The hot hatchback formula is one that is dear to many a car enthusiast’s heart, with many different ways to approach the pint sized fun recipe. The Toyota GR Corolla has always done that by wearing its rally DNA on its sleeve, and now the facelifted version doubles down on that personality while making the package more usable day-to-day, and attractive to a larger group of people by introducing an automatic transmission.
On the outside, the easiest way to spot the facelifted Rolla is by the revised front bumper, that maintains the aggressive design while introducing even more cooling capability. The stance is wider, and the vents and side graphics give it proper rally-car attitude without entering comic-book territory. The embossed text on the skirts and the vents are almost nostalgic; they wink at the brand’s motorsport past while keeping the overall composition fairly discreet.
Other deliberate throwback to old-school rally cars are still there, like the vents and chunky rear fender overlays. It feels extremely special to enthusiasts but somehow still manages to fly under the radar for normies. The result is a car that’s shouty in spirit, but sensible enough to live with.
On the inside, Dave recently had the GR Yaris, also in Auto, for review. The Corolla wins not only on the extra space, but also in refinement. Granted, no Corolla is ever a luxury car, but you get less rough plastics, and more soft touch surfaces throughout the cabin. The seats are very comfortable, supportive while still easy to access, and there is enough driving comfort even without lumbar support or an armrest (maybe the auto could do with the latter).
It is great that Toyota offers you all of those thrills in a more daily-able package as well, as the access from the rear doors and the space at the back, albeit a bit cramped behind a taller passenger, make for a car that is more practical and nicer to be in.
The AWD hardware eats up a big part of the boot, which has its floor now raised to a comical point, on a car that didn’t have a class leading boot to begin with. It is just about workable but nothing generous, If you need people-hauling practicality this isn’t the ideal family hatch, but that’s not the point of the GR: it’s a compact performance machine first, compromise second.
In terms of the tech, Toyota has left much of the Corolla’s layout intact. The screen still feels like a “stuck-on” tablet compared with some newer designs, but it does the job and doesn’t get in the way of the driving experience. That said, some of the tech shows its age: parking sensors can be slow to react and CarPlay resolution is beginning to look dated — you won’t miss a bigger display for the things that make the GR great, but the interface is not the sharpest. On the plus side the cabin is straightforward, tactile and driver-focused; nothing unnecessary, nothing frivolous.
Under the bonnet lies what is one of the stars of the GR Corolla, and it is great to see such a comprehensive update in this regard. It’s still the 3-cylinder turbo that fans know and love, but all versions now get the bump in power that was previously reserved to the most intense ones. The GR FOUR AWD system has also been updated, with different calibrations to the Normal, Gravel and Track modes, that now bring torque breakdown settings more tailored for each of those uses. Under the bonnet it’s the familiar 3-cylinder turbo, but tuned with more torque and more grunt for the automatic gearbox.
And then, there’s the Auto
this auto version gets more power and more torque, tuned to suit the eight-speed automatic and paddle shifters. Crucially: this is no CVT masquerading as an “automatic” — the gearbox is a proper multi-ratio transmission that shifts crisply and delivers punch.
When you find the lowest effort excuse to go for a drive – something I did a lot with this car – you are reminded of its specialness from the jump. The 3 popper greets you with the coarse cold start, and the digital display shows a GR animation followed by a note for you to have mechanical sympathy: it won’t allow for full power until the oil gets to 65C.
But eventually it will get there, and when you ask for it, the GR Corolla will give you power with a satisfying snap and urgency. It has turbo lag, and uses it in its favour to build theatre as you climb the RPMs. When you’re going for it, the gears are stacked on over the other and shifts are smooth, yet fast and purposeful. The combo isn’t flawless, however: the gearbox can be caught off-guard at times, leading to some jerkiness when easing off and immediately going back on the throttle. Put another way: it loves to be driven, rewards commitment on inputs, and rewards you tremendously for it.
For the other occasions where you want to take it more slowly, the Auto handles all the shifting for you, again in a smooth manner, and still allowing you to use the paddles for engine braking. The JBL sound system is not brilliant, but has enough potency to detach you from the engine sound and the environment sounds should you want to. Adaptive cruise control is generally smooth and easy to live with, but it stumbles at very low speeds: it will not reliably handle bumper-to-bumper traffic and will disengage after a full stop. That’s a practical limitation to be aware of if your commute includes heavy traffic, especially if you’re looking at the Auto to do the city driving on your behalf.
Steering is another highlight: it’s weighted very well, precise, and gives the car a nimbleness that makes you grin. It is quick enough that you barely ever need to remove your hands from 3 and 9, so the paddles are always within easy reach. Even when shifting during corners, the car is never upset as the AWD system hooks up perfectly with that steering, so the car feels heroically eager through corners — a real cackle machine. In everyday driving the GR has always been incredible, aided by the tuned turbo flutter and the augmentation through the speakers that give the car both real mechanical character and sound-stage theatre.
Fuel economy is what you’d expect from a hot hatch that encourages enthusiastic use: you’ll see consumption jump when you push it, with my average being of 12.1L/100km. Not the first concern from a GR car prospect, I know, but these keep being, to this day, the press cars I have had to stop and top up most often, as I can hardly ever get more than 350km from a tank.
The facelifted GR Corolla Auto manages a neat trick: it amplifies the car’s performance character with more power and torque while managing to be more everyday-friendly and accessible to more people. It’s shouty where it counts and restrained where it needs to be. Steering, AWD delivery and the snappy gearbox create an intoxicating package for those who like their hot hatches to grin back.
I personally still prefer the manual, but I’m not holding a pitchfork against the Auto. This is a compact car that’s genuinely, extremely exciting to drive and easy to live with on a daily basis.
