road. So, when Toyota announced the facelifted model would come with an automatic gearbox, the collective sharp intake of breath from enthusiasts was audible worldwide. An automatic, in this, the giant-slayer – WT..?
The question on everyone’s lips was laced with scepticism, would a torque-converter automatic dilute the very essence of what made the GR Yaris so special? Or could Gazoo Racing, in its motorsport-forged wisdom, pull off another masterstroke?
Now, having spent some time in the 2025 GR Yaris Automatic, the answer is becoming thrillingly clear. Not only has the fire not been extinguished, but Toyota has strategically added a different kind of fuel, broadening the car’s explosive appeal without sacrificing its soul. What we have here isn’t a compromise; it’s a calculated and brilliant evolution. With more power, a heavily revised cabin, and that all-important two-pedal setup, the GR Yaris is poised to capture the hearts of an even wider audience.
The Heart of the Matter – An Automatic for the Purist?
The single biggest talking point is, of course, the transmission. Toyota has equipped the new model with an 8-speed Gazoo Racing Direct Shift Automatic. For those picturing a slow, slushy gearbox from a standard hatchback, think again. This isn’t your grandad’s automatic. Developed with the brutal demands of motorsport in mind, this torque-converter automatic was engineered for lightning-fast shifts, durability under duress, and an almost telepathic understanding of the driver’s intentions. It’s built to handle the engine’s formidable new output and deliver relentless performance.
The reality is that modern performance automatics are often faster than their manual counterparts, both in a straight line and around a circuit. They allow the driver to keep both hands firmly on the wheel, focusing entirely on braking points, turn-in, and clipping the perfect apex. The GR-tuned software is the key. It’s designed to be aggressive, holding gears to the redline, and downshifting with assertive blips as you brake hard for a corner, ensuring you’re always in the engine’s power band. The feeling is less of a passive automatic and more of an ultra-responsive sequential ‘box.
However, the greatest advantage of the 8-speed auto is its duality. It dramatically broadens the car’s appeal. The manual-only original, for all its brilliance, was a hard sell for those facing a daily grind in stop-start traffic or for the significant portion of the driving population that is licensed for automatics only. This new model smashes that barrier. It transforms the GR Yaris from a specialised weekend weapon into a genuinely usable daily driver. It can be ferocious when you want it to be and perfectly docile when you’re just popping to the supermarket. This accessibility is arguably the most significant update, turning a niche icon into a mainstream contender for the ultimate all-rounder hot hatch crown.
More Power, More Fury
To coincide with the new transmission, Gazoo Racing didn’t just rest on its laurels with the engine. The 1.6-litre, 3-cylinder in-line turbo engine has been significantly reworked. Power is now up to 221kW at 6500rpm, and torque has received a mighty shove to 400Nm, available across a broad plateau from 3250-4600rpm. The original car was already playfully fast, but this updated version promises an even more violent punch out of corners and a more relentless surge of acceleration. This potent engine features a D-4ST direct and port injection system and, as a mark of its high-performance tuning, requires 98 RON petrol or higher. It routes its power, of course, through the legendary GR-FOUR Permanent All-Wheel Drive system. This is a rally-derived setup designed for maximum traction and driver engagement, featuring Torsen limited-slip differentials on both the front and rear axles to ensure every single kilowatt is deployed effectively. While the official combined fuel consumption is listed at 10.1 L/100km, let’s be honest, you don’t buy a car like this to watch the fuel gauge (which drops rather quickly). You buy it for the thrill, and this revised powertrain promises to deliver that in spades.
The Form of Function – Aggressive and Purposeful Styling
The GR Yaris has always looked like a Yaris that has spent six months in a high-performance gym, and the new model continues that theme. It’s a three-door hatch body shape built for purpose, sharing very few panels with its mundane sibling. The new front bumper is even more aggressive, defined by a large piano black rectangle grille with a steel mesh insert, designed to ram as much cooling air as possible to the engine and brakes. Functional front brake cooling ducts are neatly integrated into the side profile, underlining the car’s track-ready credentials. The muscular, blistered wheel arches house formidable 18×8-inch forged alloy wheels, which are both lighter and stronger than conventional cast wheels. They come wrapped in serious rubber: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, a clear signal of the car’s performance intent.
At the rear, the stout, powerful stance is completed by a body-coloured bumper, a prominent upper rear spoiler for downforce, and a snarling dual exhaust system. Perhaps the most exotic feature, and one that remains from the original, is the forged carbon fibre roof. This isn’t just for show; it lowers the car’s overall weight and, more importantly, its centre of gravity, contributing to its incredible agility.
A Revolution Inside – The Revised Cabin
If the original GR Yaris had an Achilles’ heel (you wash your mouth out), it was the interior. The high seating position and the parts-bin feel of the dashboard felt at odds with the car’s bespoke exterior and mechanicals. For 2025, Toyota and Gazoo Racing have addressed this head-on with a revolutionary redesign. The entire dashboard is new, lower, and decisively angled towards the driver, vastly improving forward visibility and creating a cockpit-like environment.
Front and centre of this new layout is a stunning 12.3-inch full digital colour meter cluster, replacing the old analogue dials. It’s customisable, clear, and puts vital performance information exactly where you need it. The 8-inch colour touchscreen for the infotainment system is now better integrated into the dash. Crucially, it now features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a massive upgrade in daily convenience that brings the GR Yaris bang up to date. Navigation is built-in, and the soundtrack is provided by an 8-speaker JBL Premium Audio system.
The ergonomics are much improved. The driver and front passenger sit in heavily bolstered Sport seats, trimmed in a mix of Brin-Naub and synthetic leather. Both front seats are heated, as is the new genuine leather steering wheel—small touches that enhance the car’s credentials as a capable all-weather, all-season daily driver. The quality of materials feels a step up, with gunmetal ornamentation adding a touch of class to the functional design. It finally feels like the special office this car always deserved.
It’s also packed with modern safety and driver-assist systems. The Toyota Safety Sense suite includes a Pre-Collision System, Lane Tracing Assist, and Automatic High Beam. You also get a reversing camera with dynamic guidelines and parking sensors front and rear, making it far easier to manoeuvre and park. This comprehensive suite of features further cements its dual personality: a raw performance machine that is also a safe, modern, and easy-to-live-with automobile.
A Masterpiece Made More Accessible
The new Toyota GR Yaris Automatic, priced from $64,990 TDP, is a masterclass in evolution. Toyota and Gazoo Racing have taken a legendary machine and cleverly sanded off its roughest edges without dulling its razor-sharp character. The addition of the 8-speed automatic, paired with a significant power increase and a completely transformed cabin, is a stroke of genius.
It answers the call for more performance, more daily usability, and more modern technology. This is no longer just a car for the hardcore manual-only enthusiast. It’s now a car for anyone who craves a truly special driving experience but also needs a vehicle that can cope with the reality of modern life. It’s a car you can take to a track day on Saturday, carve up your favourite back road on Sunday, and commute to work in comfort on Monday.
By adding a brilliantly executed automatic transmission, Toyota hasn’t diluted the GR Yaris. They’ve amplified its reach, perfected its formula, and created what might just be the most complete and compelling performance car on the market today.
