The Toyota GR Corolla is a rascally rally-inspired hot hatch that charmed the world with its boy-racer aesthetic. For Americans denied the glory of the GR Yaris, it’s been adored for its turbo power, all-wheel-drive grip, and general badass attitude since 2022. Now it’s getting a refresh for the 2025 model year.
Three years is a fairly quick turnaround for a refresh. Still, technology moves fast these days, and it doesn’t take long for a car to feel dated if it’s missing features or left to plod on with older hardware. Toyota is in a blessed position where it can afford to invest in its lineup on the regular, keeping it perky and fresh.
We’re told that Akio Toyoda challenged his team to think about the next step almost immediately after the GR Corolla first dropped. That’s an admirable ethos. So what’s on the docket? Quite a bit! Let’s dive in.
Right of the bat, there’s an engine upgrade that will be more than welcome. The turbocharged three-cylinder engine will now deliver 295 pound-feet of torque, up from 273 pound-feet in the outgoing model. Nobody ever accused the GR Corolla of lacking in this regard, but more is always better. Horsepower remains the same at 300 horsepower from the 1.6-liter G16E-GTS.
We’re also told that suspension components have been improved through rigorous testing at Fuji International Speedway. Tweaking the car to better handle hard cornering, traction was improved with rebound springs on the front and rear suspension. This reduces the tendency for the inner wheel to lift during hardcore turns. Rear coils and stabilizers have also been modified to aid controllability. Trailing arm mounts have also been raised by 30 mm (1.18 inch) to reduce squat under hard acceleration. This has the particular benefit of giving the GR Corolla a more stable posture at corner exit.
The new automatic gearbox is perhaps the biggest change. The GR Corolla launched with a six-speed manual, with Toyota well aware that it was building this model for a dedicated enthusiast audience. However, there are those that appreciate an auto box, and there are enough sales to justify the engineering of an 8-speed auto box to suit their taste.
Oh, and there are paddle shifters! Here’s David’s take from the launch event.
This follows on from the GR Yaris, which now comes in automatic guise, too. The GR Corolla might even be faster in this configuration, particularly in the zero to 60 mph sprint. Further aiding this is the inclusion of launch control on auto models. Just don’t use it on public roads, says Toyota.
Don’t expect this to be the usual uninspiring slushbox, either. It’s an 8-speed GAZOO Racing Direct Automatic Transmission. It’s a locking torque converter automatic, but it’s designed to feel far more locked up and sporting than your garden-variety auto box. Japanese racing driver Hiroaki Ishiura has formerly lauded the technology:
“It locks in from the moment you set off, responding linearly to gas pedal input and allowing you to shave time off your laps without any loss. DAT senses when you’re braking fully and downshifts for you to prepare for the next acceleration. It anticipates the actions ahead, just as we normally do when driving.”
The DAT is very much a performance transmission option. Toyota will be including a transmission fluid cooler as standard on auto models. In fact, there are two! There’s an air-to-oil cooler on the driver’s side, and a post-radiator coolant-to-oil cooler as well. It will also offer a sub-radiator as a factory-installed option on certain models for additional cooling. This will appeal to the track rats out there.
Aerodynamics have been tweaked, too, with a new front bumper and brake ducts that further aid the cooling crusade. Toyota’s aim was to ensure the GR Corolla could continuously run hard. Some high-performance road cars in recent years have faltered when owners have taken them to the track. Toyota’s attention to detail with the new auto transmission cooler and sub-radiator option aim to ensure you can run lap after lap without such concerns.
Limited-slip differentials will also be standard going forward. LSDs were formerly part of a performance pack in the US market. The LSDs will be Torsen-type units.
Toyota is also tweaking the model’s lineup. The Core will be the base model. It’s well equipped, with functional aero vents, the aforementioned limited-slip diffs, and red brake calipers to boot. The Premium sits above that, which nets you suede-trimmed seats, JBL premium audio, automatic climate control, a wireless phone charger, and heated seats, among other niceties.
