Yaris GR Sport is Toyota’s more focused ‘XR2i’

Moved as he was by the strictly limited edition GRMN version of Toyota’s popular Yaris, Iain Robertson longed for more sporting commitment from Japan’s top carmaker, which makes the addition of GR Sport to the range so apposite.

Some car manufacturers seem to have ‘hot’ blood running through their veins, Ford and Renault being prime examples. Meanwhile, others dabble on the peripheries. Yet, Toyota, a company that is revitalised in recent years, has combined its long-time attributes of reliability and conservatism, with a new-found (but innate) sporting capability.



Inspired by the strictly limited Yaris GRMN performance hatchback, the latest Yaris GR Sport heralds that greater sporting style and handling prowess in Toyota’s supermini range, as an understandable extension of the firm’s motorsports successes, achieved by Toyota Gazoo Racing. Toyota deserves to ride the crest of a wave following outright victory in both the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race and by lifting the World Rally Championship manufacturers’ crown in 2018. In a way that it has ‘ignored’ in recent years, those successes are now feeding into a new generation of enticing road-going cars.



On the Yaris, the modifications are focused on the suspension, giving the car engaging handling and responsiveness, which is actually more sensible than bags of extra power. It uses Sachs Performance shock absorbers, similar to those fitted to the GRMN model, and a solid (rather than hollow) anti-roll bar to gain extra rigidity. The car has a sporting stance, with suspension lowered by 15mm and the body sitting 9mm closer to the road surface.



Black 17.0-inch diameter cast alloy wheels are exclusive to the GR Sport, but are fitted with the same, very grippy Bridgestone Potenza RE50 205/45R17 tyres as the GRMN model. The exterior styling follows the lead of the Yaris GRMN, including a black bi-tone roof with rear spoiler. There are piano black door mouldings, a black honeycomb grille, black door mirror housings and black front fog light surrounds. The headlights are unique to the GR Sport, with black interior detailing. Dark-tinted rear privacy glass is also fitted as standard, together with GR badging. Optional red decals can be added to the front lip and the top line of the lower rear bumper to generate the extra sporty visual appeal of the GRMN.



In the cabin, the sporting character is abundantly clear in the supportively bolstered and GR-branded sports seats, complete with Ultrasuede seatbacks and cushions that provide extra grip for occupants, when indulging in GR Sport’s delightfully honed handling envelope. The small-diameter three-spoke steering wheel is the same as the tiller fitted to the Toyota GT86 coupe and there is a black headlining. Every journey begins with a GR animation on the TFT multi-information display, when the engine is started. The black floor mats carry the GR logo as well, and feature contrasting silver piping.



Available exclusively as a five-door hatchback, the GR Sport is powered by Yaris’s stock 1.5-litre self-charging petrol-hybrid powertrain, which provides the best of both worlds. Protected by a five years/100,000-miles warranty reflects Toyota’s fully-justified confidence.

MSG Summary

List priced at £19,835 (prior to discounts being applied), the exceedingly competent and exceptionally frugal Yaris GR Sport flies a vital hybrid flag for Toyota, with a delicious sporting edge.

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