Toyota Teases a GR Corolla Ready for the Track
Toyota invited the international media to showcase the in-development 2026 GR Corolla. The sportier Corolla is joining the GR Supra, GR Yaris and the GR86, which all have been modified from the street versions with performance enhancements.
The timing of this event was two-fold: It comes two days before the F1 Japanese Grand Prix held in Suzuka, Japan, and two weeks before the Long Beach Formula Drift competition.
What is GR?
Toyota Gazoo Racing (hence the GR) is a factory-sponsored motorsport division of Toyota and a sub-brand representing the most performance-oriented cars produced by Toyota. Gazoo Racing has prepared and campaigned cars in the FIA World Rally Championships, World Endurance Championships and Super GT. The big news last year was Toyota getting back into the F1 series as a technical partner of the Haas F1 team that currently runs a hybrid Ferrari engine.
Toyota is using this relationship to train mechanics, designers, engineers and drivers, but speculation—and who doesn’t like a little “what if” thinking—is Toyota will produce its own F1 engine at some point. Toyota isn’t new to F1 as it campaigned two cars for eight years (2002-2009).
What Did We See?
The GR Corolla in-development car we saw was heavily camouflaged, but it hints at added fender and hood vents and a new rear spoiler. Toyota tells us it will have increased torque and unique tuning from the street GR Corolla. Toyota will know it is ready for the street and track after its chairman Akio Toyoda takes it out and gives his stamp of approval.
The current 2025 GR Corolla, on which this in-development version is based, has a turbocharged 1.6-liter, 3-cylinder gasoline engine pumping out 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The GR-Four all-wheel drive system gets its power through either a 6-speed manual transmission with rev-matching or an 8-speed Gazoo Racing automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The top speed is listed at 142.9 mph with a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds. Clean Fleet Report would anticipate all those numbers bumping-up a bit in the new version.
Built for handling, the 2025 GR Corolla runs on 235/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires mounted on 18-inch cast alloy gloss or matte black wheels. It has a low 5.3-inch ground clearance in a car that weighs between 3,274 and 3,347 pounds.
If all of this makes you think it is quick, fast, handles like a go-cart and is a blast to drive, well, it is!
Pricing and Availability
Toyota didn’t release pricing as this car is in-development, but for reference, including the delivery, processing and handling fee of $1,135, the 2025 GR Corolla on-sale at Toyota dealers now ranges in price between $41,985 and $46,650, depending on the trim.
No production information was given, but we were told to “Stay tuned for more information coming fall 2025.”
Make sure to opt-in to the Clean Fleet Report newsletter (top right of page) to be notified of all news stories and vehicle reviews.
Story by John Faulkner. Photos by Toyota.
3 thoughts on “News: 2026 Toyota GR Corolla Preview”