Like the regular Yaris, the new hot hatch is based on the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform, but technically they have little in common. In fact, its chassis consists of two parts: the front GA-B from the civilian hatchback, and the rear GA-C the same as in the Corolla/Prius. The GR Yaris was developed by Toyota's motorsport division Gazoo Racing and Tommi Mäkinen Racing, owned by the famous Finnish racing driver.
To reduce weight, the hood, tailgate, and door panels of the GR Yaris are made of aluminum, and the roof is made of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer. Body rigidity was increased by eliminating the rear doors — the regular Yaris is offered only in a five-door version. The geometry of the front and rear suspension was completely revised, replacing the rear torsion beam with a double-wishbone setup.
In addition, the tiny hatchback is equipped with a sports all-wheel drive system GR-FOUR with a multi-plate clutch on the rear axle, two Torsen differentials with mechanical locking (optional), and three operating modes.
By default, the clutch, which always operates with preload, distributes torque in a 60:40 ratio. In Sport mode, up to 70 percent of the torque goes to the rear axle. The Track mode makes the electronics simulate permanent all-wheel drive and distribute traction equally between the axles.
Under the hood of the Toyota GR Yaris is a three-cylinder turbo engine G16E-GTS with direct fuel injection and a displacement of 1.6 liters. In the Japanese market version, it produces 272 horsepower (370 Nm), while for Europe it is detuned to 261 (360 Nm). The engine is paired with a six-speed manual iMT with rev-matching function during shifts.
The dynamic characteristics of the "hot" Toyota hatchback are as follows: 0-100 km/h in 5.5 seconds, top speed — 230 km/h (for the European version of the model). The previous Yaris GRMN with a supercharged 212-horsepower 1.8 engine accelerated to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds.
In Japan, pre-orders have already begun for special versions of the model RZ "First Edition" and RZ "High-performance First Edition", which differ in equipment.
