2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS Automatic Review

Since arriving on the scene back in 2022, the GR Corolla has quickly established itself as a technical showcase of just how well Toyota's rallying know-how can translate to a fun-loving, heart-thumping hot hatchback experience.

It's a vehicle that, alongside the GR Yaris and the Supra, has given Toyota far more street cred on the performance front in recent years - coming out of relative obscurity to offer a particularly strong hot hatchback lineup.

For 2025, the GR Corolla has picked up a range of updates, namely the introduction of an eight-speed automatic version, alongside some styling refresh with optimised cooling and aero packages.

The addition of an automatic version no doubt helps to widen its appeal with Aussie buyers, but does it detract from the driving experience of such a purposeful and driver-centric package? We got behind the wheel to find out.

Toyota GR Corolla Competition

How Much Does It Cost?

Toyota offers the GR Corolla range in two formats, one with a six-speed manual transmission and one with an eight-speed automatic.

The GR Corolla GTS Manual is priced at $67,990, while the GR Corolla GTS Automatic is priced at $70,490, translating to a $2,500 premium for the automatic.

• GR Corolla GTS Manual - $67,990

• GR Corolla GTS Automatic - $70,490 (tested)

Keep in mind these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

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Toyota GR Corolla GTS Automatic Specifications

What Features Does the Toyota GR Corolla GTS Have?

The GR Corolla is offered here in Australia strictly in flagship GTS form, which keeps things pretty simple for buyers.

As standard, there's a set of 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Yokohama rubber, LED headlights, an updated front grille with larger cooling vents, a carbon fibre roof, front & rear limited-slip differentials, 356mm front and 297mm rear brakes, black air vents on the bonnet, a rear spolier, power-folding mirrors and a trio of exhaust pipes out the back.

Inside, there's a set of beefy sports seats upholstered in a mix of leather and suede, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, keyless entry & start, a wireless charging pad, dual-zone climate control, a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors and a stack of active safety tech.

Toyota GR Corolla GTS Connectivity & Infotainment Features

Infotainment tech was, quite rightly, not at the top of Toyota's list of priorities when putting the GR Corolla together.

As a result, it carries over the same 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display you'll find in the regular Corolla range.

While screen real estate isn’t the biggest in the hot hatch segment, Toyota's 8.0-inch display does at least come underpinned by the latest software and offers some decent processing power when trawling through menus.

There’s isn’t quite the same Gran Turismo approach to the adjustable driving modes that you'll find in something like the i30 N, though in reality, the GR Corolla offers far more dynamism thanks to its highly adjustable AWD system.

The GR Corolla's infotainment suite features satellite navigation, which can be mirrored by the driver-configurable digital instrument cluster, alongside AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, with sound provided by an eight-speaker JBL sound system that features an active noise cancellation system.

All things considered, the GR Corolla isn't a technological frontrunner in the segment; instead, it tries to focus your attention on what it can do on the road.

That said, it does have the tech bases covered for a modern vehicle, offering the same tech you'll find in the regular Corolla.

Buyers pick up a one-year subscription to Toyota's connected services suite which offers stolen vehicle location tracking, collision notifications, SOS calls, diagnostics and remote vehicle controls.

Does the GR Corolla Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

One key update for the GR Corolla's technological chops has been the addition of both wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto.

In a win for modern buyers, Toyota's most recent update for the GR Corolla has seen wired-only smartphone mirroring make way for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

This means you can climb aboard with your phone in your pocket or placed on the rubber-lined wireless charging pad on the centre console while accessing your music, contacts and preferred navigation app.

Is it Fun to Drive on the Open Road?

It's simply fabulous - one of the best driving packages currently on the market.

Power comes supplied by a mental little 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder unit that pushes out 221kW of power and 400Nm of torque to the wheels, in this case, via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The MY25 GR Corolla receives an extra 30Nm of torque provided by its engine, which was previously reserved for the previous Morizo flagship, only, and is enough to propel it to 100km/h from a standstill in around 5.3 seconds.

We found quite a bit of turbo lag low down in the rev range when flattening our right foot, though when the turbo spools up and peak torque hits north of 3,000rpm, the GR Corolla is a little rocketship.

It's a brilliant little engine that had us constantly wondering just how Toyota managed to extract so much potential from just three, reasonably small cylinders and a blower.

Toyota’s eight-speed torque converter automatic is reasonably snappy and, thankfully, doesn't come to the detriment of engagement behind the wheel.

Obviously, there’s no substitute for a manual transmission when it comes to connection for purists, though Toyota's eight-speed auto gets the job done and feels intuitive, depending on the drive mode selected.

There’s a serious dose of fun on offer for drivers new and experienced alike, thanks to both the GR Corolla's approachability, provided by the immense mechanical grip and deep levels of adjustment for the AWD system.

