Toyota wants to make sure its improvements and upgrades are not only known but felt. Enter the 2026 GR Corolla, which has had incremental updates since its introduction in 2023. And after three years of refinement, the 4WD hot hatch is seriously impressive.
Toyota invited us up to Napa Valley, California to test drive not only the 2026 GR Corolla, but also the 2026 GR Supra MKV Final Edition and the 2026 GR 86 Yuzu Edition. Key developers and engineers were there as well to walk us through all of the evolutionary upgrades and improvements throughout the generations.
For the 2026 model year, the GR Corolla saw minor updates mainly in its body-in-white – the structural chassis on which the GR Corolla is built. Chief Engineer Naoyuki Sakamoto walked us through that key improvement: 45.6” additional feet of adhesive bond. What may seem trivial to most in fact means the foundation of the GR Corolla is that much stiffer than not only the base model from a few years back, but also the hardcore GR Corolla Morizo Edition which had 10+” feet more than the base on its own. The ‘26 GR Corolla also benefits from an additional air cooling duct at the front, feeding the engine more cool air for longer stints of track driving – this in fact was a direct response to Nürburgring testing and the need for it to withstand its 16.1 miles of track driving.
Alongside the 2026 improvements, remember that 2024-2025 also saw evolutionary upgrades to the GR Corolla – stronger bolts that had larger heads and revised flanges are the small changes, while revised ABS, stiffer progressive springs, optimized air flow vents and even aluminum sheets to combat static electricity in the wheel well was all in the name of making the car feel more connected and purposeful on the track.
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And with us testing the GR Corolla on Sonoma Raceway for the whole day, we can definitely confirm just how improved the 2026 MY GR Corolla really was, compared to both the 2023 and 2024 editions. The hot-hatch felt that much more nimbler, sharper, more direct and intact, while turn in at high speeds felt more controlled and flat. The GRC received more torque in 2025 – 295 lb-ft compared to the original Core’s 273 – and that was obviously the first thing we felt, but we’d say it worked in unison with the incremental changes the developers applied throughout the years. If there was ever a chance to purchase a GR Corolla, 2026 is definitely the year to go for.
During our track day, we also got behind the wheel of the GR Supra Final Edition, which is the brand’s send off for the highly-popular GR Supra. We naturally gravitated towards the GT4 Style Pack edition, which saw aerodynamic upgrades as well as visual differences. We were quite indifferent to our white matte exterior paint model, but the aerodynamic trim pieces added to the front bumper arches and window edges – for wind buffeting – are proven upgrades especially for speeds above 100+ mph. The “GR” side vinyl may seem tacky to some, but we found it to be just the right amount of pizzazz to make the Final Edition stand out.
Last but not least, we rounded out the GR testing with the GR 86 Yuzu Edition, which reminded us that we don’t really need 400+ or even 300 horsepower; the GR 86’s lighter body, balanced 50/50 weight distribution, mechanical limited slip differential and slick shifting manual gearbox plays so well with its “low” 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. It’s true – power isn’t everything.
We’re excited to see not only the GR Corolla being continually improved upon, but Toyota GR as a whole supporting its vehicles and constantly giving them attention. Some may see the technical improvements as minor but it’s true that the little things really do add up.
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