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Toyota GR Yaris video review
Rory Reid reviews the Toyota GR Yaris. Does this hot hatch meet the hype?
Words by: Andrew Woodhouse
Additional words by: Dan Trent
Last updated on 14 May 2021 | 0 min read
The hype surrounding the Toyota GR Yaris has made it one of the most talked about and hyped hot hatches in years, the queue of people lining up to buy it ranging from supercar owners adding one to fleets of Ferraris and Porsches to enthusiasts attracted by its relatively affordable performance. Is Rory about to join them and put his money down? He’s been for a drive to find out if it lives up to the fuss.
But what is the GR Yaris? Rory explains all in the video but, short version, it’s heavily modified version of the regular Yaris supermini designed to form the basis of Toyota’s entry into the World Rally Championship. So, out goes the hybrid powertrain of the standard car and in comes a feisty 1.6-litre turbocharged engine with 261 horsepower. It puts this to the road through a sophisticated four-wheel drive system, just like a rally car. And it looks, well, just like a rally car! The Yaris joins a long line of classic rally-inspired road cars that have fired up enthusiasts for generations. From Minis and Escorts back in the 60s and 70s through to the golden age of the 1990s when every rally fan wanted a Subaru Impreza or Mitsubishi Evo in tribute to heroes like Colin McRae and Richard Burns these cars are particularly suited to British roads. Is the GR Yaris good enough to be considered one of the greats alongside them? Watch the video to find out – and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great content like this! the tarmac.
But what is the GR Yaris? Rory explains all in the video but, short version, it’s heavily modified version of the regular Yaris supermini designed to form the basis of Toyota’s entry into the World Rally Championship. So, out goes the hybrid powertrain of the standard car and in comes a feisty 1.6-litre turbocharged engine with 261 horsepower. It puts this to the road through a sophisticated four-wheel drive system, just like a rally car. And it looks, well, just like a rally car! The Yaris joins a long line of classic rally-inspired road cars that have fired up enthusiasts for generations. From Minis and Escorts back in the 60s and 70s through to the golden age of the 1990s when every rally fan wanted a Subaru Impreza or Mitsubishi Evo in tribute to heroes like Colin McRae and Richard Burns these cars are particularly suited to British roads. Is the GR Yaris good enough to be considered one of the greats alongside them? Watch the video to find out – and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great content like this! the tarmac.