For example, with a flick of a dial, you can split the torque from a 50/50 arrangement to 60/40 front-rear or even an 80/20 split in the track mode, which is something very unique to the GR Corolla and its smaller Yaris sibling.

Many rivals are front-wheel drive only, while the GR Corolla's AWD competitors rarely offer the same tail-happy characteristics and sheer versatility on a whim.

When pushed through a bend, the GR Corolla remains poised, regardless of how hard you trash it, with excellent stopping power provided by a set of big, beefy front and rear rotors.

The levels of grip are simply immense while the suspension hardware keeps things flat and planted through the bends, even when challenged by some rough, bumpy sections of tarmac.

We were really impressed with just how sorted the suspension package feels, ironing out body roll in the corners while soaking up tonnes of punishment on a country road.

Importantly, the distribution of mass when darting between corners feels nice and predictable, with the GR Corolla welcoming a push and seemingly asking for more.

Toyota's sharp steering ratio also feels fantastic in hand, giving you a clear sense of connection to the front wheels as torque is shuffled around by the front and rear limited-slip differentials.

All up, we think the GR Corolla is one of the most confident, exciting and dynamic members of the hot hatch segment- arguably setting a new benchmark for fun, approachability and versatility.

Better yet, the addition of an eight-speed automatic doesn't spoil the party when it comes to driving engagement and adds variety to the range for city buyers looking for the user-friendliness of an automatic transmission on a daily drive.

Is the GR Corolla Comfortable on a Daily Drive through Town?

All of Toyota's hardcore modifications made to the GR Corolla have come at some expense to its everyday civility, but not to an isolating degree.

Yes, things are stiffer and less forgiving than the regular Corolla - that's the laws of physics in action and the price you pay for such immense levels of grip in the twisties.

In the same breath, however, the GR Corolla is still pretty well-mannered and proves itself an excellent little hot hatch on a daily drive.

The steering is sharp but well-weighted at lower speeds to make it easy to park or make a tight turn, while the fire-breathing powertrain, even in eco mode, allows you to lead the pack off any set of lights, if you're so inclined.

Combine this with its stout wheelbase and a decent turning circle, and the GR Corolla makes light work of a run through town, offering the hallmark best-of-both-worlds approach that a good hatchback needs to tick, in order to properly fit the bill.

After all, what’s the point of performance if you can't use it for a daily drive to work or your all-important family duties?

The ride quality has taken a hit over the regular Corolla, though it's not an unforgivably stiff or crashy ride on sharper bumps, and handles high-speed bumps on country roads with a nice, planted feel thanks to a decent amount of rubber on the sidewalls.

All up, we think Toyota has knocked it out of the park when it comes to ensuring the GR Corolla, when prompted, tears up the road while maintaining a nice set of table manners on a daily drive.

Is the GR Corolla Fuel Efficient?

Interestingly, the GR Corolla automatic is notably thirstier than its manual siblings.

On a combined cycle, Toyota says the GR Corolla GTS Automatic is rated at 9.5L per 100km, which drops down to 8.4L per 100km in the case of the GTS Manual.

In our time behind the wheel, we averaged 8.5L per 100km on a mix of town, country and gravel road driving, with a few particularly long stints up the motorway, which mitigated the sting from performance testing.

This means that if you're after the most fuel-efficient option within the GR Corolla family, the six-speed manual transmission is your best shot.

The GR Corolla comes fitted with a 50-litre fuel tank and requires 98 RON unleaded fuel.

GR Corolla Manual Fuel Economy: 8.4L per 100kmGR Corolla Automatic Fuel Economy: 9.5L per 100kmGR Corolla Automatic Fuel Economy: 8.5L per 100km (tested)

Is it Practical and Spacious?

Things aren’t as revolutionary inside the cabin as on the road, though the GR Corolla's neat, tidy and driver-centric package fits the wider context appropriately.

Climb aboard and you’ll notice the cabin’s design is identical to that of the regular Corolla, albeit with some sporty trimmings that help to make up for the premium you're paying for this GR version.

The seating position is reasonably low-slung inside the cabin, while Toyota's leather and suede upholstered sports seats are beefy, offering a nice amount of side bolstering without inhibiting things for wider-set drivers.

The driving position itself and the ergonomics are bang-on, with Toyota's chunky steering wheel and the flappy paddles fitting perfectly in hand, though the paddles themselves feel a little cheap and plasticky.

There’s a decent range of adjustment for both the wheel's reach and rake, remaining nice and accommodating to a wide range of drivers and their individual driving styles.

Toyota's chunky handbrake falls a little too well in hand, seemingly teasing you to do something naughty behind the wheel.

On longer drives, we made use of the soft-touch finish applied to the door sills, though our inside arm was longing for a raised centre armrest.

Toyota's transmission tunnel and centre console feel a little cheap on the sides, though there are a few leather accents to help break things up, as well as a softer, more premium finish for the dashboard.

