2025 Toyota GR Corolla Automatic - Bottom Line Review

LET'S GO ROAD RALLYING: Point to point, against the clock competition on public roads has enabled smaller volume automakers, lacking circuit racing pedigree and finances, to enter the realm of motorsport. All a manufacturer had to supply was a road car, ruggedized and capable of illuminating dark and often un-paved paths.

Borrowing from the race on Sunday, build on Monday marketing strategy, manufacturers participated in markets lacking large displacement engine muscle cars and included Audi, Lancia, Mitsubishi, and Subaru. Legendary models have included Quattro, Delta Integrale, Lancer Evo and WRX STI. Driver last names ended in "unen", "inen" or "onen" of Finnish extraction. Technologies such as turbocharging and all-wheel drive came to the forefront.

Recessions, a crossover sport utility vehicle craze, and emissions stringency have not been kind to the sport of timed stages racing. That hasn't stopped the world's most famous builder of hybrid electric cars from contributing to an internal combustion street rally car future with the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla Automatic.

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WHAT: 2025 Toyota GR Corolla 5-Door A/T AWD GZEA14 variant of the E210 12th generation Corolla, itself a TNGA-C successor to the E180 Toyota Auris (known as Scion / Corolla iM in America).

The World Rally Championship derived super hot hatch, personally signed off on by corporate chairman Akio "Morizo Kinoshita" Toyoda. It was co-developed and highly hand assembled by Gazoo Racing along with the similarly powered European market GR Yaris GXPA16.

WHAT PROPELS IT : Shared with a Lexus super mini SAV, the LBX Morizo RR, and the aforementioned GR Yaris, Toyota's mostly hand assembled multi-jet oiled 3-piston, machined intake VVT-i G16E-GTS Dynamic Force engine. It withstands up to 26 PSI boost from the IHI VB43 turbocharger. The three-piece alloy block is girdled, internals are forged for strength and hollowed for lightness. Extra provisions for high pressure fueling, oiling and cooling are featured. The single scroll turbocharger features high temperature bearings and water-to-air intercooling. This year a new sub-radiator has been added.

Helping engine breathing, from the evacuation end, and and generating vociferous snorting, is a large stainless exhaust, with high flow muffler, splitting into three polished outlets, with a motorized valve controlling the center pipe.

According to chief engineer, Naoyuki Sakamoto, Chairman "Morizo," extensively tracked the GR Yaris at the new corporate Shimoyama "mini-Nurburgring Nordschliefe" test track, and even crashed one in rally practice. Thus, specs called for an externally water & air cooled planetary automatic transaxle which would swap gears as quickly as a dual clutch helical, be torque converter smooth on by-ways and track capable of throttle braking even without resorting to the steering wheel paddles.

Rather than resorting to typical viscous clutch differential, power is posted to all wheels through an electronic variable ratio hypoid gear transfer case, splitting torque based on traction modes. From there its would be routed to each axle through respective Torsen differentials. A new cooling duct from the belly-pan to the transfer case is for addressing thermal rear axle lockout reportedly experienced by existing owners.

POWERTRAIN HITS and MISSES

• +1 Abundant torque, responsive automatic transmission without jerkiness of DCT, off-pavement traction mode, authoritative exhaust rasp includes back-pressure popping
• -1 Poor fuel economy,^{(for a three-cylinder engine)} exhaust rasp isn't straight-6 or V-8 rumble

WHAT (A) STYLING DIFFERENCE(S):

As an in-house tuner special of the 2019 introduced TNGA-C E210 Corolla hatchback, visual modifications and enhancements to the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla are limited to the perimeter and trim details.

Standard Corolla 5-doors already were noted for a sharp raked hood, rising beltline, hexagonal mid & lower front fascia with black lattice inserts, body-color matching side-spats, wide C-pillars blending into flared rear quarter panels, a raked convex liftgate and an integrated bumper cover with darkened lower valance and chrome tetrahedral dual corner exhaust outlets.

Headlight housings have been revised to lateral inboard tuning fork DRL frames in front. Similar inboard tuning fork rear lamp housings are at mid liftgate height, while lower corners are inhabited by fang reflectors.

