The all-new Toyota GR Corolla will come to market with the same engine as the GR Yaris, but cranked up to 224 kW!

Toyota promised much, and over delivered, with its GR Yaris. And for those who need four doors and safer luggage space, the Corolla version might be even better.

The GR Yaris power- and drivetrain technology could be the answer to years of performance sedan expectations, for loyal fans of Toyota.

With its compact 1.6-litre engine boosting 198 kW and 360 Nm, split among all four wheels with a driver-centric arrangement of trick differentials, the GR Yaris is a tremendous drive. And the Corolla will be even more potent.

A leaked dealer forum document rates the Corolla GR at 224 kW. That’s a tidy gain over the Yaris, but why didn’t Toyota just makes the three-door hatch equally powerful? Weight. That’s why.

Although the GR Corolla is rumoured to allow for a gloriously impractical rear-seat deletion option, it’s still a heavier platform and monocoque than the Yaris.

To ensure the three-door car isn’t at an outright performance advantage, Toyota engineers have harvested more power, from the 1.6-litre engine, for the slightly heavier GR Corolla application.

Expect all the driving experience highlights offered by Yaris, on the first proper go-faster Corolla, in decades. A six-speed manual gearbox and rewarding all-wheel-drive system, calibrated to give the Corolla great nose authority through corners, could make this a true alternative to the AMG 35-series sedan.

Toyota is not divulging any details, but the business case and scaling for a GR Corolla are obvious. The Japanese company is known for its brilliant platform sharing and sensible amortizing of technology costs.

A standalone GR Yaris will never justify the engine and drivetrain investment Toyota has made. But a GR Corollawill definitely help to reward the development cost, with an additional performance car revenue stream.

Any six-speed manual version of the current Corolla platform, with all-wheel drive and a 224 kW engine, would be a true spiritual successor to Toyota’s RXi brand values.

Expect to see the all-new Toyota GR Corolla revealed late in 2022.

Further Reading

5 Things We Learned from Driving the Toyota GR Yaris (Again)

Track Race! GR Yaris vs Golf 8 GTI vs BMW 128ti in a hot-lap shootout