Heir to the feisty progenitor, the Toyota GR Yaris sharpens its claws, ready to unleash all its fury on the track. Equipped with a sumptuous technical package, the car from the Land of the Rising Sun enjoys an excellent reputation among enthusiasts, cemented over the years of its honorable career. With the new version, it seeks to remain faithful to the DNA of its beginnings, but, at the same time, to renew itself in terms of technology and performance. Ultimately, it is aimed at those who hope to get their hands on an “all-pepper” model.
Immediate success
Since its debut in 2020, the Toyota GR Yaria has won the hearts of lovers of sports models, thanks to high performance and a unique character. This is not a simple hot-hatch, but rather a project curated from a rally perspective. Under the hood was a 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbo engine that produced 261 hp, intelligent all-wheel drive, and a chassis that was both light and thin. In addition to being fast, it also benefits from the expertise accumulated by the Japanese giant in the World Rally Championship (WRC). The development was carried out by experienced engineers and drivers, who transferred the technologies and knowledge acquired in top-level motorsport to the road proposal.
Excellent feedback globally, with over 40,000 units registered in just over two years, of which about half in the Old Continent. And now we move on to the next chapter. The result of collaboration between the engineers of the Gazoo Racing team and professionals from the world of rallying, the latest interpretation inherits the styling of the GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid, protagonist of the WRC. The result is an even more powerful, responsive and engaging model, which offers a truly special driving experience.
Restyling is an understatement
The Toyota GR Yaris is not a mere restyling, but a radical aesthetic evolution dictated by pure functionality. Each external element has been redesigned with a single goal: to enhance performance and aerodynamics. In short, it is better to forget the standard Yaris: we are faced with a model in its own right, which shares only the headlights, mirrors and antenna. The rest is pure exclusivity, forged for speed and agility. The nose sports a new enlarged front grille, optimized to maximize airflow and engine cooling.
The lower steel mesh has also been revised, in the name of a perfect balance between strength, lightness and permeability. The side grille also boasts a larger opening, while the lower bumpers feature a new split structure, which facilitates repairs and replacements. Regarding the “B side”, an opening in the underbody allows air to flow out, reducing aerodynamic resistance and improving stability. The redesigned rear spoiler further contributes to aerodynamic efficiency, while the fog and reversing lights are integrated into the main light clusters, in favor of clean lines and protection capabilities.
The 2024 Toyota GR Yaris wears a new Precious Metal livery, added to the already iconic Emotional Red, Precious Black and Super White/Platinum White Pearlscent, inspired by the colors of Toyota Gazoo Racing. Each shade underlines the gritty and sporty nature of a compact “beast” out of the ordinary. High-performance Michelin Pilot 4S tires fit on 18-inch alloy wheels with multi-spoke design, BBS forged as an option.
Optimized field of view
The cockpit has been revisited to offer the driver intuitive and precise control, inspired by the best rally and track drivers. Every detail has been studied to optimise ergonomics and reaction speed. The essential buttons, such as those for the intercooler jet, VSC-OFF and hazard lights, have been repositioned closer to the driver, so they can be accessed without any effort even with the racing seatbelt fastened.
The upper edge of the dashboard has been lowered by 50 mm, the rearview mirror has been optimised in its position and the touchscreen has been tilted by 15 degrees. Together with the 25 mm lowered seat, this allows for an unrivalled field of vision and an ideal posture. Instead of a traditional instrument panel, a 12.3 inch digital display offers two display modes: normal and sport. The second, with essential graphics and focused on performance, allows the pilot to monitor essential data in real time.
The basic package includes the third and most recent generation of Toyota Safety Sense, with a complete package of systems to detect potential dangers. For the model with automatic transmission, the relevant oil temperature and a warning, both visual and sound, responsible for changing gear. Changes have also been made to the gear lever. Thus, the Toyota GR Yaris is even sportier: to downshift you push forward, to move up you pull back.
Strength and grip
At the heart of the 2024 Toyota GR Yaris beats a 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine which has already made fans’ wrists tremble. Now, however, it makes the “upgrade”: 280 CV and 390 Nm of maximum torque, translated into a burning sprint and a top speed of 260 km/h. However, beyond the brute force, there is also something else to report. In fact, the vehicle is a concentration of reliability, tested to the extreme in Japanese rallies to guarantee resistance and durability over time. Reinforced materials, optimized exhaust valves and a perfected injection system allow you to experience performance to the fullest without worries.
Thanks to the audio system, the sound of the engine increases involvement and the adrenaline felt. In addition, a system of active noise control eliminates unwanted frequencies, so as to leave the pure pleasure of the “beating heart” that revs up. Both on the road and on the track, the new Direct Gazoo Racing eight-speed automatic transmission ensures smooth and precise shifts, using intelligent software that anticipates the driver’s intentions.
The system of GR-Four all-wheel drive with Torsen differentials front and rear ensures optimal performance in any circumstance. The stiffened body determines an even more direct and precise steering response. The 2024 Toyota GR Yaris is expected to arrive in Europe by the end of the summer, at an undisclosed price. The range is joined by the Oger and Rovanperä special editions, dedicated to driving enthusiasts, built in very limited numbers.