Meanwhile, new for 2025 is the Premium Plus grade. This will further add formerly special edition features as standard, including the forged carbon-fiber roof, vented hood, and matte black wheels. You get the sub-radiator and a heads-up display thrown in, too.
Toyota also wants you to use this thing for what it was built for. Purchasing a 2025 Toyota GR Corolla will get you a complimentary 12-month membership to the National Auto Sport Association. You can take in a free High Performance Driving Event, and get discounted entry to other NASA-aligned events. Basically, if you want to get your GR Corolla on track to see what it’s really made of, this is a great way to start.
Now, it’s worth talking about the elephant in the room. You might be concerned to see an automatic showing up on what was otherwise a very pure, very enthusiast vehicle. However, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Toyota was obviously willing to make the commitment to a manual transmission on the GR Corolla from the outset. The auto didn’t hurt that.
Plus, there are a great many car enthusiasts that can’t drive a manual, or find it difficult to do so. They deserve to enjoy the GR Corolla too! It might also make the GR Corolla an option for single-car families, getting more of these fantastic cars on the road. This is Toyota welcoming them on board with open arms.
Ultimately, it’s a welcome refresh to an already awesome car. The GR Corolla is getting ever better, and now, even more people can drive it. I’d call that a good thing.
Image credits: David Tracy, Toyota
A face only a mother could love
Look at the pic that’s straight in front of the front end: that looks so TERRIBLE…I will never understand this car- it’s a COROLLA!
Also, yet again w/ the tacky tacked on screen
Counterpoint: yes, it does.
The concern I have is that the auto option becomes so popular that some accountant will ask aloud, with profits numbers in tow, why they bother with the manual option anymore. Everyone nods their head, and poof.
The flip side is better sales maybe?
And some of us folks can’t do a clutch anymore.
Now if they would develop a different clutch engagement process that would be cool. YMMV.
Maybe they should’ve put the money into fixing the rear diff’s overheating problem (admittedly only seems to be an issue when track driven but this would still worry me for longevity). Toyota is seemingly aware of the problem, since most reviews indicate that center diff wont’ actually send as much power to the rear as its claimed to.
Very cool, awesome little cars. Still can’t afford one, mark ups.
Seems like a cool car, but a hard no on the apparent No Warranty if your new performance engine shits the bed while driving.
https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/1eecy1c/toyota_denies_warranty_for_gr_corolla_fire_claims/
I envision young gear heads searching the future equivalent of Facebook Marketplace for GR Corollas in 20 years, seeing what looks like a sweet deal, only to discover that the listing is for an automatic transmission car.
honestly I fear the chances are higher that they’re gonna scratch their heads when they see the manual ones
LOL so true
Maybe it’s just me, but I have like zero interest in this car. I’m sure it’s a riot to drive, and it looks okay (other than the giant gaping black fascia). I’m not sure what it is.
I can’t decide. I currently drive a 2013 Focus ST and this car looks fun. But I’m also getting older and tired of my cars begging me to drive too fast..
I was stoked when it came out-but the combination of higher than expected price and the ugly basic econo car corolla interior has really dampened my enthusiasm.
The differentials not being up to track work has dampened mine. You can’t advertise a car as a track day special/offer a one year NASA membership with purchase then give consumers a car that can’t handle it. My stupid Hyundai hot crossover can lap all day with 0 issues.
It’s not THAT hard…although the Toyobarus are having issues with it as well and need a few mods to handle an HPDE day so I’m really not sure why people put GR on such a pedestal. That being said an 86 with a few mods and a competent driver can definitely keep up with much more expensive stuff.
Yeah that too! I think I commented this on the the main thread. I don’t have an issue with them offering the auto, but it is frustrating that they didnt’ put some of that development money into improving the clearly under-spec’ed rear diff (unless they did and aren’t talking about it.)
