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Toyota’s newest hot hatch, the GRMN Corolla, puts its Honda and Volkswagen rivals to shame—arguably in performance, but certainly in price. The car wears a ton of track-focused equipment, from forged wheels shod in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires to carbon fiber front fenders and an adjustable rear wing, and they all come at a cost. Whereas a base GR Corolla will set you back $41,815 after destination, the GRMN kicks up the cost to $64,360.
In case you’re curious, that’s $13,630 more than a Golf R. The gap to the Civic Type R is even larger at $15,770. Even if you want to cross-shop the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, that 641-horsepower EV costs $2,860 less thanks to a recent price drop. And it should be said that this is all without a shipping charge, which normally runs $1,295 on the GR Corolla, but is unspecified for the GRMN.
So, what’s special about the GRMN Corolla, anyway? What do you get for all the extra cash?
You don’t get rear seats, for starters. You also don’t get any extra horsepower, as it makes the same 300 hp as the standard model. However, you do get 7 lb-ft more torque, for a total of 302 lb-ft. Toyota says it learned “valuable lessons for the evolution of the internal combustion engine” through its hydrogen-fueled Super Taikyu racer. Specifically, it boosted the torque between 4,000 and 4,600 rpm, which the company says is crucial for corner exit acceleration. It also threw on an intercooler spray system to maintain engine output at full throttle.
Toyota
See, instead of a major power increase, Toyota made a host of chassis and suspension tweaks that supposedly result in a tangibly different driving experience. I can see how that’d be the case with the front and rear monotube shocks, which sport rebound springs for better traction on the inside wheel during sharp cornering. Likewise, tuned electric power steering and all-wheel-drive logic are said to provide better assist in turns, with the latter also optimizing rear torque distribution for straight-line speed.
Toyota also makes extensive mention of the GRMN’s aero, which includes a hood duct, fender ducts, front side spoilers, and the aforementioned trick rear wing. Drivers can alter the wing’s angle with a five-click adjustment that moves it one degree at a time. I almost can’t imagine an owner pushing the car hard enough to notice the difference here, but maybe I’m wrong.
Either way, the GRMN Corolla has all the neat features to make you feel like a racer. Crazy bodywork? Yup, you got it. No rear seats? Most definitely. But it’s hard to fathom spending $64,360 on one. Fortunately for Toyota, it doesn’t need to convince everyone that it’s worth the asking price—only 730 units will be sold globally, and that seems a lot more manageable.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
From running point on new car launch coverage to editing long-form features and reviews, Caleb does some of everything at The Drive. And he really, really loves trucks.
