2023 Toyota GR Corolla Review

The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car of all time; one of the reasons for this is its versatility, as there’s a Corolla for every type of consumer. With the GR Corolla, Toyota has launched something for all the driving purists out there. The following is a review of the 2023 GR Corolla:

Features

The GR Corolla is currently in its first model year and is essentially a tricked out version of the regular Corolla, tuned by Toyota’s high-performance GR division. It features one powertrain and three trim levels for you to choose from.

These trims are the Core, the Circuit Edition, and the Morizo Edition. The Circuit Edition is the mid-level trim and it adds some performance upgrades. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-line Morizo Edition is a track-ready stripped out version of the car.

Powertrain and Numbers

The all-new GR Corolla 2023 comes with a 1.6-liter 3-cylinder engine that’s smartly designed to produce 300 hp and 273 lb-ft (295 lb-ft on the Morizo Edition trim). As this is a car for petrolheads, it comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox for maximum control and nostalgia.

The power is sent to all four wheels, but its distribution between the front and rear axles depends on you. The standard mode has 60/40 distribution, putting more emphasis on the front wheels. You can also opt for 30/70 or 50/50 split for more aggressive driving.

The standard 2023 Toyota Corolla is a quick car for its class and the GR Corolla is no different thanks to its high power-to-weight ratio. It is the quickest among its peers, taking just 4.9 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph.

Despite its high performance, the GR Corolla 2023 doesn’t require a high fuel budget. According to the EPA, it can do up to 21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. If fuel economy is a major concern, then you can get the 2023 Corolla Hybrid – 53 mpg city; 46 highway.

Interior and Technology

Despite being a no-nonsense sports car, the Corolla GR 2023 doesn’t let you down in terms of the aestheticism of the interior, or its build quality. It is a spacious car with many soft-touch materials to give you that upscale feeling.

The cargo capabilities should also impress you as the in-cabin storage is great. Another thing to be commended about a hot hatch such as this is that it has a large trunk. As a result, it remains practical despite its superb driving dynamics.

2023 GR Corolla Core
The entry-level GR Corolla 2023 comes with GR-badged headrests, plus gray stitching on the fabric sport seats and some other interior components. You also get a GR leather-wrapped steering wheel for a premium feel.

The standard equipment includes automatic climate control, push-button ignition, keyless entry, and a 12.3-inch instrumentation screen showing you all the info. You also get a 6-way adjustable driver’s seat and a 4-way adjustable front passenger seat.

Now, this wouldn’t be a proper hot hatchback without a killer infotainment system. This is why Toyota has equipped it with an 8-inch touchscreen that connects to 6 speakers. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included.

The host of standard safety tech includes (automated emergency braking w/pedestrian detection), lane-departure warning (w/lane-keeping assist) and adaptive cruise control. You also get blind-spot monitoring (w/rear cross-traffic alert) and a rearview camera.

2023 GR Corolla Circuit Edition
This model comes with Brin Naub and synthetic leather-trimmed sport seats with red stitching, and red mesh inserts. Other parts of the interior have these red accents as well. You also receive a leather Morizo signature shift knob and a Circuit Edition badge.

The tech upgrades include but aren’t limited to heated front seats and steering wheel, and a premium 8-speaker stereo system tuned by JBL.

2023 GR Corolla Morizo Edition
This model gets you add-ons such as synthetic leather-trimmed semi-bucket sport seats, more red accents, custom badging, an Ultrasuede-wrapped steering wheel, an Alcantara-wrapped shift knob and more. It also gets rid of some equipment to make the car lighter.

2023 GR Corolla Core

023 GR Corolla Circuit

023 GR Corolla Morizo

Exterior and Driving

On the outside, the Corolla GR 2023 gets a completely new set of clothes that differentiate it from the standard model. All the variants come with widened front and rear fender flares, triple exhausts, rear spoilers, and 18-inch alloys.

The Core model offers you a matte-black front grille with GR badging, functional air ducts, and integrated LED fog lights. Meanwhile the other two trims have gloss-black front grilles, plus a rear bumper lower cover, and hood bulge, and functional air vents with both.

The exterior colors available on the 2023 GR Corolla are:

Do check out which colors are specifically available on your trim though.

If you love driving then this is the car for you. It is fast, yet composed, and can corner and handle like none of its peers can. All the models are great but the Morizo Edition is lighter with custom suspension, and grippier tires – naturally, it outshines the rest.

Reliability and Warranty

JD Power has not rated the new GR Corolla 2023 for reliability but Consumer Reports gives you the green light to go for it. Also, those who have bought this car are loving its dependability and have not reported any issues.

Furthermore, you get a limited warranty that covers the car for 3 years/36k miles. Also included is a powertrain components warranty that’s good for 5 years/60k miles. Lastly, there’s also a complimentary maintenance plan offered for 2 years/25k miles.

Verdict

You can expect the 2023 GR Corolla to be a banger of a vehicle. It is fast on straight and curved lines and is built really well. It also provides quite a bit of practicality as well as excellent reliability and aftersales.

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