Toyota USA is adamant that the bonkers GR Yaris won’t be coming to the US. However, even if the car doesn’t, the WRC homologation special’s engine could, according to Toyota’s Bob Carter, executive vice president of sales, in the form of a new hot hatch.
The report comes from Car & Driver, which simply states that Carter says “Toyota has ‘an answer’ for the GR Yaris for the North American market.” Car & Driver believes that means the GR Yaris’s 268-horsepower, 273 lb-ft engine, the most powerful 3-cylinder in the world, is US-bound (hopefully with the 6-speed manual as well).
A Toyota representative has told us that the GR Yaris is not possible for the US market because of federalization compliance. Besides, the regular Yaris it’s based on isn’t even sold here. What is called a Yaris in the US is actually a DJ-chassis Mazda Demio (in fact, it’s the only way to get a Demio hatchback in the continental US (Puerto Rico sells the original Mazda-badged ones)).
Using our Sherlock Holmes-like powers of deduction, it would seem that the Corolla Hatch would be the ideal candidate for this setup. Sure, it’ll weigh a bit more than the Yaris, but it’ll have more utility as well. Either that, or Toyota could just go all-in on crossovers and make a GR C-HR.
Please, PLEASE do not make a “hot hatch” SUV. Give us the Civic Si hatch that Honda refuses to give us. Put that hot engine in the Corolla hatch, with brakes and suspension to match.
Do it.
Do it now.
If anything they’d recognize the C-HR as an overstyled flop and replace it early with a lifted-and-cladded Corolla Touring wagon. Call it Corolla Fielder as a sop to the JDM fans.
to any toyota execs reading, I plan on making this my kid hauler when I graduate college in a few years, if it exists that is!
You are correct guys!
Toyota will put the GR Yaris engine on the Corolla
This is literally the only thing that would make me consider buying a “new” car. I have a 2008 yaris hatch now. It’s boring, but it’s a wonderful DD.
If Toyota sells an actual hot hatch in the US, whether it’s on a Corolla or a Yaris I feel somewhat obligated to buy it. If it doesn’t sell well then it will probably be the last.
Wait, wait. We can do better than just putting the Yaris motor in the Corolla hatch.
Sell the package on the sedan as well. Call the hatchback ones “Corolla Trueno” and the sedans “Corolla Levin” and offer two-tone paint options. You get the full nostalgia hit and a great GTI-competitior at the same time.
Better yet, put the GR Yaris motor in the 86 twins, offer two tone paint, and then call the 86 “Sprinter Trueno” and the BRZ “Corolla Levin.” The FWD hatchback Yaris can be renamed “Starlet Glanza VI,” And there can be the AWD CH-R version called the “Sprinter Carib GT-Four.” Seriously, just put this motor in everything.
Also, just to let you know, the Corolla hybrid is currently sold in China as the Corolla Levin.
I’d seen that. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Putting that motor in the 86 twins for North America is a great idea!
Putting that motor in the 86 twins is a great idea!
Mazda 2 eh. Interesting !!