The exterior of the Toyota GR Corolla is nothing like that of the normal Corolla hatch, and Toyota has made sure people know you're driving the Gazoo Racing version. The wheel arches are aggressively flared to accommodate the fat tires, the front fascia is mostly one big air intake covered by a mesh grille bearing the GR badge, and there is a road-hugging body kit. These apply to all trims.
The Circuit Edition gains a black carbon-fiber roof, a hood with a power dome and air vents, red brake calipers, and a big rear wing, while its grille and rear diffuser panel are gloss-black compared to the Core's matte finish. Both lower trims run on gloss-black 15-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels. The Morizo Edition follows the template set by the Circuit Edition, but runs on matte-black ten-spoke alloy wheels and, as part of its bid to shed a few pounds, loses the Circuit Edition's big rear wing and even its rear-screen wiper while adopting a carbon-fiber roof. All trims ride on Michelin Pilot performance summer tires - the bottom two trims on 235/40R18 Sport 4 tires and the Morizo Edition on 245/40R18 Sport Cup 2 rubber. All GR Corollas have gloss-black mirror caps, side rocker panels, triple exhausts, automatic LED headlights, and LED DRLs.
The exterior dimensions of the Toyota GR Corolla reveal that it casts a bigger shadow than the normal Corolla hatch. The GR front and rear bumpers add 1.6 inches for a total length of 173.6 inches. The wider track and bulging wheel arches widen the Corolla body by a full 2.3 inches, for a total width of 72.8 inches without the mirrors. It rides on the same 103.9-inch wheelbase. Ground clearance is 5.3 inches for the two lower trims and 5.1 inches for the Morizo Edition, and all models stand 57.2 tall, with the sharkfin antenna adding another inch on top of that.
The Core weighs in at 3,252 pounds in standard spec without any extras. The Circuit Edition's carbon-fiber roof saves a few pounds, but more weight is added by its other extras and LS differentialss, so it's a little heavier at 3,285 lbs. The stripped-out Morizo Edition saves weight, including losing the rear seat, and is the lightest at just 3,186 lbs.
Toyota GR Corolla Trims | Core | Circuit Edition | Morizo Edition |
---|---|---|---|
Max Width | 70.5 in. | 70.5 in. | 70.5 in. |
Length | 172 in. | 172 in. | 172 in. |
Height | 57.1 in. | 57.1 in. | 57.1 in. |
Wheelbase | 103.9 in. | 103.9 in. | 103.9 in. |
Toyota GR Corolla Trims | Curb Weight |
---|---|
Core | 3,249 lbs. |
Circuit Edition | 3,249 lbs. |
Morizo Edition | 3,249 lbs. |
Front Tire | P225/40VR18 |
Rear Tire | P225/40VR18 |
Spare Tire | Compact |
Wheels Type | Aluminum Wheels |
Front Wheel Size | 18" x 8" |
Rear Wheel Size | 18" x 8" |
There are six available exterior colors for the Toyota GR Corolla. On the Core, Black and Ice Cap (white) are no-cost colors and Supersonic Red costs $425 extra. The Circuit Edition replaces Black with Heavy Metal, a $425 dark gray. At the top-end of the range, the Morizo Edition gets its own colors, and there are only two to choose from: the $425 Wind Chill Pearl white and the $1,645 Smoke, a dark-gray matte shade.
The GR Corolla looks more menacing in dark colors and they also work better with the black wheels. Only one dark shade is available per trim. These are Black on the Core, Heavy Metal on the Circuit Edition, and Smoke on the Morizo Edition.
There are a few shades costing $425, but the most expensive color is the matte-finish Smoke, a dark-gray shade only available on the Morizo Edition.
As a performance hatch with a handling focus, Toyota has decided to keep the center of gravity as low as possible, which means no weighty sunroof is available on any of the models. The two upper trims have a carbon-fiber roof as standard.
The three-cylinder GR Corolla has a unique three-exhaust layout with two round outlets on either side of the bumper and a bigger, oval outlet in the center.
All trims come with 18-inch alloy wheels to ensure that the tire profile doesn't have to be too low. The bottom trims have gloss-black 15-spoke wheels, and the Morizo Edition has matte-black ten-spoke wheels with wider tires.