The new and improved Toyota GR Yaris

New Launches 

For reasons of cost, practicality, and convenience that have been mentioned in this blog many times, leasing your car is one of the most mundanely sensible decisions you can make. That doesn’t mean your choice of car has to be equally mundane, or even sensible. We wouldn’t dream of suggesting that leasing a Toyota is anything less than eminently sensible. Leasing the new Toyota GR Yaris however, that’s far from a mundane choice.

When Toyota first introduced the GR Yaris in 2020 it blew everyone away, including the competition. Combining Toyota’s everyday hatchback with its highly-decorated motorsport division, Gazoo Racing’s rallying experience created a genuinely brilliant hot-hatch.

The new GR Yaris is the perfect demonstration of Toyota’s desire to use motorsport technology to create ever-better cars

More than just a hot hatch, it’s a direct beneficiary of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s championship winning experience in the WRC.

The engine and gearbox have been upgraded, the chassis has been strengthened, and the suspension has been adjusted.

The cabin layout has been tweaked, and the range has been simplified with a single “Circuit” version available, alongside two limited-edition models celebrating Toyota Gazoo Racing’s World Rally Championship successes.

The GR Yaris’s turbocharged engine was already the most powerful three-cylinder unit fitted in a production car. Not powerful enough it seems because the new version boasts an extra 19bhp and a chunk more torque. That means a new power output of 276bhp….in a Toyota Yaris! To put that into terms we all understand, you’re looking at a sprint to 60mph in 5 seconds and a top speed of 143mph….in a Yaris!!



To cope with the extra power, the valves and pistons have been upgraded, and European models will also be fitted with a cooling pack that increases the air intake and adds an extra radiator and intercooler water spray so you can drive it at full-throttle for longer.

A brand-new eight-speed Gazoo Racing Direct Automatic Transmission will also be offered as an option alongside the established six-speed manual gearbox.

It benefits from a new torque control system, upgraded clutch system, and adjustments to the control software to produce world-class shifting speeds. Changes have also been made to the six-speed manual’s clutch system too. A new dual mass flywheel helps handle the increase in maximum torque to 390Nm, and the clutch has been tuned for better performance.

Regardless of your transmission choice, power is sent to the wheels via the GR-Four permanent all-wheel drive system and two limited-slip differentials for optimum grip and control.

To further control the extra power, the new Toyota GR Yaris benefits from a few more changes beneath its sporty skin. The chassis has been stiffened to enhance the feel, and the lightweight roof and body panels lower the centre of gravity to keep the car agile. The suspension has also been strengthened and adjusted to enhance performance under high loads.

Speaking of skin, despite looking quite similar to a regular Yaris only the headlights, antenna and door mirrors are carried over from the standard hatchback. Every element of the GR Yaris is designed to achieve optimum downforces, aerodynamics, and grip.



At the front of the car there is a new steel mesh lower grille for improved balance of strength and weight. At the rear, an opening in the bottom edge allows air beneath the floor to escape, not only reducing drag but also working to improve stability and disperse heat from the exhaust.

The fog and reversing lights have been integrated into the rear combination lamps, and the high-mounted stop light has been moved from the rear spoiler to lower down on the back door so that all rear lamps are aligned and in a clear line of sight for following drivers. Moving the stop light also makes it easier for the spoiler to be changed or customised.

The exterior look is completed with 18-inch BBS alloy wheels with a 10-spoke design, fitted with Michelin Pilot 4S high-performance tyres

The new GR Yaris also gets a new exterior colour option, Precious Metal, in addition to the established shades – Emotional Red, Precious Black and Super White/Platinum White Pearlescent, representing the colours of the Toyota Gazoo Racing livery.

There are also some significant interior changes to give the new GR Yaris’s cockpit an authentically sporty feel. Race and rally drivers had direct input into the interior changes, so if you’re really serious about your driving you’ll be pleased to hear that the controls most used in competition driving have been moved closer to the driver so they can be easily reached when using a racing harness. On the passenger side, the tray in the instrument panel has been made larger so there is now space for a co-driver’s monitor to be fitted too.

Even if you’re not quite that serious about it, you still reap the benefits.

The driver’s field of vision has been improved by lowering the top edge of the instrument panel, changing the position of the rear-view mirror, and angling the control panel further towards the driver. The seat has also been lowered by 25mm and the steering wheel angle changed to provide the best possible driving position.

There’s also a new 12.3-inch fully digital display with two layout modes – normal and sport. The design features clear and simple graphics so information can be instantly viewed and understood, and in automatic models the read-out includes transmission oil temperature and a visual warning to alert the driver when engine revs are too high for downshifting.

And just in case you were wondering, it's not all about the racing technology.

We did say leasing a Toyota is a sensible decision, even if it is a ridiculously powerful Toyota that will set your trousers on fire while you just sit there grinning like an idiot.

For everyday use, the new Toyota GR Yaris also gives you the usual touchscreen controls, navigation system, wireless smartphone connection, automatic headlights, privacy glass, and dual-zone air conditioning. It will also return around 30mpg so it won’t really break the bank in terms of running costs either.

The new Toyota GR Yaris may not necessarily be the most sensible Yaris you could choose to lease, but it’s just sensible enough to get away with treating yourself with a car that’s exceptionally good.

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