Toyota will make minor changes to the new GR Yaris, releasing an improved, evolved model on March 21, 2024. The evolved GR Yaris will make its world debut at Tokyo Auto Salon 2024, which will be held at Makuhari Messe from January 12 to 14, 2024.
Toyota’s new “GR Yaris” minor change
The 1.6L inline 3-cylinder turbo engine “G16E-GTS” has been improved to increase output to 224kw (304PS) and 400Nm (40.8kgf/m).
It uses the newly developed 8-speed automatic transmission “GR-DAT”.
The bumper has been improved for aerodynamic performance, giving the car a completely new look .
The taillights are designed to form a single, unified line .
Body rigidity has been increased, improving handling stability and ride comfort.
Based on Morizo’s desire to “bring the joy of driving to more people and broaden the base of motorsports,” the company has developed a new 8-speed automatic transmission, the GR-DAT, to fully enjoy the 1.6L inline 3-cylinder turbo engine and four-wheel drive that is the essence of the GR Yaris. The result is a car that allows a wide range of drivers to fully enjoy sports driving and motorsports.
Toyota’s new “GR Yaris” minor change exterior
The lower grille uses a steel mesh that is thin, lightweight, and strong, while the lower bumper side now features a new split structure. This makes it easier to restore or replace damaged areas caused by flying stones or other debris during motorsports competitions, and also reduces repair costs. The side lower grille has been redesigned with a larger opening to ensure cooling performance. Furthermore, outlets have been installed on the bumper side to effectively exhaust heat from the sub-radiator and ATF cooler.
An opening at the bottom of the rear lower garnish allows air to escape from under the floor, reducing air resistance and improving handling stability, while also dissipating heat from the muffler. The upper and lower rear lamps have been consolidated to avoid damage and improve visibility during motorsports competitions. Separating the high-mount stop lamp from the rear spoiler enhances the customizability of the rear spoiler. The taillights, which are connected in a single, unified line, express a unique character that makes it instantly recognizable as the new GR Yaris.
Toyota’s new GR Yaris receives minor changes: Dedicated cockpit refined with professional drivers for improved visibility and operability
Based on the motif of the Super Taikyu Series and All Japan Rally cars, the control panel and display are tilted 15 degrees toward the driver, improving visibility and operability. The layout of the switches has been carefully designed to be easy to use not only during sports driving but also in everyday life.
The driving position has been lowered by 25 mm, and the steering position has also been adjusted to improve driving posture. Forward visibility has been expanded by moving the inner mirror’s mounting position higher on the windshield and lowering the top of the center cluster by 50 mm. The shift lever has been raised by 75 mm compared to the current GR Yaris RS, which is equipped with a CVT, and placed in the same position as the shift lever on the GR Yaris MT model, improving operability. With vehicle control applications in rallies and gymkhana in mind, a manual parking brake has also been adopted for vehicles equipped with the GR-DAT. Drawing on lessons learned from motorsports, the direction of gear shifting using the shift lever in M mode has been reversed from the previous model. Pulling the lever upshifts (accelerates) and pushing it downshifts (deceleration) to match the vehicle’s behavior, achieving operability similar to that of a racing car’s sequential transmission. A 12.3-inch full-color TFT meter has been adopted. Based on the input of professional drivers, the focus has been placed on the visibility and vehicle information required for sports driving. For vehicles equipped with the GR-DAT, an automatic transmission oil temperature display has been added, and when downshifting is not possible because the engine speed is too high during the downshift operation, a warning has been added to the gear position display in the meter, in place of the previous warning sound alone. This reflects requests from drivers who participated in the All Japan Rally using prototype cars, such as “I want the warning to be easier to understand even during competition when wearing a helmet.”
Toyota’s new GR Yaris gets a minor change, improving the 1.6L turbo engine
The 1.6L inline 3-cylinder intercooled turbo engine “G16E-GTS” has its engine output increased from 200kw (272PS) to 224kw (304PS), and its torque increased from 370N･m (37.7kgf/m) to 400N･m (40.8kgf/m).
Toyota’s new GR Yaris receives minor changes, adopting the newly developed 8-speed AT “GR-DAT”
The GR-DAT has been honed in motorsports and on a variety of roads. The AT control software has been optimized for sports driving. While previously gear changes were determined by sensing vehicle behavior such as deceleration G and speed, the new system meticulously senses brake application and release, as well as accelerator operation, to predict situations where gear changes are necessary before vehicle behavior changes occur, achieving “gear selection that captures the driver’s intentions.” Gear selection is similar to that achieved by professional drivers. High-heat-resistant friction materials are used in the internal gear-shift clutch, and improvements to the AT control software have resulted in world-class gear-shifting speeds. The AT has been upgraded from a 6-speed manual to an 8-speed automatic, and close ratios have been adopted to make the most of the power band. The RZ “High performance” model is equipped with a Torsen® Limited Slip Differential ( LSD ) to improve drive force control via accelerator operation.
Toyota’s new GR Yaris minor change: strengthened chassis and body
The number of bolts fastening the body and shock absorber has been changed from one to three, suppressing alignment changes while driving, improving vehicle behavior responsiveness to steering operations and handling stability . By increasing the number of spot welds by approximately 13% and expanding the area where structural adhesive is applied by approximately 24%, body rigidity has been increased, improving handling stability and ride comfort.
Toyota’s new “GR Yaris” minor change: new “Cooling Package” for improved cooling performance
As improved cooling performance is required due to the increased power output and the addition of the GR-DAT, an ATF cooler is installed as standard on vehicles equipped with the GR-DAT. In consideration of participation in motorsports, a sub-radiator, cool air intake, and intercooler spray are newly available as a manufacturer option in the form of a cooling package.
Toyota’s new GR Yaris gets minor changes, with Drive Mode Select now standard
In addition to the conventional 4WD mode select, a new drive mode select has been added to balance sporty driving with ease of use in everyday life. The electric power steering, air conditioning, and powertrain can be set to suit your preferences and the characteristics of the motorsport you are participating in.
Toyota’s new “GR Yaris” minor change specs
| Specifications | GR Yaris |
|---|---|
| full length | 3,995mm |
| Overall width | 1,805mm |
| Overall height | 1,455mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,560mm |
| tread | Front 1,535mm , rear 1,565mm |
| Passenger capacity | 4 people |
| Vehicle weight | 1,280 kg (1,300 kg for models equipped with GR-DAT) |
| engine | 1.6L inline 3-cylinder intercooler turbo G16E-GTS |
| Maximum power | 224kW (304PS) / 6,500rpm |
| Maximum torque | 400Nm (40.8kgf) / 3,250~4,600rpm |
transmission |
iMT (6-speed MT) GR-DAT (8-speed AT) |
| Drive system | Sports 4WD system “GR-FOUR” electronically controlled multi-plate clutch 4WD (3-mode selectable) |
| differential gear | TORSEN® LSD |
| suspension | MacPherson strut double wishbone |
| brake | Ventilated discs (18-inch aluminum opposed 4-pot calipers) Ventilated discs (16-inch aluminum opposed 2-pot calipers) |
| wheel | BBS forged aluminum wheels 8J inset 45mm |
| tire | 225/40ZR18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S |
| Fuel tank capacity | 50L |
