GR86 Vs. GR Corolla: What's The Difference Between These Sporty Toyotas?
The Toyota GR86 and GR Corolla: Is there much difference between these two sports cars? Well, the GR86 is a two-door, four-seat sports car. The GR Corolla is a four-door hatchback with seating for five. So, that's sorted, right? Not so fast. Both cars are performance-oriented, but each of these Toyota GR vehicles has a unique approach to performance and appeal. In Toyota nomenclature, GR stands for Gazoo Racing, and these days it essentially serves as Toyota's sub-brand for performance cars. If TRD is Toyota's performance upgrade for trucks and SUVs, then GR is their moniker for anything sporty.
Under the GR umbrella, there are currently three cars available for purchase. The first is the GR Supra, which many people just call it the Supra, and it sits at the top of the ladder — the Supra is the most powerful GR car in Toyota's lineup. Below it are the GR86 and the GR Corolla. Between the two, the Corolla is significantly more expensive than the GR86. It is also much more powerful, and it offers more space for passengers and cargo. However, that's just the beginning of the differences between these two Toyota GRs.
There's a gap in power and performance
The GR86 is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels. There is a six-speed automatic available as well — however, we'd recommend the manual for drivers who want a bit more engagement. The GR86 is peppy for its size, but some sort of forced induction would certainly spice things up a bit. When Car and Driver tested the GR86, it went from zero to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds – just 0.1 second behind the Miata. Although, compared to the GR86, the GR Corolla certainly turns things up a notch.
Power for the GR Corolla comes from a small turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbo engine, which has a pretty remarkable output of 300 hp and 295 lb-ft. Like the GR86, the Corolla offers a six-speed manual transmission as standard, but an automatic transmission (an 8-speed with paddle shifters) is also available. The GR Corolla sends power to all four wheels, which has a marked effect on acceleration — in Car and Driver testing it sprinted from zero to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. The gap between the GR86 and the GR Corolla widens as they reach the quarter-mile, with the Corolla crossing the line in 13.3 seconds at 105 mph, and the GR86 covering the same ground in 14.7 seconds at 97 mph.
Pricing may have you thinking twice
Before you go out to buy a GR Corolla based on speed alone, it's worth looking at the differences in price between the two models. The GR86 is the less-expensive option by a significant margin. It's available in three trims: base, Premium, and Hakone Edition. All three trims are available with a manual or automatic transmission. The base-trim GR86 has an MSRP of $31,135 (including $1,135 destination fee), while a Hakone Edition is priced at $36,405 (add $1,100 to the price tag if you want an automatic transmission). Not bad for a sleek and sporty coupe.
The base GR Corolla starts off with a bigger price tag than even the top-trim GR86 Hakone Edition. The high-performance hatchback has three trim levels: Core, Premium, and Premium Plus. Core models start things off at $39,995 (including the destination fee), while Premium Plus models top things off at $46,650. If you want the GR Corolla with the 8-speed automatic, that'll cost you an extra $2,000. If you need the extra seating, or if the weather in your area necessitates all-wheel drive, the Corolla certainly makes more sense. If those aren't primary concerns, however, you could save a significant amount of money with the Toyota GR86.