When the GR Yaris first dropped in 2020 it was something of a sensation; a feral small AWD hot hatch with a snarling three-cylinder engine and a fantastic six-speed manual transmission that sold out before it was even launched here and quickly built up a remarkable waiting list.
Click here to read our full review of the Toyota GR Yaris.
And rightly so, because it was a genuinely excellent car. Superbly fun to drive, even at low speeds, it packed a perfect blend of savage performance, ease of use and a genuinely charming character.
And so here we are five years later and the GR Yaris has seen a bigger sibling arrive in the form of the GR Corolla, a luxury spin-off in the form of the Lexus LBX Morizo RR, as well as the availability of an 8-speed automatic transmission to make it even more accessible and a genuine option as a daily driver.
It has also received a bump in power to 221kW and 400Nm thanks to a number of tweaks to the engine and some redesigned pistons, improvements in body rigidity and suspension, as well as a new front bumper and a new dashboard, just to keep things interesting.
In fact that new dashboard is the first thing you notice when you clamber into the GR Yaris. Mainly because you really can’t miss it - a massive, squared off dash that is extremely (and most intentionally) reminiscent of a rally car dash from the Group A golden years, the chunky and business-like panel dominates the interior and is pretty much an enormous knowing wink to the driver; "you get it, I get it, let’s just have fun here", it’s basically saying.
And fun it most definitely still is. The powered-up 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine is every bit the growly, snarling delight it always was, while the slick six-speed manual transmission is still every bit as positive and direct as it ever was.
It also suffered from the same issues as previously as well though, with the spring loading across the transmission’s gate being a bit inconsistent, making it easy to grab third instead of fifth if you aren’t paying enough attention. Still, this is a quirk you quickly get used to.
Outside of the power bump, Toyota hasn’t changed a lot with this update, but then it really didn’t need to.
Everything about the GR Yaris is wonderfully well thought out - the blatantly retro dash suits its character perfectly, while the seats look very sporty, but are comfortable and surprisingly easy to fit into (unlike the likes of the Ford Fiesta ST that had aggressively narrow bucket seats that were only really comfortable for jockey-sized adults).
The engine delivers its power confidently, but not overly-aggressively at low revs (making it super easy to drive at urban speeds), while get it up in the revs and it becomes a howling mini-monster with genuinely eye-widening shove out of a corner.
And then there is the handling, which is utterly sublime. Beautifully balanced almost telepathically responsive, the GR Yaris simply uses everything it has to the absolute maximum, delivering an addictive and superbly agile experience, regardless of how you choose to attack a corner.
While the GR Corolla may offer more practicality and general usability than it’s smaller cousin, the GR Yaris is a more pure experience, particularly with that superb manual transmission. Outside of the power bump, Toyota hasn’t changed a lot with this update, but then it really didn’t need to.