And almost worse yet, I think Toyota knew it was weak-most reviews point to even the supposedly 30/70 center diff setting not actually adding a significant rearward bias, which to my mind implies Toyota knew the diff wasn’t up to actually getting 70% of the torque on a prolonged basis. Honestly if this car had more competition I’m not convinced anyone would care about it. But Subaru has basically let the WRX go to seed, the Lancer disappeared, Ford has stopped making hot hatches and only briefly offered an AWD one anyways. Volkswagen still has the Golf R but it’s even more expensive and as you and I have discussed elsewhere on here I have no trust in a VW that isn’t under warranty and I’m guessing that’s true for a lot of enthusiasts.
I think the same is somewhat true for the GR-it has no competition real competition. Honestly it’s shocking and kudos to Toyota/Subaru that it’s as good as it is. But agreed some major components seem woefully under-engineered. Maybe this is what happens when a company that hasn’t made performance cars since the ’90s suddenly tries to become a performance brand? Granted Hyundai seems to have done better with this as I’m sure you’d point out lol
Not just you. It was certainly a way to keep manufacturing costs down, but I absolutely abhor the bumped out rear fenders on this and the Yaris.
FYI: That’s not a unique thing to performance oriented automatic transmissions these days. Look for a cutaway in just about any modern automatic transmission and you’ll find a clutch pack in the torque converter. Locking the TC after leaving a stop is an efficiency thing and has been almost universally adopted in the industry.
Anybody know how well rear-facing car seats fit in these? It has my interest.
Depends partially on how tall you are, but I know someone who did it. When we had rear-facing, we had a rotating seat. So if the baby wasn’t in the car and my husband wanted to drive, we coudl spin it around and give him more room.
I am disappointed but not surprised that these comments have turned into a NO MANUAL NO CARE circle jerk. Time is a flat circle, etc. Anyway I think this is cool and I’ll probably test drive one at some point. And driving stick doesn’t make someone more of an enthusiast. As far as I can tell it often comes with the side effect of sniffing your own farts and telling others they’re inferior.
I’ve said times-I’d rather daily an automatic. I’m not ashamed of it. If I lived in a place with wide open, windy roads I’d daily a manual. But I don’t. I live in DC and my cars spend like 80% of their lives sitting in soul crushing traffic. When I’m in the middle of spending an hour in the car to go 6-7 miles I’d rather just let the car worry about gear changes.
If I’m buying a pure weekend/fun car I’d rather it be manual. If I’m on the track I’d rather have a DCT with paddle shifters that give me full control. There’s a time and place for everything.
I think there’s a few things going on here.
One, it seems to be human nature that when you go through something tough, that takes effort and causes misery to get over the hill you want everyone to experience that misery in order to have the successful outcome. Learning to drive stick at age 15/16 was so stressful on me and my parents. It sucked learning the skill and there was so much yelling and crying involved.
Think of some of the jobs you’ve probably had. There’s always “that guy” who wants everyone to learn the hard way to weed out the weak. It’s especially prevalent for doctors or cops, etc. The same sort of psychology is going on here I think.
Then you also have a storied history from manufacturers starting in the late 80s maybe; as the manual started to become less popular it was offered in fewer models. Those that got a manual only offered it in the base, usually 4-cyl engine while the faster, performance trims were auto-only. So now there’s this deep… mistrust(?) by the enthusiasts that when they occasionally are gifted the performance car with the manual that it will be taken away and manuals will disappear forever. Never mind that most of them aren’t buying new to give appropriate incentives.
I think we have been in a small golden age where the manual is seen as a luxury of sorts, something rare to cherish and we’re seeing it on more desirable models because we’re past the stigma of it being a poverty spec option and manufacturers can charge more for it than the auto if they want.
that is quickly ending I think. It’s sad but inevitable probably. And as it dies I will predict more and more intense temper tantrums in the future. Even bigger tantrums than the ones I threw while learning to drive stick.
It’s the Puritan mindset.
Nothing good is supposed to be easy.
The worst example I’ve seen of this lately is people railing against Ozempic being cheating vs the old willpower method.
Personally I’d buy the manual, but the simple fact is even performance cars need auto options or they don’t sell enough to stick around. The Viper never compromised and where is it now?
