The facelifted GR Yaris is here, and what a weapon it is.
Take everything good about the previous GR Yaris – immense power, robust all-wheel drive system, and crisp manual transmission – and combine it with Toyota’s mission to constantly improve the performance and appeal of its vehicles – and chances are you’ll end up with something that resembles this 2025 facelift.
The GR Yaris was already a light-sized hot hatch that had no peer, and now has more power, better suspension, and a radically updated interior, all of which is intended to propel Toyota’s road-going rally car back into the spotlight.
All this is punctuated by a new face that’s more aggressive, more aerodynamic and provides better cooling. There have been some changes at the rear too – namely to the tail-light design, primarily to further separate it visually from the garden-variety Yaris five-door.
Prospective buyers now have more choice than ever too, as Toyota has fitted an automatic transmission to its GR Yaris for the first time ever, following the same addition to the GR Corolla range.
Toyota says the new eight-speed torque converter auto has been developed specifically for the GR Yaris and is mechanically identical GR Corolla, which runs the same upgraded turbo-triple engine, following continual refinement based on track testing.
That culminates in an automatic transmission that’s claimed to take little away from the liveliness of Toyota’s potent little three-door hatch, with responsive action, fast shifts and intuitive behaviour being the development targets.
It means the GR Yaris now has much more to offer than the front-wheel drive, manual-only Hyundai i20 N – its closest competitor in terms of size and motorsport pedigree are considered. You could also include the Volkswagen Polo GTI, but like the i20 N it’s front-drive, has less power and also a lower price tag.
We had the opportunity to put the updated GR Yaris through its paces on an intensive drive through Victoria’s High Country, as well as on-track at Winton Motor Raceway as part of Toyota’s local launch event.
The facelifted GR Yaris manual is now available, while customers will receive the keys to their automatic versions from “mid-2025”. It’s worth noting the automatic GR Yaris driven (and pictured) here is a pre-production model, so it was only driven on track and could receive some slight tweaks before deliveries start.
Does it still offer the raw performance that Toyota’s GR cars are known for?
How much does the Toyota GR Yaris cost?
More than it used to. The new base GR Yaris manual was priced at $51,390 before on-roads in 2024, and for 2025 it’s gained the GT trim designation and a $4100 price hike.
| Model | Price before on-roads |
|---|---|
| 2025 Toyota GR Yaris GT manual | $55,490 |
| 2025 Toyota GR Yaris GT automatic | $57,990 |
| 2025 Toyota GR Yaris GTS manual | $60,490 |
| 2025 Toyota GR Yaris GTS automatic | $62,990 |
Similarly, the previous top-spec GR Yaris Rallye has become the GTS, which in its cheapest manual guise is now also $4100 dearer.
That means the entire GR Yaris range is much more expensive than its most direct rival: the Hyundai i20 N. The Korean brand’s light performance hatch starts at $35,500 before on-roads, which increases to $36,500 before on-roads if you want a black roof.
Meanwhile, the auto-only Volkswagen Polo GTI is priced at $41,790 before on-roads.
For context, the GR Corolla is only available in one GTS trim that costs either $67,990 or $70,490 before on-road costs for the manual and automatic respectively.
To see how the Toyota Yaris lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What is the Toyota GR Yaris like on the inside?
Certainly different – you’ll either love it or hate it.
1996 Toyota Supra A80 shown
Where the previous GR Yaris was very much in keeping with its road-going equivalent, Toyota has upended its more traditional formula by fitting a monolithic slab of grey plastic to the dashboard up front.
It’s intended to be something experienced by the driver alone, and as such the photographs don’t do it justice. In person it’s striking, and it seems to work better while being much more interesting than a lot of other modern interiors.
Put simply, we like it, even if it is a fairly brutal slab of hard plastic. It houses the GR Yaris’ 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, but we’ll focus on its leftmost portion first.
