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2023 Toyota GR Corolla
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The announcement of the new GR Corolla is a sign of two notable shifts in the automotive market : North America is in the middle of a hot hatchback renaissance , and Toyota ’ s back in business to supply car enthusiasts with performance vehicles .
Based on the current Corolla Hatchback and thoroughly modified by Toyota ’ s Gazoo Racing team , the GR Corolla is Toyota ’ s third instalment of their performance-focused lineup that currently includes the GR Supra and GR86 in North America . With an all-wheel-drive powertrain and an extra set of doors over the other GR models , the GR Corolla is the most practical model in the lineup with room for five passengers and their cargo . The exterior features a bold design with a wide stance , which contains structural reinforcements for more rigidity , while functional exterior air vents and aerodynamic features help maintain consistent performance at higher speeds .
Motivating the GR Corolla is a 1.6-litre turbocharged inline-3 engine that produces 300 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque . Paired exclusively to a 6-speed manual transmission , power is sent to all four wheels via Toyota ’ s GR-Four all-wheel-drive system that by default splits the torque 60:40 front to rear . This ratio can be changed by the driver to 30:70 front to rear , or maintain a 50:50 split in track mode .
Beyond the mechanical changes , the rest of the GR Corolla is not a dramatic departure from the standard Corolla Hatchback . The interior is updated with exclusive seats and trim accents to differentiate from the standard Corolla , while a new 12.3-inch fully digital gauge cluster delivers key driving information with telematics unique to this model .
The Toyota GR Corolla arrives at the perfect time to compete with other sporty hatchbacks . Canadian buyers have more choices than ever in this segment , though nothing quite matches up to what the GR Corolla offers .