During the launch of the facelifted Toyota GR Yaris, Toyota Malaysia also announced the arrival of the updated Toyota GR Corolla. Compared to the changes made to the GR Yaris, the updates to the GR Corolla are considerably smaller. If you happen to see one on the road, chances are you might not even be able to tell the difference between the old and new models. So, if you’re curious about what’s actually new, let me break it down for you here.
On the exterior, the changes are extremely subtle. If no one points them out, you might not even notice them. For starters, the GR Corolla now gets a brand-new front bumper. This redesigned bumper looks much more similar to the one found on the GR Yaris. More importantly, it helps channel air towards the front brakes for improved cooling. Other than that, there really isn’t much else changed on the exterior. 
As for the interior, it remains largely identical to the pre-facelift model. Toyota only changed some of the trim colours and left everything else untouched. However, the real updates are actually found under the skin. Starting with the engine, it now gains an additional 30Nm of torque over the previous model. This is paired with an updated radiator fan to ensure the engine can better cope with Malaysia’s hot weather. In terms of thermal management, Toyota has also added an additional radiator to help the engine maintain optimal operating temperatures more effectively.
Toyota didn’t just improve the engine performance, as the suspension setup has also been enhanced. These upgrades include revised spring rates, anti-roll bars, and rebound springs to improve body control, while the trailing arm mounting point has been raised to reduce rear squat. All of these improvements are designed to give the driver better control when tackling corners.
Moving back to the powertrain, the same 1.6L 3-cylinder turbocharged engine continues to power the GR Corolla. It now produces an additional 30Nm of torque, bringing total output to 300PS and 400Nm of peak torque. Power is sent to all four wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission paired with the GR-Four all-wheel drive system. While there is an increase in torque, I personally don’t think the difference is especially noticeable on public roads.
However, driving the GR Corolla for the second time did spark some thoughts. While the engine itself is highly capable, I actually feel that it may not perfectly suit the GR Corolla application. The engine tends to run out of breath fairly quickly, which is somewhat expected from a smaller-capacity engine. What further magnifies this issue is the fact that the GR Corolla is noticeably heavier than the GR Yaris, making it feel like it loses steam even sooner. To be fair though, since this engine was originally developed for the GR Yaris, it naturally feels better suited to the lighter and more compact hatchback.
As for the suspension updates, the reality is that I only drove the GR Corolla on public roads, so I never truly pushed the car to its limits. Considering that the pre-facelift GR Corolla was already a highly capable road car, the subtle suspension revisions do not drastically alter the driving characteristics in everyday driving situations. To truly feel the difference, it would be best to take the GR Corolla onto a proper race track where its capabilities can be explored safely.
With a price tag of RM367,000, the GR Corolla is certainly not cheap. Nevertheless, it remains a highly capable performance car. If you need the practicality to carry four passengers comfortably and find the GR Yaris too small, then the GR Corolla is definitely worth considering. However, if you want to fully experience the best qualities of this 1.6L turbocharged engine, the GR Yaris still feels like the more suitable platform. Personally, I think the GR Corolla would benefit greatly from a larger engine, such as the upcoming 2.0L turbocharged unit that Toyota is currently developing. So stay tuned, as more news about this major update could arrive in the near future.
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