You’ll immediately notice the way it’s angled towards the driver. That creates a cockpit-style arrangement, which is nothing new in a performance car, and helps to focus its pilot’s attention.
In fact, Toyota says it’s inspired by the interior of the fourth-generation Supra. See the similarities?
History aside, we found the layout of the panel’s left side to be functional. Up top is an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which may seem small on account of its thick bezel but is perfectly adequate for a car as small as the Yaris.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are a bonus, though there’s nowhere to leave your phone beyond the central cupholders once everything’s connected. Other connectivity options include two USB-C ports: one central and one in front of the passenger.
All up, the design of this whole panel is largely minimalistic. That continues to the climate control panel, which is entirely physical beyond its simple electronic display – an array of buttons and two knobs. What more do you need?
All surface materials are solid, and where glossier plastics are fitted it’s never in an area that needs to be touched too much. You may have noticed the array of buttons near the gear shifter/selector, which all control various functions for both driving and comfort.
There are some for the front seat heating, as well as a switch to toggle between drive modes and a button for stability control.
Next to that last button is a blank in the automatic GR Yaris, but in the manual it’s used to toggle the intelligent manual transmission (iMT) function with rev-matched downshifts.
Ergonomics haven’t changed too much compared to the pre-facelift model, and the shifter itself still sits in an elevated perch for comfortable use. Nearby is also the GR-Four control dial, which is where you switch drive modes with different front-rear torque biases.
Elsewhere, Toyota says the driver’s seat has been lowered slightly to improve the driving position. The change is noticeable, though the hatchback packaging still means you sit somewhat high and upright – a little awkward for taller drivers.
Still, the front seats offer strong side bolstering and support for spirited driving, though adjustment is purely manual. The steering wheel, meanwhile, is unchanged from the pre-facelift model. In the GTS it’s heated, but both grades benefit from a leather finish.
It seems especially small in the GR Yaris compared to the Corolla, but it still feels appropriately chunky in the hands. In fact, we reckon it’s perfect for a car like the Yaris, and it lends itself to being thrown around in typical rally fashion.
Behind it is the instrument display, which takes up the whole space allocated by the dashboard’s housing. It’s a quality unit, and because it features a barebones graphic interface so it’s easy to read and configure on the move.
You can flick through its various menus and widgets using buttons on the steering wheel. It’s largely the same approach as in other Toyotas, which means the menus remain tedious to navigate.
We appreciate that you can bring up all sorts of gauges for temperature and pressure readings, as well as a dedicated turbo boost gauge. There’s a large gear indicator in the middle, which is shown regardless of the transmission fitted.
Overall, it remains similar to the previous GR Yaris, and there are carryover elements like the green indicator for GR-Four modes. Switching to the Sport drive mode (unrelated to GR-Four modes) will adjust the screen’s look, namely through the addition of a race-inspired horizontal rev counter up top.
Other controls are found on the dash to the right of the wheel, while automatic versions are fitted with paddle shifters as standard.
Suffice to say the rear seats of the GR Yaris are cramped. That’s to be expected given its two-door race car origins, so it’d be unfair to knock it too much. It was also the same deal in the pre-facelift model.
Full-grown adults will struggle to sit back here comfortably, with headroom particularly compromised. There are also only two seats back here, but it’d be terribly uncomfortable to sit in the middle even if there was another seatbelt.
Rear-seat passengers will need to kindly ask people in the front to slide forward to give them enough legroom. The high rear-quarter windows also mean the second row feels closed in, but again we can’t imagine people spending too much time here.
Similarly, the boot is small but still useable. The GR Yaris isn’t supposed to be a grocery-getter, though you do get a flat, wide floor with enough space for a selection of bags – along with extra capacity thanks to the 60:40-split folding rear seats.
A tyre repair kit is supplied instead of a spare wheel for the GR Yaris. Additionally, under the boot floor is where you’ll find the 3.7-litre water tank that supplies the intercooler sprayer fitted to the GTS.