I thought at first they were getting rid of the manual in favor of auto and I was really bummed. I cannot believe people are upset that there is the OPTION of a manual.
On the bright side, the auto GR Corollas have a greater chance of sitting on dealer lots due to that manual superiority complex and not being marked up $10K.
The flip side is they won’t hold their value as well…but if you don’t want to get bent over trying to buy one of these then the auto is a good choice.
Is it really auto only?
No. It’s stated repeatedly in the article and comments that the manual is still the standard transmission.
Then it’s not a no manual no care circle jerk as you said. It’s people discussing why they dislike autos. Let them. Why do you care if someone else cares so much?
Wow you lost any point you had by calling people who like manuals a circle jerk. We are sad to see them die and yes, to me at least, being an enthusiast means suffering a bit for something you love. It’s ok to say you don’t want to change gears in traffic but don’t try the bullshit that your opinion is the only one that matters. Also this car is the ONLY hot hatch left with awd and a manual. Why would we not be sad if it is gone? I don’t sit around and whine that everyone needs to drive a manual (though I think people wouldn’t be such shitty distracted drivers) but it obviously gets under your skin that we have a fucking opinion.
Can no one read? This is an option, one that likely extends the time the manual is available by making the model more appealing to a wider set of customers.
The exact same number of manual transmissions are available today as they were yesterday. No one is coming for your stick shift GR Corolla.
I never said it was gone. I know it’s an option. My reply was to the shitty comment above about manual circle jerking.
I’m 100% in the no manual, no care camp, but I don’t object to the existence of automatic versions of manual cars. Heck, if nothing else it’s probably helping subsidize the manual, just like the crossovers sold by traditional sports car brands. I’d be pissed if they dropped the manual completely, but that didn’t happen so this is much ado about nothing IMHO.
The question is is Toyota increasing how many they produce to make slushbox GR Corollas or are they carving the build capacity out of how many manual ones they make when they already make fewer Ryan there are buyers.
They may have shifted the production capacity of the undesirable no LSD model to this.
The problem is that the people who want the auto are different people who should be in a different car.
Every other car is there for them. Every one. THIS one is ours, not tained or ruined by their “opinions”.
I want people who are going to complain about everything I like, to NOT be in the same vehicle watering it down.
Once they make it into these vehicles their feedback is always the same. Compromise the performance features so you can cosplay a gearhead while you drive the kids to Walmart.
The ride will be “too harsh” the engine will be “too high strung” and next thing it will be another cosplay sports car.
/unpopular opinion
I don’t think that’s true. There are people that loved driving manual once upon a time, but through age or injury find they no longer can. They’ve still got a right foot and still love driving, but a manual is beyond them.
Can they not love a sports car like the rest of us? In fact, they can!
I’m not about taking away options from people. So won’t suggest we shouldn’t offer automatics for people who anre unable to operate two pedals.
But the manufacturers have done just that for anyone who loves a manual transmission. And with VW announcing the end of manual transmissions for some models, Toyota not offering a manual for the regular Corolla (for us poorer people who can’t afford the massive cost increase to the GR), ongoing cutting of MT from Civic trims, and Subaru not offering a hatch with the WRX … “they take and they take and they take… rarely giving”
So I can sympathize. Seeing an automatic is seeing impending doom for something you cherish.
Not only that, but some people need/want one car to do it all. Sure, I’d love to have something with a stick I can drive when I’m feeling frisky, but I have no desire to clog up my driveway and pay insurance on another car I only drive when I’m in the mood to operate a lever. Commuting in pretty much any populated area is shit. I have no desire to sit in traffic for an hour straight pressing a clutch even though I learned to drive on a stick and drove sticks for the next 10 years. Manuals are great, but they are not always the answer. Flappy paddles can be fun, performance autos are generally good to great, and driving a manual in traffic sucks.
I feel like a lot of the people kvetching about automatics haven’t experienced a ZF8 or good DCT.
You’re not understanding them then. It’s not about how good an automatic can be. It’s about how much more fun it is to actually shift a cars gears with a little lever. Huge difference.
