Toyota GR Corolla gets upgrades: Adds body rigidity, intake cooling and audio enhancements

KUALA LUMPUR: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) has unveiled an updated version of the GR Corolla, with sales beginning in Japan on November 3, 2025.

Orders are now open at Toyota dealerships across Japan, but the real news is that Toyota has finally scrapped the purchase lottery system that has restricted GR Corolla availability since its 2022 debut.

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More than just minor tweaks?

The latest revision focuses on lessons learned from the Super Taikyu Series, Toyota’s domestic endurance racing programme. Structural and cooling updates aim to make the hot hatch perform more consistently in punishing conditions, including circuits like the Nürburgring.

The body structure now uses an extra 13.9 metres of structural adhesive (32.7 m in total), reinforcing areas around the floor, front section, and rear wheel wells. Toyota says this boosts rigidity without adding much weight, helping the GR Corolla withstand greater vertical and lateral g-forces.

Cooling has also been addressed. A new cool air duct integrated into the secondary intake draws air straight from the front grille, reducing intake temperatures during extended full-throttle driving. This ensures stable output from the turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder G16E-GTS engine, even under high thermal load.

Interior and audio upgrades

The optional JBL Premium Sound System has gained an extra speaker, bringing the total to nine with the addition of a luggage-compartment subwoofer.

Active Sound Control (ASC) is now included, letting drivers hear motorsport-inspired burbles and throttle-matched tones through the speakers. The system can be set to three sound patterns with adjustable volume—or switched off entirely.

Pricing in Japan 

The revised GR Corolla is priced at:

• RZ (8-speed automatic, AWD): ¥5,980,000 (~RM186,000)

• RZ (6-speed manual, AWD): ¥5,680,000 (~RM177,000)

Since its launch, the GR Corolla has been notoriously difficult to buy, with demand far exceeding supply. Toyota says its revised production and supply system should now make it easier for enthusiasts to get behind the wheel.

For existing GR Corolla owners, Toyota is also preparing a software upgrade program. Available from spring 2026 for 2023 models, the update will:

• Raise maximum torque from 370 Nm to 400 Nm

• Replace the 30:70 “Rear” drive mode with a 50:50 “Gravel” mode

• Make “Track” mode adjustable between 60:40 and 30:70 splits

Details, including pricing, will be announced closer to rollout.

Toyota Motor Corporation chairman Akio Toyoda, better known by his racing pseudonym Morizo, has long described the GR Corolla as his effort to “bring back a Corolla that captivates our customers.” True to that ethos, TGR has continued to refine the model using direct feedback from motorsport and drivers.

While this is technically just a “partial improvement,” the updates underline Toyota’s approach of treating the GR Corolla as a living project rather than a static model.

More importantly, with the lottery system scrapped, the car should now be within reach of more drivers who want a motorsports-bred hatchback for both the street and the circuit.

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