Pre-facelift model shown
| Dimensions | Toyota GR Yaris |
|---|---|
| Length | 3995mm |
| Width | 1805mm |
| Height | 1455mm |
| Wheelbase | 2560mm |
| Cargo capacity | 174L |
To see how the Toyota Yaris lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What’s under the bonnet?
Carried over from the pre-facelift GR Yaris is a 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, though power and torque outputs have increased by 21kW and 30Nm respectively. New is an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission, alongside the pre-existing six-speed manual.
Outgoing GR Yaris Rallye
| Specifications | Toyota GR Yaris |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1.6L turbocharged 3cyl petrol |
| Power | 221kW @ 6500rpm |
| Torque | 400Nm @ 3250–4600rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual 8-speed torque converter auto |
| Drive type | All-wheel drive |
| Kerb weight | 1280kg |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 8.2L/100km (manual) |
| Fuel tank capacity | 50L |
| Fuel requirement | 98 octane premium unleaded |
| CO2 emissions | 186g/km (manual) |
| Emissions standard | Euro 6b |
Kerb weight figures and fuel economy claims are not yet available for automatic GR Yaris variants.
Due to the nature of the drive program at Toyota’s launch event, we weren’t able to record a representative real-world fuel economy figure. That said, a very spirited drive of the manual GR Yaris GT returned figures around the 10.0L/100km mark.
To see how the Toyota Yaris lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the Toyota GR Yaris drive?
Pretty much like a rally car for the road, but with a touch more refinement than before.
You immediately know you’re in for the ride when you sit behind the wheel and that driver-oriented dashboard. There’s not much else like it on the market, especially not at this price point or in this segment – that’s part of what makes the GR Yaris so unique.
Press the starter button and you’re good to go. You’ll notice the slightly off-kilter three-pot idle, and while the rally-inspired exhaust note won’t deafen you, we’d be wrong to say it was silent because Toyota pumps real exhaust noise into the cabin.
We were impressed by the response provided by the manual, both in terms of its clutch and shifter. The former is appropriately light without being flimsy, and it’s easy to find the bite point after just a few seconds behind the wheel.
It’s therefore easy to shift at speed, not to mention newbie-friendly thanks to its iMT function that automatically blips the throttle on downshifts. The shifter also moves with a short, crisp action, and it’s much more approachable than many of the clicky short-throw aftermarket alternatives.
The button to toggle that is found in front of the shifter, though if you’d prefer to do it yourself the pedals are spaced well enough for heel-toe action – not that we’re claiming to be any good at it.
Of course, none of that is new, and we’re certain enthusiasts would enjoy it all the same. What is new is the automatic option, which is actually quite a good unit.
Pulling away from a standstill is buttery smooth, and you’ll find the gearbox shifts at all the right points without holding gears too long under medium load. Even moving off gently, or just keeping up with traffic, won’t induce any undue clunkiness.
Lay into the throttle, and the torque converter responds quickly. The transmission will kick down just as much as it needs to, placing the engine in its ideal powerband for you to scurry away quickly. We never caught the transmission in the wrong gear, but there’s still a manual mode if you ever are.
Flicking the shifter to the right engages that, allowing you to shift using the paddles behind the wheel or the stick itself.
Those with a keen eye will notice that the ‘+’ and ‘-‘ symbols are reversed compared to most other cars, which means you pull the stick towards you to upshift and push away to downshift.
Toyota says this was very deliberate, as it now mimics what you’ll find in most actual race cars – particularly rally ones. To me, it never felt right pushing the stick forward to upshift anyway.
When you are shifting manually, the gearbox is responsive to inputs. It’s not quite dual-clutch snappy, but it still moves quickly enough to keep you happy. It does exactly what you want it to and will hold manual gears in the right drive mode, even under high load.
This is the kind of driving where the GR Yaris shines, and so it’s reassuring to have the option of an automatic that doesn’t sap power from that racy engine.