Gazoo Racing attire:

• Revised mid & lower front fascia & splitter
• Revised lower rear fascia & splitter
• Taller composite lightweight hood with twin flanking darkened heat extractors
• Wider fenders + aft darkened heat extractors
• Beveled wider lower rear quarter panels
• Wider side spats with "GR Four imprint"
• Triple exhaust outlets
• "GR" badges at left front middle grille, fenders (aft of heat extractors), right side lower liftgate
• Quilted pattern dark carbon fiber roof (Premium Plus exclusive)
• 18" inch turbine finned matte black wheels

WHY: Rally racing-derived super hot hatchback in the flesh.

WHEN: On-Sale (in the U.S.) since late Autumn 2025

WHERE: Toyota new vehicle dealers

WHERE MADE: Gazoo Racing Unit, Toyota Motomachi plant, Tsutsumi, Toyota Aichi Prefecture, Japan

WHERE TO: Full time all-wheel drive rally car for the street, gravel and track, shod with three-season performance rubber.

HOW ROADWORTHY: "Morizo's" unrelenting dictates for DCT track level responsiveness and reduced-stress daily drivability, has resulted in an optionally slushbox equipped 2025 Toyota GR Corolla which neither makes any obvious compromise or dilutes the enthusiast envelope.

From the moment of push-button ignition there is the same un-shy gurgling of the powerplant potency. The torque converter automatic seems tied to the driver's every intention, locking up with authority and sending the mill to it's soft red-line when hustling.

With a transfer case slightly favoring the front wheels, before shifting rear-wards, it is virtually impossible to enter corners so aggressively as to induce understeer. Two gears will be dropped in an instant, accompanied by turbo blow-off and exhaust pop. Though the momentum is slowed forcefully, it doesn't slam the occupants so violently. Fore and aft Torsen differentials will shift more power to the outer Michelins with less grip, without cutting too much turbo pressure, then pouring on up to 26 PSI with steady throttle application. Switching over to Eco Drive Mode simply amplifies the capability of melted butter smooth cog swaps.

• +1 Irrespressible road grip
• -1 Steering wheel dorsal shift paddles too small and flimsy
• -1 No Performance/ Track apps

HOW LIMBER: Reflexes in the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla Automatic benefit from revisions to the suspension for reduced chassis squat and braking dive. Progressive rate springs are located at a modified rear trailing arm, with new sway bar & bushings. New dampers, at each corner, better absorb rebound. The overall geometry set up is for a fair amount of negative rear camber to quell understeer, enhancing hairpin turn grip.

Certainly, the boulevard ride is by no means pillowy, sending severe thumps into the seat bottoms, while oscillating slightly over concrete slabs. However, credit is due the non-variable flow revised dampers for managing a semblance of commuting civility.

Variable rate electric assisted pinion steering exhibits meaty wind without excessive effort, imparting linearity given inputs, but is bereft of a bounty of road feel. The impressive grip engenders crisp turn in.

Monobloc brakes, with slotted rotors all around, are unlikely to ever boil their fluid, especially given the generous front wheel air ducting. The pedal modulates the right amount of clamping pressure without becoming "too touchy." However, some cold operation squeal was occasionally noticed. The center console hand parking brake lever will be appreciated to engage in a little opposite lock drift hijinks.

Helping make the GR Corolla Automatic ever-day livable is the stiff modular platform, the extra Gazoo Racing body bracing, and a good amount of cabin insulation, which keeps exhaust rasp and road din from ever becoming tiresome.

HOW FAR: 20 combined miles per gallon; 356 miles maximum range^{(13.2 gallons 87 RON unleaded fuel).}

• -1 V-8 pony car fuel consumption

HOW BIG/ LITTLE: Although the GR Yaris was deemed too diminutive to play in the North American market, the larger footprint 2025 Toyota GR Corolla 5-door constitutes but a footprint shadow of its only direct competitor, the VW Golf R, in every cabin and cargo capacity metric.

A more raked shape conspires against occupant legroom and egress and 2nd Row knee-space is tighter than a Mazda 3 Turbo hatchback. The deep dashboard presents challenges forward corner perception. Fortunately, the greenhouse is plenty tall, side pillars fairly slim, wing mirrors nice & wide, and the rear backlight ample for viewing through.

