Toyota GR Yaris review – the modern homologation special at its very best
Toyota’s new road-going rally special is a great driver’s car of the type we worried we’d never see again. It’s a little gem.
We can’t think of a modern performance car that has generated more hype surrounding its arrival – and has lived up to it. The Toyota GR Yaris has defied critics and shaken this weight off its shoulders with a truly unique driving experience that’s as exciting as we all hoped it would be when we saw its stout little body for the first time in 2019.
This instant success is compounded by many of its talents, but few resonate more than the fact it’s a – relatively – affordable performance car not created solely on the basis of a marketing plan, or to lower a meaningless lap record around a given circuit, but to serve as the ideal base from which to mount a top-flight motorsport campaign. The Toyota GR Yaris is a true homologation special in the most literal sense.
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This approach has given us some of the most revered evo cars of all time, from the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth to the Porsche 993 GT2, and so many more. And it’s one that (thankfully) resonates with buyers, with demand far outstripping supply across Japan and Europe, creating lengthy waiting lists and values that continue to rise over and above the list price.
Toyota GR Yaris: in detail
- Engine, gearbox and technical highlights > The 1.6-litre triple is a little gem of an engine, bespoke to the GR Yaris and brilliant
- Performance and 0-60 time > On-paper figures don’t relay this car’s cross-country pace
- Ride and handling > So unique, so fascinating, yet with room to grow and focus
- MPG and running costs > Short gearing, a big turbo and the tiny fuel tank will make trips to the bowsers a common game
- Interior and tech > Flawed packaging is derived from its homologation nature, but key touchpoints have been extremely well thought out
- Design > It’s butch, hardy, aggressive and desirable, all despite having a Yaris badge attached to its rump
Prices, specs and rivals
Toyota has temporarily halted UK orders for new GR Yaris models, but when it was on sale was available in three flavours: base (£30,020), Convenience Pack (£32,200) and Circuit Pack (£33,520). Mechanically, the first two are identical, with the Convenience Pack car building on the interior specification with integrated satnav, a larger JBL stereo, head-up display and parking sensors. Circuit Pack cars don’t share these interior upgrades, instead bringing those key changes under the skin that make best use of the GR’s sweet little chassis. These include larger brakes, forged Enkei wheels with Michelin PS 4 rubber (Dunlops are standard), a stiffer suspension tune and a locking differential on both axles.
TrustpilotDirect rivals are varied, with no hot hatchback matching the GR in size, performance and price point. The current king of the supermini hot hatchback is the Ford Fiesta ST, which in its sole ST-3 guise is still cheaper (£27,320) but down on power and front-wheel drive only. The £25,250 Hyundai i20 N is also a key rival from below. It’s brilliantly involving and feels more substantial on account of its extra kit and N’s typical driver-mode mellay.
At the other end of the size spectrum is the new Honda Civic Type R, which is now far more expensive at £46.995, but still comparable to the Toyota on the basis of its stunning capability.
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