We have been waiting for the GR Yaris from Toyota for quite some time, and now it’s finally here. The hot hatchback is the first ground-up performance car the company has developed on its own in about twenty years. This means they have developed it without the help of another car manufacturer. But, to make a vehicle this good, the company must have used the expertise of many people from in or outside the company.
We got the chance to drive the vehicle on different UK roads as well as on track and in its best specialized mechanical specification, and we can say that all the expectations were rightfully so. It’s an amazing vehicle, with great capabilities, and you can even call it the best hatchback of the last decade. If you read more, you will know what we mean when we call it a rare and special car.
The first thing you should know is why it exists. If the vehicle with its 246bhp, four-wheel drive, gives you a preview, it’s on point. In the last 29 years, it is the closest thing to a downsized rally homologation special i.e. the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 or a modern MG Metro 6R4. If you look at the vehicle, you will also notice some visual similarities between it and those vehicles, like its wheel arches and air intakes, but these similarities wouldn’t do the car any harm.
But, this is not what it represents. Toyota, when started working on the idea of this vehicle in 2015, did exactly the opposite to producing a limited number of the road cars. The firm invested in a new motorsport division rallying program, so it can learn from this experience. The intention was to learn and apply when it builds the cars itself.
The compact, supermini-sized package has an engine and a drivetrain, which make give it a clear edge in its niche. If you take into consideration the power-to-weight ratio, you will find it equal to the Audi S3 or VW Golf R. With its unique chassis and lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber-composite panels, the vehicle truly is something great. The all-independent suspension and aerodynamics have been developed with assistance from the firm’s WRC team.
For this price, you may not find a better car, so if you don’t have anything personal against it, we don’t see why you shouldn’t buy it. Though it’s not cheap, even the entry-level can cost you good, and if you get the upgraded version, you will be paying even more, but it provides great value.