Many automakers have moved away from sports cars as buyers demand fancy SUVs and pickup trucks, but Toyota has stuck it out with its growing line of Gazoo Racing (GR) models. The GR Corolla debuted in 2023 as an extreme take on the long-running economy car, offering rally-bred performance, ultra-aggressive styling, and an obnoxiously playful driving experience.
2025 Toyota GR Corolla Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla
The big news for the 2025 GR Corolla comes from its transmission. Toyota initially offered the car exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission, but the 2025 model gains an eight-speed Direct Automatic Transmission option. It also got a torque boost, and Toyota replaced the top Circuit Edition trim with a new Premium Plus variant.
Design
While it still looks like a Corolla, the GR Corolla is a hatchback-only car that takes all of the sedate standard model’s styling elements to the extreme. It’s got fat fender flares and a large grille to feed the turbocharger underneath the hood. In the back, it sports a funky three-tip exhaust system and has several functional air vents.
Powertrain
The 2025 GR Corolla retains the turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine from its predecessor, but torque is up for the new year. It makes 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, giving the car a 4.9-second zero-60-mph time. Power reaches all four wheels through a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. All GR Corollas have a GR-Four adjustment system that allows the driver to dial in a torque split between the front and rear wheels. Settings include 70/30 front/rear, 60/40, and 50/50.
Interior
Though it’s quite expensive for a Corolla, the GR’s interior isn’t the nicest. The base Core trim gets cloth upholstery, while the Premium and Premium Plus models get synthetic leather and faux suede. The front sport seats are wider and more comfortable than the buckets in some rivals, especially the Hyundai Elantra N, but the back seat is punishingly short on legroom.
Technology
Toyota equips the 2025 GR Corolla with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. SiriusXM radio and six speakers are also standard, but higher trims get an eight-speaker JBL stereo, wireless charging, and more. The 2024 GR Corolla got Toyota’s updated infotainment interface, which is far more responsive and easier to use than the outgoing system.
Safety
The GR Corolla may be a dedicated sports car, but Toyota didn’t forget the safety equipment. Standard driver-assistance tech includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and a proactive driving-assistance system.
Pricing and Release Date
As of the time of this writing, the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla starts at $38,860 for the base Core trim. The Premium model starts at $41,440, and the Premium Plus costs $45,515.