*Under certain conditions
I don’t understand why everyone chose this car to whine about an automatic when the manual is still available. If you wanna complain about the death of manuals go find a GTI or Corvette article to air your frustrations.
I’m not so much as complaining about this car as I am lamenting the loss of them in general and arguing against people who can’t just leave us alone in our lamenting.
My interpretation of the GTI: VW has been dead to a lot of enthusiasts for a bit here. Between the unreliability and touch screen buttons, and the advent of the GR86/FRS, they’ve become less and less compelling.
It doesn’t matter how good they are to someone who loves manual. To me driving an auto is the same as me sitting down and doing virtual driving. I don’t want a computer to choose gears for me. That isn’t enjoyable.
A lot of the people complaining about automatics probably haven’t experienced anything made in the last 20 years.
There are dozens of other automatic sports cars for old people to drive…
Injury here. Sold my manual car after driving it 250k miles. My left, injured leg feels better.
I hear you. My father gently explained that he bought an automatic last time because he was headed towards a hip replacement and wanted to keep enjoying his daily walks longer more than he valued having 3 pedals in what he considers his last car
A well programmed auto or 1 pedal driving setup can be surprisingly engaging. It’s different from a manual and still valid.
Yes, the manual miata is rubbish to drive since they did the automatic version 30 years ago.
Selling a niche car to more people means more niche cars in the future.
This is untrue and this stupid gatekeep-ey attitude around manual transmissions is possibly the most cringe aspect of enthusiasts, and there are many so that’s really saying something. You’re not special because you drive a manual and people that don’t aren’t posers.
Driving stick just isn’t something that everyone enjoys or wants to do. There’s a reason why manufacturers aren’t offering it on as much anymore, and it isn’t because everyone else is stupid and everyone who’s driving stick is extra special. I feel like manual diehards are like Filthy Frank in his vegan episode when he walks around with a medal asking people to give it to him because he’s a vegan. It’s insufferable behavior.
There’s still a manual one and it will sell in greater numbers than this anyway so who the fuck cares? And maybe some people who can’t drive stick will give a car like this a go and decide to go further down the rabbit hole. It’s what happened to me. I bought a DSG GTI before I knew how to drive stick and it inspired me to learn…partially because so many enthusiasts were screaming at me in online forums that I wasn’t one of them if I didn’t drive stick.
Now I do, and I’d still rather daily an auto because I live in a place with some of the worst traffic in the country and my wife can’t drive manual/isn’t really interested in learning because she’s not a car person. I’d love to give this a try, and I probably will because I nearly bought a manual one a couple years ago.
The reason is emissions. People should want to drive manuals; they are cheaper to buy and maintain, and they are more reliable. But for some reason they don’t want to. And they have fewer chances to do so.
Automatics were marketed as luxurious when they arrived. Which they were. And now manuals are viewed as the opposite of luxurious. Then people complain about costs. Well, luxury costs money. Emission controls, in the form of 8-9-10 speed automatics, cost money.
Eh. I drive a manual and I love it. But I live on the edge of a small town. About once a month I drive through Chicago and I do NOT love it in stop and go traffic. If I lived in a city, I’d probably sacrifice the fun of the manual to avoid the misery of … the manual.
If I lived in the country I’d daily a stick. Unfortunately I live in one of the most populous and traffic ridden major metropolitan areas in the country, so give me my DCT or give me death. If I ever buy a weekend car manual is mandatory. It just depends on the situation, but forcing yourself to suffer for bragging rights is decidedly lame and I’m not going to do it.
The DC area is also a very dangerous place to drive and I work in a rough part of town. The last thing I need to be doing is stalling in traffic and holding people up because they will not take kindly to it…and no matter how good you are at driving a manual you’re going to stall at some point. It’s inevitable.
Negative. Sounds like you’re scared and not very good at it but are here preaching like you’re Automatic Transmission Jesus trying to absolve the auto haters of the sins you perceive them to have committed. Just let people dislike automatics. Let them like manuals and vent about them going away.
