Updated GR Yaris with Automatic debuts at Tokyo Auto Salon

[Paolo]

Wonder how much of this “reverse engineering” is just marketing hype. I tend to take these marketing videos with a grain of salt.

The dual injection, intake tumble, integrated exhaust manifold aren’t new technologies.

Anyone know why Toyota calls this 4wd instead of AWD? 4wd tends to be used in 4Runners, Tacoma, etc. AWD is more of your standard modern all wheel drive system.

Will be interesting to see if Toyota still campaigns with the Yaris name in the WRC or switch to the Corolla.

Either way, I hope Toyota does the GR name justice with the US GR Corolla (same engine, drivetrain, etc).

I think the awd is active not passive like in focus, VW, Audi and Merc awd.

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[ayau]

I think the awd is active not passive like in focus, VW, Audi and Merc awd.

i think the clutch has a torque multiplier, so they can call it 4wd instead of AWD.

 

[KahnBB6]

"GR Sport" is supposed to be more like an existing model and driveline configuration with some options added. Toyota branding a model with just "GR" at the front of it will mean a full-on specialty high performance model or trim all its own with a unique engine, transmission, driveline, brakes, etc.

I certainly hope that Toyota just transplants the entire GR Yaris drivetrain and brakes as-is into a U.S. market GR Corolla hatchback.

 

[Galerion]

So I'm back from the test drive and what can I say? Holy s

t what a car.

I am not a professional racing driver or have the urge to be one. So do not expect in-depth descriptions of how the car behaves at the limit and what happens there.

First the engine. What a bull. You can tell that the engine is a specially developed performance engine and not a run-of-the-mill engine that was tuned up up a little and got more boost pressure. It willingly revs up all the way to the limiter but still he has strength in all situations. There are already a few dyno runs where the car had over 400 Nm of torque and I wouldn't be surprised if that's true.
So in case it wasn't clear yet. The car is fast. Very fast and that leads to the next point.

It rained today and the streets were wet, and yet the car did not convey any uncertainty at all. No matter what I asked from it, the car did it without problems or hesitation. Caution is advised on this point. For one, you are often way faster than you think you are. I was really surprised a few times when I looked at the speedometer. Problems with the law are inevitable here if you are not careful. On the other hand, the confidence that the car gives you can quickly lead to overconfidence, which in the worst case scenario can lead to an accident. I just hope most of those interested are aware of this and use their common sense. The news about how someone in Australia managed to wreck the car after a few minutes of test driving is now definitely understandable though.

Toyota also managed a nice balancing act. When you are on the road in a sporty way, the engine dominates the action, but when you just want to be relaxed on the road, the engine takes a back seat and does its job quietly. I couldn't test the Autobahn, but I don't see any problems that could arise here. The suspension is sporty but not too firm. At no point was I shaken like mad. It's definitely softer than the + R mode in a Honda Civic Type R or the sportier suspension settings of a Hyundai I30N.

The gear shift is short and crisp and what I also noticed when shifting. You can really feel and hear the mechanics at work. A small thing, but if you notice it, it increases the sporty character of the car as well as boost pressure being audible released when you get off the gas pedal.

Finally, a few more pictures and thus to the last point. If you compare the first pictures with the last one, you can see how dirty the car got after my test drive, practically all around and that was only 45 minutes of driving on wet country roads. Paint protection and care will definitely be a very good idea on this car. Or mud flaps but I personally don't like them.

 

[Matador]

@Galerion What's it like compared to your GRMN?

 

[Galerion]

@Galerion What's it like compared to your GRMN?

Ah yes. The dreaded question. On one hand it's easy to answer but on the other hand it's also hard.
You see I think the GR Yaris is better than the GRMN in pretty much every way and I think many would not disagree. The gearshift, the pedals, the seating position, the steering, the steering wheel itself. All are vastly better in the GR and those are the most important bits because you use them every single time you are driving the car. Obviously being a newer car it's also better in terms of tech but I leave that out of here.