That turbo three-pot is the other area of mechanical change. Its increased power and torque outputs, which now match the GR Corolla’s, make the GR Yaris is a proper pocket rocket. Mash the throttle and it’ll pick up speed with glee, revealing to you that it simply loves to rev.
Of course, there’s also plenty of torque, minimal turbo lag and a relatively low kerb weight, so you don’t need to be at redline all the time, but for a spirited drive on your local twisty road there really aren’t many vehicles that reward revs with this much fun in and between the bends.
Pushing its limits reveals loads of AWD grip in both GR Yaris variants, supported by a strong chassis with well-tuned suspension. It’s definitely stiff in normal driving, but that’s just part of the package.
There’s still no adaptive suspension to be found in either this car or the GR Corolla, which is more of a shame in the latter given its Civic Type R-rivalling sticker price. Here, we’re more willing to overlook that, but it would certainly add another dimension to this pint-size performance car.
That said, the GR Yaris handles like it’s on rails. It encourages you to go faster and never feels like it will let go, no matter how slow or fast the corner. Sure, the tenacious traction envelope carries over from the old model, but the power bump allows you to more readily exploit its enormous grip levels and makes its prowess even more apparent.
The GR Yaris benefits from the sporty seats too. They did a better job of holding us in place than the seats in the GR86, for example. But given they’re not full-on race bucket seats, and the cornering forces the Yaris generates, you need to anchor yourself using your legs around fast bends.
As for on-road tech, the (automatic) GR Yaris boasts a well-calibrated suite of safety equipment. Its adaptive cruise control and lane-centring function both work reliably, and while it’ll sometimes stray close to the lane markings that’s no different to what you’ll find in most other modern Toyotas.
Similarly, there’s nothing active to beep at you while on the move, but a disappointing drawback is there’s now no adaptive cruise for the manual transmission, which it used to have as standard.
Now for the fun stuff. We had the opportunity to drive both transmission options at Winton, and both performed exceptionally well.
The automatic is great at doing exactly what it’s supposed to do – at no point during our laps did we feel it was holding us back or getting in the way, so much so that we effectively forgot about it until we were back in the pits.
Toyota’s iMT function shines on-track too, with incredibly smooth manual downshifts regardless of how high it needed to rev. Manually downshifting the automatic version is easily done too, though we did bump into the rev-limiter on occasion under acceleration.
All that allows you to soak up its impressive handling, and switching to Sport mode sharpens throttle response and weights up the steering weight. The latter feels incredibly heavy on-road, but on-point when clocking laps.
It means the wheel isn’t fidgety at high speed, and while you will sometimes feel some playfulness under you, it’s never unmanageable, particularly in the GTS with its limited-slip diff. A benefit of that is the car provides plenty of feedback when you’re pushing the limits.
Holding down the traction control button will also engage ‘Expert’ mode, which disables most of the car’s safety nets for those so inclined. That means you can throw it into a turn and it’ll simply comply instead of being bogged down by nannies like traction control.
You’ll hear some tyre squeal, but it’s impressive how direct it is – even if there is a touch of manageable body movement to take into account. Belying its city-car roots, its chassis and handling setup is just so impressive, and far superior to most of its competitors.
Should you take your GR Yaris to your local wet skid pan, Toyota has fitted a unique function to the manual version that means you don’t have to engage the clutch to pull the handbrake.
You can also toggle the GR-Four system change the torque delivery bias between the front and rear, which is 60:40 in normal driving but can go as far as 30:70 in Track mode.
There’s also a rally-inspired Gravel mode somewhere in between, which makes it incredibly easy to kick sideways. And who doesn’t love an all-wheel drive drift?
To see how the Toyota Yaris lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
There are two permanent variants of the facelifted GR Yaris. The previous base grade is now the GT, and the former Rallye spec has become the GTS.