Does the cabin look and feel match the price tag? We think not, especially with the piano black trimmings on the centre console, but that aside, it’s a pretty nice place to sit inside and at least signifies Toyota's attention paid to the performance hardware underneath, which means serious business.

Storage options inside the GR Corolla are limited to a pair of cupholders beside the handbrake, small bins inside the doors, and a small rubber-lined tray that was just too narrow for our iPhone 16 Pro Max, but would fit most smaller phones.

Move to the rear of the cabin and you'll see that legroom is tight for any adults planning on spending time in the second row.

In my preferred driving position, legroom was too tight to get comfortable, meaning I had to sacrifice a fair bit to get enough usable real estate in the back.

It’s partially due to the Corolla's limited rear seat potential and also the wide, bulky sports seats fitted to the front row that eat up space in the rear, while cabin width is limited for three-abreast seating.

Headroom is also pretty tight, though our head wasn’t quite brushing up against the headliner, meaning it's a decent place to throw kids for short hops around town.

Amenities are pretty sparse in the back of the GR Corolla, with a folding armrest with cup holders, map pockets and another cup holder positioned on the door sill, rounding out your creature comforts.

For parents, there are two pairs of ISOFIX anchors and three top tether mounts in place for child seats, though access into the second row itself is somewhat limited due to the small doors that don't have a huge opening aperture.

How Big is the Toyota GR Corolla's Boot?

As with the regular Corolla hatchback, boot space is limited in the GR, with the regular Corolla sedan proving the far better option when it comes to cargo capacity.

With the rear seats standing, there's just 213L worth of real estate for a run to the supermarket or a few backpacks.

Fold down the rear seats and Toyota says there’s luggage volumes totalling 503L in the GR Corolla's boot.

It’s a pretty tight cargo space all up, though you'll find some neat little cutouts on either side of the boot floor and a very flat load lip that makes it easy to unload heavy cargo without lifting over the edge.

Unfortunately, there's no spare tyre on offer underneath the boot floor, just a tyre repair kit.

• GR Corolla Boot Space Minimum: 213L

• GR Corolla Boot Space Maximum: 503L

Is it Safe?

Toyota has bundled its latest suite of active safety tech into the GR Corolla.

Better yet, things like the adaptive cruise control and the lane-keep assistance are well-calibrated and don't quite have the same levels of paranoia some of its rivals exhibit, particularly on country roads.

The GR Corolla hits the road with an AEB system with pedestrian and cyclist detection as well as junction assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, emergency steering and intersection assist, lane-departure warnings with lane-centring, traffic sign detection and a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors.

The GR Corolla is yet to be specifically tested by ANCAP and remains unrated.

What Warranty Does the Toyota GR Corolla Come With?

Toyota offers the GR Corolla with a five-year/unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty.

Like other vehicles in the range, the GR Corolla's warranty can stretch out to seven years specifically for the engine and driveline when you keep it serviced on time.

Buyers pick up capped-price servicing, which costs $310 per visit for both GR Corolla automatic and manual variants.

This means that three years' worth of servicing for the GR Corolla totals $1,860, which is pricier than its biggest rivals.

Service intervals stand at a reasonably short six months or 10,000 kilometres to keep the hard-working three-cylinder engine happy and healthy.

Our Verdict: Is the GR Corolla GTS Automatic Worth it?

The GR Corolla is an epic hot hatchback that, in automatic form, is more user-friendly behind the wheel around town while retaining an incredible sense of skills and supremely engaging nature behind the wheel.

It does, however, struggle when it comes to value, something made more problematic by the somewhat underwhelming layout of its regular-Corolla donor vehicle.

Does it feel like $70,000 inside? Absolutely not, no matter how weak the notion of a fast Toyota hot hatch makes your knees.

Does it feel like $7,000 on the road, though? Every bit of it.

It’s approachable, immensely capable, challenges you and offers such a wide range of personalities - you can't help but be infected.

It's a package that needs to be unleashed, indeed, thrashed, to be truly appreciated, though, meaning some buyers stand to get far more value out of the GR Corolla than others.

Pricing is an obvious issue when it comes to widespread appeal. So too is the fact that the GR Yaris is nine-tenths of the experience, if not the whole enchilada - at a huge discount, which means that somewhat ironically, one of the GR Corolla's biggest competitors comes from within the family tree.

This means that the GR Corolla is a somewhat harder sell than its smaller GR Yaris sibling, but it remains an exceptionally sharp and impressive driver's car that will leave no one disappointed after a run through the twisties.

If you're looking to upgrade to a new car, be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying experts for the best possible price on your next car.

Five Toyota GR Corolla Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty extends to seven years for driveline

2. 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol produces 221kW / 400Nm

3. Adjustable all-wheel drive system can split power 50/50, 60/40 & 30/70 front to rear

4. 0-100km/h in 5.3 seconds

5. 9.5L per 100km fuel economy figures