Home / Motoring / Sports Cars

Toyota Treats Its Most Accessible Hot Hatchback to a Race-Refined Performance Upgrade

The Japanese carmaker is giving the GR Yaris an option that’s as eye-catching as it is effective.

Rear view of a gray Toyota GR Yaris showing the illuminated red tail light, GR Yaris badge, and a rear spoiler. The license plate area also displays the GR Yaris logo.Toyota
Gray Van Dyke headshot

By Gray Van Dyke

Published

·

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

With reports of the hotly anticipated Corolla GRMN leaking ahead of launch, all eyes are on Toyota to see whether the Japanese automaker is actually bringing its hardcore Gazoo hatch to the States.

Of course, until the day that the official unveiling finally comes, there’s nothing to do but speculate about its sports cars.

Matte gray Toyota GR Yaris with black accents, sporty aerodynamic design, and a rear spoiler, parked on an asphalt surface near a body of water at sunset.
The GR Yaris is certainly improved thanks to the aggressive additions of the Aero Performance Package.

In the meantime, if it’s any consolation, Toyota has just dropped a new performance package for the GR Yaris. While it’s initially launching in Japan, the upgrade has implications for the rest of the world.

Applied motorsport expertise

It’s called the “Aero Performance Package,” and it’s the product of Toyota’s Super Taikyu Series and Japanese Rally Championship motorsport expertise. By working in collaboration with professional racing drivers, the brand says that every part has been honed to provide a real-world aero advantage.  

Close-up of a white car's front fender featuring a black multi-spoke wheel with a red brake caliper, aerodynamic side vent details, and a "GR" badge near the door.
These vents aren’t just for show — every component on the car was designed for improved air flow or cooling.
Toyota

Available on the RZ and RC trim levels for the GR Yaris, the kit comprises six components in total.

Along with a ducted aluminum hood borrowed from the GRMN Yaris and a front lip spoiler courtesy of the Super Taikyu Series, the package includes fender ducts, an underfloor fuel tank cover, as well as a variable rear wing and some rear bumper ducts.

Underside view of a car chassis showing the suspension, exhaust system, and protective underbody panels. Two rectangular areas on the rear half of the car are highlighted with red boxes, focusing on the underbody panels above the rear wheels and suspension components. The image is detailed, showing mechanical parts and the car's structural elements.
The underfloor fuel tank covers reduce lift at the rear of the car.
Toyota

Although it’s hard to ignore the added visual appeal, again, it’s not just for show. From improved engine heat transfer to enhanced lift balance and handling stability, each piece helps to refine the GR Yaris in the pursuit of perfected driving performance. 

Some, like the rear wing, can even be adjusted depending on the conditions at hand. Suffice to say, it all makes for quite the upgrade — especially because of how capable Toyota’s hot hatch already is in its power and specs.

Close-up of the rear spoiler of a black car, featuring a raised wing with the text "GR-FOUR" embossed on the side support. The spoiler is mounted above the rear window and tail lights, which have a sleek, modern design with red and black accents. The background is dark, highlighting the glossy finish of the car.
Having a variable wing means that the GR Yaris can adjust its aero depending on the track’s driving conditions.
Toyota

Refining rally-bred performance

That’s because, even though the engine goes untouched, it’s not like the GR Yaris was lacking in grunt. 

Under the hood, Toyota equips the hot hatch with a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder that produces 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Available with either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed auto, it delivers power to all four wheels through a rally-refined GR-Four AWD system.

Close-up of a white car hood featuring a prominent hood scoop with a black honeycomb grille, positioned near the windshield wipers.
This aluminum hood design first appeared on Toyota’s ultra-hardcore GRMN Yaris.
Toyota

On the road, this means that it’ll do 0-60 mph in just a tick over five seconds before climbing to a top speed of 143 mph. That’s quicker and faster than both Toyota’s own GR 86 as well as competing sports cars like the Mazda Miata.

Given that the GR Yaris’s bigger Corolla sibling boasts even more impressive numbers, it goes without saying that the car could benefit from a similar aerodynamic overhaul. Thankfully, this release means that more GR upgrades could be on the way.

A gray Toyota GR Yaris sports car driving on a winding mountain road with guardrails and dense green foliage on the side. The car is captured from the front, slightly angled to the left, with motion blur emphasizing its speed around the curve.
The GR Yaris already boasted rally-bred DNA, and this aero package makes it look even more like its race-going counterpart.
Toyota

Worldwide implications

For starters, Toyota debuted the Aero package for the GR Yaris in Europe earlier this year, and it’s stated that a wider release will be coming soon. Granted, the United States doesn’t get the model.

However, if Toyota is prepared to bring something so specialized as a ‘Gazoo Racing Meister of the Nürburgring’ (GRMN) to the American market, retooling some additional body kit components for the GR Corolla doesn’t seem like it would be too much of an ask.

Rear view of a gray Toyota GR Yaris with a prominent black rear spoiler, dual exhaust pipes, and distinctive red tail lights, driving on a curved road with trees and guardrails in the background.
While the United States doesn’t get a GR Yaris, the Corolla could certainly benefit from some aero upgrades.
Toyota

After all, the Japanese automaker is clearly interested in exploring the Corolla’s aesthetic potential. This year, it added an eye-catching FX variant to the lineup that plays on the model’s 1980s heritage.

If you’d like to learn more about the Aero Performance Package and its Japanese release, you can head to the Gazoo Racing website. It’ll be available starting October 1, and it will add ¥495,000 (about $3,400) to the RC and RZ trims.

White Toyota GR Yaris with black roof, black alloy wheels, and red brake calipers, shown from a front-side angle against a dark background. The car features aggressive front air intakes, a hood scoop, and a rear spoiler.Toyota

Toyota GR Yaris Aero Performance Package

About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

Read More

,