Forbidden Fruit in America
The Toyota GR Yaris has been a smash hit worldwide. The pocket rocket brings us back to the days of great homologation specials such as the Lancia Delta Integrale, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, and the Subaru WRX STI. It’s light, agile, and offers boatloads of fun in a small package. It’s also not available in the U.S.
Why, you ask? The TNGA-B platform it uses isn’t built for America, which also explains why the incredibly affordable new-generation Yaris, Yaris Cross, and the Lexus LBX couldn’t be stateside. Making it compliant with regulations would’ve made it more expensive. As a consolation, the U.S. and Canada got the GR Corolla while the rest of the world enjoyed the GR Yaris. Even a couple of markets got the GR Corolla later on.
A Cryptic Teaser
The GR Yaris was given an update in 2024. It received aero enhancements, a redesigned interior, and an eight-speed automatic transmission, among other things. There have been loads of special-edition models since the 2024 facelift to celebrate its successes in the World Rally Championship, as well as a more focused version called the Morizo RR.
But recently, Toyota posted a rather cryptic teaser for the pocket rocket and gave no context for it whatsoever. The only thing Toyota confirmed was its launch date, which is just a few days from now: March 13, 2026.
We did try to enhance the image by brightening it. From what we can tell, the exterior looks exactly the same as the model that came out two years ago. It doesn’t appear to be a facelift then, but perhaps the changes are under the skin.
Toyota
A New Engine?
The GR Yaris is currently powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter, three-cylinder engine. It’s good for 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, making it one of the most powerful production three-cylinder engines ever made. As the whole car weighs less than 3,000 lbs, its engine is enough to fling this hot hatch to 60 mph in under five seconds, according to independent testing.
However, it’s worth noting that Toyota has been developing a new turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. It was previewed last year and fitted to the back of a GR Yaris during last year’s Tokyo Auto Salon. More recently, Toyota entered it in the Super Taikyu racing series in Japan for its reliability trials.
That engine is called the G20E, and it’s derived from the now-familiar 2.4-liter turbo that’s fitted to several Toyota and Lexus models these days. It’s a four-cylinder this time around, and there’s a good chance that it’ll pack more power than the highly boosted three-pot engine. If true, that engine could make its way to the GR Corolla. It’s a theory for now, of course, but at least we don’t have to wait too long for an answer.
Toyota
