It wasn’t that long ago that Toyota didn’t have anything particularly interesting in its portfolio. Not that a carmaker needs performance chops to be successful, but a cool halo car sure gets attention. The 86 sports car arrived in 2013, but the return of the Supra really helped Toyota reclaim its fun-to-drive mojo. The GR versions of the Yaris and Corolla are icing on the cake, but it looks like that’s the only GR icing we’ll get.
That’s the word from Toyota’s chief engineer for the GR86. Drive. Yasunori Suezawa reportedly told the Australian website that no additional GR models are planned beyond the ones currently available. In the US market, that means the GR Supra, GR86, and the new GR Corolla. The GR Yaris is offered in other markets as well. So for those dreaming of a GR Camry sports sedan, our condolences.
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However, there is some ambiguity regarding the GR scenario. Drive Suezawa also says that more GR will come. the game models, with the C-HR getting a special mention along with the Corolla and Yaris Cross, a subcompact crossover not available in North America that recently debuted in GR Sport trim. Additionally, there is some mystery as to whether the GR news applies to currently offered models, or to all future offerings. Among other things, a GR version of the recently unveiled Toyota Crown Hybrid is under consideration with the electric bZ4X.
Even if no more GR models arrive, now is a good time to be a fan of Toyota performance. Yes, the GR86 is shared with the Subaru, and the Supra is mostly a BMW Z4 under the skin. But the GR Yaris and GR Corolla are quintessentially Toyotas, and they’re good enough to be fun-to-drive performance vehicles. Our recent GR Corolla First Drive review found the hot hatch to be possibly the best GR of the bunch.
We reached out to Toyota USA about future plans for the GR brand, but could not directly confirm the future. For now, you can soak up more Toyota content and other automotive news here. Rambling about cars Podcast, available below.
