The GR Corolla Grows Up, But Keeps Its Edge
If you don’t know what a GR Corolla is, you may not take a second look during a walk by. It’s curb appeal is much more subtle than the super sexy GR Supra. The GR Corolla is an unassuming vehicle externally but what’s under the hood will thrill just about any driving enthusiast while maintaining an attainable consumer price point. Once you get behind the wheel and begin to discover the GR Corolla, you won’t pass another one without a double-take.
The 2025 Toyota GR Corolla is back, louder and prouder. Whether you’re a motorsport junkie, a weekend canyon carver, or just someone who wants a Corolla that bites back, the new GR Corolla delivers in spades. Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division didn’t just slap a spoiler on this one—they engineered a true enthusiast machine.
What’s new for 2025? Quite a bit. From a torque bump and a brand-new automatic transmission to subtle interior tech upgrades, the GR Corolla isn’t just staying competitive—it’s setting the pace. But is it perfect? Almost. Let’s break it down.
Exterior Styling
A walk around the GR Corolla with the premium AT trim and hints of track performance will begin to emerge. The vehicle has a low profile signature to high performance sports cars for aerodynamics. Contrast black roof is a bit of an illusion. The patchy pattern, at first glance, masks the finish as dusty or dirty but it’s actually lightweight carbon fibre.
A mere 5″ off the ground, common clearance for sporty hatches, its accented with a scooped front, slim angular headlights, lipped sides and rear enhancing the performance profile. The addition of dual hood vents, external air intakes, brake cooling ducts and aggressive black front grill with wide, deep openings, in a redesigned front bumper, round out the sharpness of sport style. The GR Corolla projects purpose.
Matte black 18″ wheels with low profile tires and contrasting red GR calipers of the ABS brakes are visual clues the GR Corolla is packing a punch. The performance intent continues with Gazoo Racing “GR” emblems strategically placed on the front grille, at the side air intakes, at the rear of the GR Corolla and the push start ignition is branded GR.
Interior Styling
The 2025 GR Corolla, premium AT Trim, offers a solid balance between tech and performance. A beautiful leather accented 5-seater cabin offers comfort as well as control. Leather steering wheel, shifter, dash, emergency brake lever and side panels deliver that ‘new car’ scent the moment you open the door.
Slide behind the wheel into 6-way manually adjustable, heated, leather accented with GR Sport suede performance driver seat. Front seat passenger will have the same luxury and comfort plus dual zone climate control. Ample front seat room but a bit of a tight squeeze for back seat passengers.
An eight inch touchscreen display not only offers Toyota features but also supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Stream your favourite audio through an 8-speaker JBL sound system and never lose power with two USB-C charge ports. There is also a mobile phone charge plate, but those are hit and miss from my experience.
Operational controls on the steering wheel allow the driver to toggle through the on-board computer, make a phone call, adjust volume and set cruise control without compromising steering or attention. Advanced driver aids like adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing / departure assist, and emergency braking are also standard.
While the tech offering is user-friendly and well-rounded, some interior elements feel a bit basic. Power seats are noticeably missing and are a must. The heads-up display is reserved only for the Premium AT trim. Some of the switchgear appears dated, reminding drivers that performance—not luxury—is the GR Corolla’s main mission.
A crystal clear 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster offers speed, speed zones, road sign assist, rpm, drive modes etc. and, as mentioned above, a heads up display in the Premium AT Trim, experiencing the thrill and performance of the GR Corolla is seamless.
Powertrain & Performance
Under the hood, the GR Corolla packs a 1.6‑liter turbocharged inline-three delivering 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque—up from 273 lb-ft last year. Notably, the Premium AT Trim I drove, only offers the 8-speed automatic (DAT) transmission but you can operate as a manual shift with paddle shifters. Combined with standard all-wheel drive and front/rear limited-slip differentials, the GR Corolla handles like it is on rails through corners while managing launch control.
The GR Corolla all-wheel drive system offers three selectable torque settings: Normal offering a 60 front/40 rear balance for every day driving; Gravel offering a 50/50 to enhance traction on loose or changing terrain; and Track which is computer controlled and varies between 60/40 and 30/70 for consistent high speed driving and cornering.
In addition to torque settings, the GR Corolla offers four driver selectable modes. Eco provides a soft gradual throttle response, relaxed steering and quieter engine sound output; Normal is a balanced drive all around but change it into Sport and get ready to drive. Suspension tightens, throttle response sharpens and steering becomes more precise. In my opinion, there is no other way to drive this car (with the exception of Expert mode but that is more for a track).
As for fuel economy, it all depends how you drive. With a 50 l tank, you can cover a lot of distance. The manual transmission will provide better fuel economy (11.1/100km city) than the automatic Premium AT trim (12.1 l/100km city), however, the thrill of the ride at highway speed really doesn’t change the guage between the two trims (8.3 v 8.6).
The GR Corolla as an every day vehicle would be difficult to own. The car performs its best at high speed which could result in some unwanted violations. In my experience, the vehicle performs its best well over the posted limit. Even on a high-speed highway where the posted limit is 120 km/hr, the GR Corolla wants more.
Safety Features
I have a love hate relationship with safety features. As someone who learned how to drive without them, I have welcomed only few of these features into my drive.
Visuals are a huge part of safety and the GR Corolla does not disappoint. LED daytime running lights and LED tailights allow the vehicle to be seen. Pair that with LED headlamps and turn signals and visibility is astounding, especially with automatic high beam.
While a back-up camera is a great safety addition, I rarely use them because I am old school and my neck still works. The blind spot monitor system has come in handy more than once during my drive. Added sounds, vibrations, alerts – those will be the first ones I turn off. Lane Tracing Assist and Lane Departure Alert are the first elements of any new vehicle I look to turn off immediately – especially in the GR Corolla.
If you are travelling on a highway, with a few sweep corners or bends, and you are the only car on the road, why not use the space you have? That is where those features are annoying. Construction zones where they have created pilon lanes, another area where those features are not welcome.
The GR Corolla offers 10 air bags (I can’t help but imagine if they all went off the interior would look like a marshmellow exploded).
Tire pressure monitoring system is a welcome bonus for obvious reasons.
Conclusion
If you are in the market for a compact every day vehicle that can offer you weekend excitement in the drive, the GR Corolla is well worth a look. It will get you anywhere you want to go, handle the daily chores, trips to the grocery store and maintain a commuter budget on fuel.
Canadian MSRP for Premium AT Trim: $61,643.50 (worth every penny)