You’re making my point for me, so thank you
You can think whatever you want. The reality is you’re doing exactly what you’re telling automatic haters not to do.
You can’t argue with this clown. He needs to show on the doll where the manual transmission hurt him. You can tell he is grasping for straws because he came up with the whole no matter how good you are you will stall bullshit which is garbage. I can’t even remember the last time I stalled my cars and all I have is manual. At this point I don’t even think about it. We all aren’t driving 3 puck race clutches around. Like I am to the point I don’t even think the fool knows how to drive a manual so he is upset about that.
You are also making my point for me, so thank you. The Jimmies are very rustled over here today. And I can drive manual. I literally drove 90 minutes round trip to meet up with the only person I know in the area with a stick over multiple weekends to learn it and then get decent at it…so honestly by the gatekeeping standards of Manual Gang I am very much a TRUE enthusiast, thank you kindly.
And the manual car I drive frequently is an NA Miata so I got to kill two birds with one stone…experiencing a legendary car and earning my TRUE enthusiast card! So it was a labor of love. Praised be the almighty manual…although I don’t personally find the experience to be as transcendent as the people who obsess over it do. It’s fun and the Miata’s gearbox is certainly a pleasure compared to the manual Crosstrek I drive occasionally, but I’ll freely admit that the experience of rowing your own has never really lived up to the hype for me.
It’s fun. As I’ve said repeatedly I’d love to have a manual roadster as a weekend car and probably will someday because Miata is always the answer. But the frothing at the mouth hero worship the experience gets continues to be odd to me.
And that is fine yet you shit on us last bastions of the love of the manual. The fact is we are the minority. The minority always sounds louder to the majority. TO ME, if I am going to drive an automatic, then I might as well have an electric car drive me around by itself. Gas cars are so intertwined with manuals due to how they function in my mind. How dare anyone have an opinion contrary to yours. Also the fact you said that you will stall at some point makes me think you don’t know how to drive a manual because that is utter bullshit.
I’ve driven manuals for decades and own four of them now and even to me this kind of thing is ridiculous.
It’s not some kind of war crime to offer an automatic.
It’s not some kind of credibility thing to be able to operate a manual transmission (something that takes an hour to learn and a week to master).
It really is ridiculous how defensive and off-putting some people get online about manuals, and this comment section is proving it.
Preferring a manual or not doesn’t make anyone more or less of an enthusiast. Some cars are better with autos. Some cars are only offered with manuals because extra sales of automatics allow for the company to afford to certify the manual option.
Getting more people to drive fun cars by increasing the transmission options seems like an unambiguous good thing to me. It’s a damn shame that so many seem to feel otherwise. I already mentioned in another comment about how the Viper didn’t compromise to reach a wider audience, and now I can’t buy a new one anymore. How is that better?
At this point the argument isn’t about this car, it’s about why do automatic proponents feel the need to be asses to manual transmission fanatics? They might as well tell us our favorite colors are stupid because they say so.
Just let us be old and grumpy. Nsane is making insane arguments against manual transmissions to try and negate our OPINION. Of course the quiet, but nutty, manual transmission fanatics are going to come out of the woodwork.
Nsane is welcome to answer this himself, but my read on his take is that he’s calling out a common trope (an accurate one IMO) about enthusiasts gatekeeping manuals as somehow more “authentic”, as well as pointing out it’s a bit ridiculous to start mourning the “loss” of a manual that isn’t even going away.
I’m as sad as anyone that fewer cars offer three pedals anymore. I’ve bought a bunch (new mind you) in the last decade. I merely prefer to save my outrage for something that’s actually sad, rather than a situation that’s just giving people more options.
I haven’t read a lot gatekeeping in this comment section, UNTIL he tried to tell us automatics are better because they can’t stall in traffic. Of course we’re going to prey on that idiocy.
I don’t disagree. But you have to remember the context of which you are participating in. Of course it’s going to be skewed. The reality is, outside of this context, most of us aren’t running around crying over the loss of manual transmissions. But we’re not going to bring that up here. This is our escape from the sad reality we are currently in.