2025 Toyota GR Yaris GT highlights:
- 18-inch Enkei cast alloy wheels
- Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres
- Tyre repair kit
- Black GR brake calipers
- Four-piston front
- Two-piston rear
- Two-piece ventilated front brake discs
- Ventilated rear brake discs
- Carbon-fibre roof
- LED headlights
- LED tail-lights, rear fog lights
- Dual exhaust tips
- Carbon fibre roof
- Metal front grille, rear bumper mesh
- GR sports front seats
- Suede and leather-accented
- Heated
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Leather-wrapped gear shifter, manual handbrake lever
- Aluminium pedals
- 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- Satellite navigation
- 8-speaker JBL sound system
- DAB+ digital radio
- 2 x USB-C outlets
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Keyless entry and start
- Dual-zone climate control
GR Yaris GTS adds:
- 18-inch BBS forged alloy wheels
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres
- Red GR brake calipers
- Torsen limited-slip differential
- GR high-performance suspension
- Sub radiator
- Button-operated intercooler sprayer
- GR sports seats
- Suede and leather trim, red stitching
- Heated steering wheel
Is the Toyota GR Yaris safe?
The Toyota GR Yaris has yet to be assessed by ANCAP and is therefore unrated.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- 6 airbags
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Junction assist
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane Trace Assist
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Safe exit assist
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Reversing camera
- Speed sign recognition
- Automatic high-beam
- Adaptive cruise control (automatic only)
- Front and rear parking support brake (automatic only)
How much does the Toyota GR Yaris cost to run?
Toyota backs its vehicles with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing is required every six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first, according to Toyota’s online service pricing calculator.
| Servicing and Warranty | Toyota GR Yaris |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 5 years, unlimited kilometres |
| Roadside assistance | Roadside Assist (up to 6 years, $99 per year) Roadside Assist Plus (up to 6 years, $139 per year) |
| Service intervals | 6 months, 10,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 3 years |
| Total capped-price servicing cost | $1860 ($310 each) |
Service intervals are identical to the outgoing GR Yaris, and pricing for 2025 models is the same regardless of transmission type.
CarExpert’s Take on the Toyota GR Yaris
The GR Yaris was already a ripper of a car, and now it’s become even harder to look past it in the hot hatch scene.
Its interior tweaks are something different and, while its new look won’t be for everyone, it’s hard to deny there’s something uniquely GR Yaris about it.
Better yet, it’s now meaningfully separated from its standard econobox equivalent, and its GR Corolla big brother. The same can’t be said about its facelifted front-end, which looks similar to its larger GR hatch sibling’s because they both share modular, swappable components.
It’s a good look, though it probably fits the GR Corolla a bit better than the Yaris. The rear-end, meanwhile, is especially smart and Toyota has succeeded in making it look noticeably like a GR model from the back.
But the mechanical changes are even better. Different power biases and more power in general are enough to raise eyebrows, and the automatic option gives the GR Yaris range more appeal to a wider audience.
It’s a properly fast car, and both transmissions do a great job of bringing out the best of that peppy three-cylinder engine. We don’t think there will ever be a scenario when flooring the GR Yaris won’t bring a smile to your face.
In addition to its second-to-none cornering ability, the level of powertrain and chassis configurability on offer here is another unique selling point for those who are eyeing up track use. Being a Toyota, it should hold up to plenty of interior and exterior abuse too.
The big drawback is you’ll now be paying upwards of $60,000 for a Toyota Yaris, which compared to the competition from Hyundai is pretty hard to swallow. Yes, there’s more power and all-wheel drive, but both the i20 N and the larger i30 N are both cheaper than this Toyota.
Still, it’s hard to go wrong with the giant-killing GR Yaris, and we’re glad Toyota has broadened its accessibility without compromising on a proven formula. But if you want the auto, you’ll have to wait until later this year.
Interested in buying a Toyota GR Yaris? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
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