But here is the thing.
The GR Yaris is so competent and confidence-inspiring that I feel most people will never be able to reach its limits. Definitely not on public roads. That's for sure. I had all the safety systems on of course because I didn't want to be an idiot. Once I reached a lonely roundabout I began to play a bit and yes with enough gas you could feel the back end come around a bit but it took quite a bit of effort. Im sure with only a fraction of effort a GT86 would have already been fully sideways or something like a Fiesta ST would have already been three-wheeling all over the place.
I really love that. I like cars like it or cars like a the Honda Civic Type R or a Nissan GT-R that are just so competent at what they are doing and the GR Yaris is definitely more a mini GT-R than it is a more powerful Fiesta ST.

That brings us the the GRMN because it really is the opposite of that. Both cars have the same top speed of 230 kph and despite pushing my Type R multiple times to its top speed of 272 kph before I never did so with the GRMN. Why? Because once you approach the 200 kph mark the car gets so shaky that I am actually scared and back off. Driving onto the main road today I got a good amount of wheel spin because FWD, standing start, a big steering angle, a wet road and an arguably too heavy gas foot is a combination that even a Torsen LSD can't just magically solve. You generally need the skills and the courage to drive the car really fast so not everybody can do it. I can tell you I wouldn't have had to courage to drive the GRMN as fast as I did the GR today in the same conditions. I have no problem with admitting that.

And this is probably the biggest difference between the cars because it's not as easy as saying one car is good and the other one is bad. While I personally don't agree with it I can see why some people might find the GRMN actually more fun. Because it is less competent and therefore more lively, wild, dangerous and more demanding.

 

[ayau]

@Galerion, I also have an FK8 Type R and agree pushing it over 140mph, the car is still very stable. On my previous 2015 WRX, the car would get unsettled as soon as you hit the brakes.

How would you compare the GR 1.6T engine with the FK8 engine? I don't anticipate the GR Yaris engine to be as good as the Fk8 but am still curious on your thoughts. I plan to pick up a GR Corolla and also keep the FK8.

 

[Galerion]

@Galerion, I also have an FK8 Type R and agree pushing it over 140mph, the car is still very stable. On my previous 2015 WRX, the car would get unsettled as soon as you hit the brakes.

How would you compare the GR 1.6T engine with the FK8 engine? I don't anticipate the GR Yaris engine to be as good as the Fk8 but am still curious on your thoughts. I plan to pick up a GR Corolla and also keep the FK8.

It's still pretty new so the final verdict will still have to be made but I think it won't have to be ashamed against the FK8 engine. Quite the contrary in fact.
I mean here are two interesting videos. One from a drag strip in Australia with a car without the LSDs and one from a 0-230 kph acceleration run in Germany so it's slightly less powerful compared to the JP/AUS one.





This wasn't a GPS time obviously so the real times are still up in the air but I measured the 100-200 kph with a stopwatch and got ~ 14 seconds. Feel free to give a try yourself. I checked some numbers from German magazines and the FK8 did 100-200 in around 14,5-15 seconds in them.
I don't have to tell you that these are some impressive results considering the claimed HP numbers and the fact its got permanent AWD. A few dyno runs actually sparked discussions if the engine in typical 90s Japanese fashion is more powerful than Toyota claims. Even if it is not it still reaffirms what I said and what I have felt while driving the car. This is without a doubt a genuine performance engine and the way it delivers its power is impressive and Im pretty sure people will be pushing it even further.

Im sure the Type R will end up still faster on tracks. The top speed alone will mean on tracks like the Nordschleife with very long straights the GR will lose but on the streets I wouldn't necessarily count on it.

 

[Galerion]

Tuners Edge posted these on Facebook

 

[Matador]

Sub 8 min lap of the Nurburgring... Stock

 

[Matador]

 

[Matador]

 

[ayau]

So GR Yaris is built to meet WRC production requirements.

Assuming Toyota isn’t going to be campaigning the Corolla in WRC, I don’t think the GR Corolla will be as hardcore as the Yaris. Probably won’t get the dual LSD and weigh 200-300lbs more. Just my predictions. If that’s the case, I’m probably not interested.

 

[Paolo]

Sub 8 min lap of the Nurburgring... Stock

Crickey, that's just a few seconds off from the supra at the ring. Surely this can't be right?

 

[KahnBB6]

The GR Corolla, despite not being built for WRC, needs the same engine, manual transmission, big brakes, 4WD system with three modes, manual handbrake and dual LSDs. If the GR Yaris’ LSDs can be added as brand new parts then it would be annoying but acceptable.

But without all of that hardware being included the interest will be dampened considerably.

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