HOW USEFUL: √ Cargo bay = two carry-ons roll-aboards plus a couple small totes; √ Luggage liftover high; √ 60/40% split folding rear seat backs

• +1 Cargo bay privacy shelf
• +1 Ample glove box
• -1 Tall cargo load floor & barely any sub-cargo floor space
• -1 Rear shock tower cross-brace partly obstructs expanded cargo bay

HOW SAFE: IIHS MY 2024 Top Safety Pick Plus for Corolla 5-door = √ 8 airbags, √ Rear camera w/ fixed gridlines, √ Front & rear audible & visible sonar park warning

Driver Assist Technology: √ STANDARD Toyota SafetySense 3.0 = √ Pedestrian & daytime cyclist detection braking; √ Forward collision avoidance braking; √ Blind spot, lane departure & rear cross traffic warning; √ Road edge & Sway Warning, Lane Keep Assist & Trace; √ Adaptive cruise control - partial, √ Automatic High Beam headlights; √ 2nd Row occupant minder.

Available (included in tester): √ Heads Up Display; √ Traffic sign detection

HOW PEOPLE FRIENDLY:  Insofar as compact hatchback living quarters go, the Toyota Corolla line is end of last decade contemporary. There are the traditional binnacle instrumentation, a tablet multi-media screen, physical climate controls, sufficient plush surfaces, a smattering of gloss black accents, chrome framed dash vents, webbed headliner, and cushy bucket seating, backed by uniform panel fit & grain and solid door thuds.

√ Heated 6-way driver, 4 way front passenger manual sport bucket eats; √ Leather tilt + telescoping steering wheel; √ Power windows w/ full auto operation x 4; √ Keyless approach access, push button ignition; √ (available 2-zone) automatic climate control; √ Heated power wing mirrors

2025 Toyota GR Corolla Automatic Premium Plus cabin exclusives:

• 12.4"-inch TFT full color variable instrument cluster with three twin trip status display memory, and a layout augmentable from concentric round dial to lateral bar graph tachometer.
• Aluminum & rubber capped pedals (not including dead pedal)
• Gazoo Racing leather wrapped steering wheel (avail. heated)
• GR ignition start button
• Sport bucket 1st row seating, with high shoulder bolstering, "GR" embossed head-rests, trimmed in cloth or Brin Naub microsuede + leatherette (Premium, Premium Plus)

• +1 Excellent front seat body support, intuitive physical switchgear
• -1 plain steering wheel wrap, lacking flat bottom

Cool Gizmo(s): √ 12.3" TFT full color, drive mode influenced TFT instrument cluster + dual multi-function displays; √ Cockpit overhead touch trace activated 1st Row LED lighting

Details Done Right: √ Brin Naub microsuede seat inserts + red contrast stitching; √ Fully added dash + dashtop + dark stitching; √ Padded upper door cards + red contrast stitching; √ Metallic dash vent banding; √ Tight mesh headliner; √ Piano gloss black center stack, center console shift lever & door pull bezels; √ Aluminum pedal covers

Nearly Non Descript: -1 Hard cabin pillars; Plain finish plastic switches

HOW CONNECTED:  √ Toyota Connected center dash tablet 8.0"-inch landscape oriented, capacitive touch LCD infotainment screen; √ Drive Connect "Hey Toyota" system voice interaction; √ Bluetooth hands-free communications x 2 phones; √ GPS HDD cloud Navigation w/ 3-D map, voice guidance; √ Google POI data, OTA updates; √ SMS voice to text messaging; √ Wireless Android Auto / Apple CarPlay phone projection; √ USB-C x 2, 12V x 1,√ Qi wireless inductive charging pad (lower center stack open shelf)

• -1 "Hey Toyota" wake-up voice reply & commands isn't as responsive as Amazon Alexa (in competitor's products)

HOW AUDIBLY: √ 800 watt, 11-speaker, 8 channel JBL Quantum-Logic DTS + Clari-Fi premium audio ^{(240 watt, 6 speaker 4-channel streaming audio + HD radio on Core trim)}

HOW "APP" -LICABLE:  √ wireless Android Auto / Apple Car Play smart phone projection; √ Toyota Apps; √ Digital Key

By Subscription (trial): ♦ Sirius XM radio (3 mo.); ♦ WiFi by AT&T (2 GB trial); ♦ Toyota Connected Services (3 yrs.)

HOW MUCH: $50,144 = as tested 2025 Toyota GR Corolla Automatic AWD Premium Plus M.S.R.P^{($41,995 Corolla GR A/T Core)}

WHAT'S MISSING: More GR cabin swag; infotainment Track App program; greater cargo capacity, improved fuel economy

ANY COMPETITION: Volkswagen Golf R: grand touring AWD hot hatch, premium cabin and UI, significant cargo capacity, Track apps