The Hot Hatch Toyota We Wish Was Sold In The States

Japanese auto giant Toyota was not shy about admitting that building an in-house sports car would fulfill the personal ambition of then-company CEO Akio Toyoda. Hot on the heels of introducing the GR Supra, the all-new GR Yaris hot hatchback would be the first pure Toyota sports car in more than 20 years, and the world was astounded when it debuted at the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon.

However, the North American market was left high and dry when Toyota insisted on not bringing the GR Yaris stateside. Instead, Toyota fielded the GR Corolla Hatchback for those mourning the absence of the GR Yaris in local American dealerships. The former is essentially a more practical version of the GR Yaris with more doors, a roomier second row, and more trunk space. Moreover, Toyota ensured the GR Corolla had all the desirable hardware that made the GR Yaris the talk of the town in enthusiast circles worldwide.

Toyota Gazoo Racing

It includes the diminutive yet punchy 1.6-liter turbocharged G16E-GTS three-cylinder engine, pumping out a clean 300 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, about 28 more horses than the top-spec GR Yaris. The engine connects to a six-speed manual gearbox that turns all four wheels using Toyota's GR-Four all-wheel drivetrain. The Circuit Pack adds front and rear limited-slip differentials.

The Toyota GR Corolla scoots faster from zero to 60 mph than the GR Yaris (under five seconds versus the GR Yaris' 5.3 seconds). The Yaris weighs a measly 2,822 pounds (1,280 kg) and has less-inviting rear seats and fewer doors, which makes it a more hardcore, rally-inspired street car than the hopelessly practical (yet quick) GR Corolla.

And since the GR Yaris weighs less than a regular Honda Civic 1.5 turbo, it has a brilliant power-to-weight ratio of 200.8 hp/ton thanks to aluminum doors and a carbon roof. The GR Yaris is the ultimate hot hatch of modern times, and it doesn't skimp on the things that matter in a sub-five-second hot hatchback.

Toyota Gazoo Racing

The GR Yaris has larger diameter front disk brakes than the GR Supra, standard 18-inch wheels wrapped in stickier high-performance tires, tire pressure monitoring, and creature comforts like dual-zone automatic climate control, an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, and smartphone connectivity. Of course, you could get all that in a GR Corolla, but the thought of Toyota refusing to sell the GR Yaris in North America makes the teeny hot hatch more desirable.