Say again?
Some highlights from the original post:
That’s one person. The rest of us are pointing out the writing on the wall.
You summed my thoughts up more succinctly than I can, so thank you
I know. I just couldn’t help myself but stand up for ourselves. I too can’t remember the last time I stalled my car.
It makes no sense. Like I have zero problem with people wanting to drive an automatic (besides the fact I think a manual would solve distracted driving to an extent) but if I have to hear one more fucking time about how much faster and better an auto is I am gonna vomit. 99.9 percent of the cars are road driven. Who gives a shit how fast it shifts. Its about feel. And yes I live on a mountain where you think car stalling would be usual but it is not because I grew up driving a manual on a mountain so I don’t have that issue. Also most modern manuals have hill holders and if you stall with a hill holder you are just an amatuer.
Is there additional cooling for the clutch packs on the rear PTO (at the diff)?
Iirc this is the issue people are having when driving aggressively/tracking. Almost like a clutch that has to slip 100% of the time it’s engaged is a bad idea.
Imo anything awd with sporting intentions should have a center differential.
No word on that at this stage.
I had this question as well as this seems like this car’s biggest achilles heel. And it worries me as much for longevity as not being able to do a prolonged track session if I were to get one.
Does it come with 85 mph rated tires?
That story cracks me up because my performance all seasons are Y rated and they’re not even all that hardcore
Looking for clarity here. What type of transmission is the DAT?
I spy a torque converter.
It’s a locking torque converter automatic.
I think it’s DAT ass version
Now this is a Corolla I’d love to try. Surprising to add an auto to an “enthusiast” car but I’d love to give it a try.
Now to wait 3 decades or so for these to be affordable for me! Assuming they don’t wind up as one of the few vehicles to appreciate with age.
Same! I suspect the direct auto is pretty sweet, even if it’s no manual.
Basically just all the GRY changes.
Great, so now can they offer a manual on the non-GR hatch again?
Toyota stopped offering the manual on regular Corolla hatches once the GR came out, presumably to protect the GR, but that is moot now.
I think they should but I also think they probably won’t since they assume regular Corolla buyers aren’t into it.
I don’t even think Europe gets manual Corollas anymore.
Nah, the GR had no bearing on the regular manual Corolla. The entire Corolla line dropped the manual, more from factors like just not wanting to continue to certify it. If they said anything like “manual fans are still served by the exciting new GR Corolla” that’s just PR speak for “we didn’t want to pay to certify and distribute it.” Corolla sales were up last year and up in the first half of this year so the few lost manual sales aren’t hurting them, and the take rate doesn’t mean anything anyway, look at VW dropping the manual GTI and that was like a 40% take rate.
“It Finally Has An Automatic”
Yay?
It’s a pretty cool automatic and some people can’t drive manuals! But otherwise yeah you don’t have to care.
I thought it was cool, though.
There are dozens of us [among the commentariat]! Dozens!
We are complaining because literally this is the LAST manual hot hatch left. We don’t want to see it going the way of the auto. Why is this such a hard thing to understand? Because before we know it there will be NO manuals left at all.
Great point. The good news here is that Toyota wants to sell more GR Corollas by adding the automatic, and that’s a good thing.
Speaking for me–I’m not in the market for one of these (financially, anyway) but I don’t drive stick and would love to try one. So I, for one, welcome this as an option.
I do drive stick but I’d still rather daily an auto where I live/my wife can’t drive stick so this definitely appeals to me as well.
My ex-wife was tough on cars. Maybe I’m a jerk, but I bought a manual car so she couldn’t drive it and crap it up.
Yeah I’m not super into the “HAHA MY WIFE CAN’T DRIVE MY CAR” vibe. That’s some Boomer stuff. We don’t take two cars everywhere we go and there could be an emergency that necessitates her driving my car. If that happens I’d like her to be comfortable and not panicking. It’s also a chance for me to slowly get her more into cars, and I’d rather do that with an auto that try to teach her to drive stick, annoy her, and sacrifice a clutch to the gods in the process.