I'll admit right at the beginning that I was looking forward to the test week with the new GR Yaris in a similar way to the week with the last tested two-liter Supra. I had studied the Toyota GR Yaris a lot from many internet videos, which certainly did not spare superlatives about this, by today's standards, very specific car.
The carmaker is currently experiencing a quite successful period within the WRC championship, an integral part of which is also the development and construction of new racing specials. Even in the case of the new generation of the Yaris, the Japanese simply went their own way, even if it's actually a bit old. In their racing division, Gazoo Racing, they created a homologation special that looks like a Yaris model, although it actually has very little in common with it.
First of all, it is a car with a "three-door" body and a slightly sloping roof, which is followed by a huge rear spoiler in the WRC special. We also have modified external dimensions and, above all, a newly developed all-wheel drive.
Toyota then launched this homologation special in a series of 25,000 produced units among its fans under the name GR Yaris.
Exterior
The GR Yaris successfully informs you about its exceptionality already within its exterior. The basic contours of a small car, which stands on an adult chassis and has a wheel simply "sticking out" from every corner, are pretty crazy at first glance.
The front section impresses with the massive front bumper, which, thanks to the tremendous suction, expands significantly into the sides of the car. The side part, in turn, elegantly decreases with the roof line, and the rear part, that's a separate chapter. The driven rear axle took on such dimensions that getting it into the body of the basic body was not easy at all.
However, the result is famous, the view of the GR from behind will certainly not tire you for a long time. Significantly extended fenders with minimal overlaps at the back contrast sharply with the small cabin of the car. The pronounced horizontality of the rear part is also effectively supported by interconnected lamps.
The exterior appearance of the new Toyota GR Yaris is really cool and I personally would like to have it at home just because of its looks.
Interior
If for some reason you yearn for the classic Yaris in the "geerk", don't despair, you will definitely remember it in the interior. The entire dashboard, including the steering wheel, is quite logically taken over from the classic version. Of course, the individual controls and the infotainment itself are identical.
The sporty character of the car is supported by the alcantara-covered seats and the door panels themselves. The sport-tuned seats are fitted in identical places, as in the classic Yaris. The sharp Yaris would therefore deserve even more subtle seats, with which you would get closer to the floor. I personally did not have a problem with the position behind the wheel, but I believe that taller figures could suffer a little.
The presence of the classic manual handbrake, which not only works perfectly, but also its position and ergonomics itself, is worthy of praise.
Of course, the rear positions are cramped due to the very shape of the roof, and access to these places is also not ideal, but what about traveling in the back positions of the GR Yaris simply isn't.
Powertrain and driving impressions
The Toyota GR Yaris is equipped with a turbocharged three-cylinder power unit, which has a respectable output of 192 kW, i.e. 260 horses and a torque of 360 Nm. All this at a car weight of around 1290 kg.
The original concerns about the three-cylinder specification in general very quickly proved to be odd, this motorization is simply great. Its three-cylinder performance can be easily seen during the start itself with a slight shaking of the whole car, but otherwise there is nothing to criticize it for. Up to 3000 rpm, its performance is quite refined and gives you room to use this sharp Yaris as a capable "daily" car. Above the advertised speed, absolute hell ensues. This three-cylinder reaches its peak performance at around 6,500 revolutions per minute. It is therefore clear that sharp driving will require high revs, which are not alien to this engine at all. This is how a single-chamber turbo comes into the scene, which revs the engine at such a pace that it takes a bit of practice to hit the exact shift and not hit the limiter. Furthermore, the motorization reacts strongly to the gas pedal instruction and the influx of power is thus excellently dosed.
The excellent motorization is supported by a well-graded gearbox with a bevel offering short and mechanically precise shifting paths. I must also mention the i-MT assistant whose controller can be found in the central tunnel. Its activation adjusts the engine speed during the downshift itself and tunes the engine to the ideal speed for the following acceleration.
In the case of the GR Yaris, the power of the currently most powerful three-cylinder engine in the world is always transmitted to all four wheels (the specially developed GR-FOUR system). The inter-axle clutch takes care of this, which then distributes the power according to the driving mode you choose.
The basic Normal mode comes with a ratio of 60:40 in favor of the front axle, other modes are Sport and Track. In Sport mode, the rear axle is favored in a ratio of 70:30, Track mode then takes care of an even distribution of power in a ratio of 50:50. There is little left to perfection, in the case of the additional Sport package, which our piece also had, you get a Torsen-type self-locking mechanism on the front and rear axles.
Words of praise also go to the chassis. He adds such confidence to the car that he could give it away. The very concept of a compact car with wheels on each corner of the body and all-wheel drive says it all. The GR Yaris is thus very neutral and incredibly accurate most of the time. The light nuances in the adjustable chassis are then felt only at a very sharp pace, when the Sport mode sends more power to the rear axle and the car is a little less surgically precise than in most other situations. Its daily usability is also pleasing, although the car is very stiff, but not uncomfortably hard in any way.
A certain weakness of the driving behavior of the "geerka" can be its rather unimpressive sound, an active flap in the exhaust would definitely not hurt here. However, the rather loud intake of air at full throttle and the effective "blow-off" of the turbo every time it is retracted become a considerable consolation.
The Toyota GR Yaris is an incredible driver's car, which was not easy to get to know one hundred percent and get under the skin during one editorial week. Still, I had as much fun with it as I have with any other car I've tested so far.
In conclusion
The Toyota GR Yaris starts at a price tag of CZK 899,000 including VAT, and its content is very "austere". Only metallic colors and the already announced Sport Package and VIP Package are extras. The completely mandatory sports package enriches the car with self-locking differentials, red-painted front and rear brake calipers and 18" forged wheels. As part of the VIP package, you get a premium JBL audio system with 8 speakers, navigation, Head Up display and parking sensors. Unfortunately, Toyota is currently reporting sold out, fortunately with the promise of increased production.
The sharp Yaris of the current generation is unique within the current range of cars in this category. With this little "competitor", Toyota let us see under the hood of the WRC and at the same time created a great driver's car that you simply need. The car impresses not only with its robust appearance, but mainly with its first-class driving characteristics. Of course, even with this car there are some ailments, the GR Yaris could have had a more pronounced sound effect, and the position behind the wheel will probably not be suitable for taller figures. However, these are all little things that you will immediately forget about after driving the first meters. Great job Toyota Gazoo Racing.
Source: Author's text
Image source: Author's own photos
