Toyota's wildest new car in years is about to arrive in Canada. The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla is a 300-horsepower AWD rocketship that comes with an impressively competitive price. When it arrives this fall, it will start from $45,490 for the base Core grade, which is just a bit more than a Volkswagen Golf R, likely its closest competitor.
The GR Corolla is far from any standard version of Toyota's familiar Corolla hatchback. It's not even built at the same plant, instead being put together at a dedicated GR Factory, the same site that built the legendary Lexus LFA.
The GR Corolla gets a 1.6L three-cylinder engine that's been turbocharged and boosted to the moon. It makes 300 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed manual transmission, short-throw shifter, and an upgraded clutch that sends power to all four wheels.
Thanks to the GR-Four AWD system that can send up to 70 per cent of torque to the rear wheels, the car should hit 100 km/h in under five seconds. The AWD bits were tuned by the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team, honed by some of the top rally drivers in the world.
The GR Corolla will also come with the latest Toyota Multimedia System including an 8.0-inch touchscreen (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto). And since this is Toyota, it will have the full Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of advanced driver assistance features.
The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Core model includes 18-inch wheels, GR Sports seats, and a six-speaker audio system. Unique to the Canadian market, heated front seats are standard. Even better, Torsen limited-slip differentials in both front and rear axles are part of the package.
The GR Corolla Circuit Edition for $53,990 adds a carbon fibre roof, red brake calipers, vented hood, suede seats, heated steering wheel, and an upgraded audio system. This one is a limited-production model offered only for the first year of production.
It will be joined by a second limited production model, the Morizo edition. This one is a track-focused model that drops the rear seats, increases torque to 295 lb-ft, and adds special seats along with most of the Circuit Edition's features.
Core versions of the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla arrive at dealers starting this fall. The rest go on sale in the spring.
2023 Toyota GR Corolla Canadian Pricing
Core $45,490
Circuit Edition $53,990
Morizo Edition $59,990
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