TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s commitment to building ever-better sports cars has seen considered upgrades applied to the GR Corolla performance hatch, with the new improvements arriving in Australian showrooms early in 2026.

Based on learnings from extensive involvement in motorsport including Japan’s Super Taikyu Series, the upgraded GR Corolla offers greater driveability and engine cooling performance when driving the car at its limits.

The chassis of the GR Corolla has been strengthened with a 74 per cent increase in structural adhesive which now totals 32.7 metres throughout the chassis, applied primarily around the vehicle underbody and rear wheel wells to better deal with the intense vertical and lateral G-forces generated when driving hard.

The improved chassis rigidity furthers the connection felt between driver and car, whether pushing its limits or simply in day-to-day driving situations.

A new cool air duct has been added to the secondary intake duct, which opens at high engine speeds to draw in outside air from the front grille and reduce the temperature of the air entering the intake.

Adding the new air duct allows the GR Corolla’s G16E-GTS engine to achieve stable operation at high loads for longer, perfect for extended bouts of spirited driving.

The standard high-fidelity, eight-speaker JBL®¹ premium audio system on the GR Corolla has been expanded to nine speakers with the addition of a subwoofer in the cargo area, delivering a clearer, more powerful sound.

Tuning of the existing Active Noise Control system further reduces unwanted engine noise and other disruptive vehicle sounds by producing inverted-phase sound waves to help quieten the cabin.

Active Sound Control is also available for the first time, which augments the sound of the GR Corolla’s engine to match the changes in driving force and throttle input.

Three different sound patterns are available which are tailored to the selected drive mode, which can be configured in three volume settings, or turned off entirely.

The GR Corolla continues to be powered by the compact and lightweight 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, producing a potent 221kW/400Nm.

Power is fed through either a six-speed intelligent manual transmission or eight-speed torque-converter automatic, with standard all-wheel drive augmented with a pair of limited-slip differentials to maximise traction and cornering performance.

Further details on the upgraded GR Corolla including Australian pricing will be made available closer to the vehicle’s arrival in early 2026.