2025 Toyota GR Yaris review: Australian first drive

03/06/2025 03:00 AM

2025 Toyota GR Yaris

As hard as it may be to believe, the Toyota GR Yaris is now five years old.

Unveiled a few weeks before the world went in lockdown, the GR Yaris was a landmark car for a brand that had not built an in-house turbocharged performance car for two decades.

Built for a World Rally Championship ruleset the pandemic prevented it from competing in, it bolted the world's most powerful three-cylinder turbo production engine, a new all-wheel-drive system, and motorsport thinking into a bespoke three-door body.

It was a revelation, and helped along by sharp prices on early examples – $39,950 drive-away for the first 1000, and $44,950 for the next 100 – more than 2000 were delivered in its first 18 months in showrooms.

The three-cylinder engine formed the basis of the GR Corolla two years later, and both vehicles have built a loyal following.

Now it's time for an update, which introduces the long-awaited option of an automatic transmission – plus more power and torque, refreshed styling, a new interior, and changes under and above the skin to address criticisms of the original GR Yaris.

It has come at a cost – $4100 on manual models – and the cheapest model is now a $60,000 drive-away proposition. Is it still worth the money?

We were invited to Victoria's High Country to get a first taste of the updated manual version on local roads, followed by a few laps of the inbound automatic around Winton Raceway.

How much is a Toyota GR Yaris?

If you're an existing GR Yaris owner that took delivery at $39,950 drive-away, you may be in for a rude shock.

The updated GR Yaris is available in two variants, GT and GTS – the new names for the standard and Rallye variants – priced from $55,490 and $60,490 plus on-road costs respectively in six-speed manual guise, up $4100 on the outgoing model.

Due in mid-2025 – but available to order now – is an eight-speed automatic transmission, which costs $2500 extra.

Once on-road costs are added, the base GT manual is now priced above $60,000 drive-away in all but two states and territories, while a flagship GTS automatic with premium paint can break the $70,000 mark.

We spent the most time behind the wheel of a black GTS manual, priced from $61,065 plus on-road costs, or a quoted $66,265 drive-away in NSW.

It's a power of money for a small car, but there's nothing like it in its class.

The remaining city-sized hot hatchbacks left on sale are cheaper, but less powerful and front-wheel drive – a Hyundai i20 N manual ($35,500 plus on-roads) and Volkswagen Polo GTI auto ($41,790) – while the nearest AWD rival on price is a Subaru WRX (from $47,490) that is larger, a sedan not a hatch, and not as quick or focused.

Its closest competitor is arguably the larger Toyota GR Corolla five-door, now priced from $67,990 plus on-roads.

New equipment for 2025 includes a 12.3-inch widescreen digital instrument cluster, larger 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen (up from 7.0-inch) running new software, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (rather than wired), two USB-C ports, and the new styling elements inside and out.

Standard in the GT are 18-inch Enkei alloy wheels with Dunlop tyres, LED headlights, heated front sports seats, synthetic suede and leather-look upholstery, a heated leather steering wheel, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, an eight-speaker JBL stereo, and a suite of advanced safety technology.

The GTS adds forged 18-inch BBS wheels with Michelin tyres, front and rear Torsen limited-slip differentials, a different suspension tune, additional cooling, an intercooler water spray function, red brake calipers, and red contrast interior stitching.

MORE: 2025 Toyota GR Yaris price and specifications

Toyota GR Yaris best deals

The updated GR Yaris has only just arrived, but you can find new cars as they arrive, plus used examples of the old model, on Drive Marketplace.

Find your nearest Toyota dealer here to check out the GR Yaris in the metal.

If you’re looking for more pricing, specifications, and the latest offers on the Toyota Yaris, GR or otherwise, click here.

How big is a Toyota GR Yaris?

Not very, as the GR Yaris has always been. Measuring 3995mm long, 1805mm wide and 1455mm tall, on a 2560mm wheelbase, it's short nose to tail, but those rally-styled wheel arches mean it's wider than your typical city hatch, and lower too.

It's the only three-door in a class of five-doors, so space inside is at a premium, especially in the rear seats and boot.

The big news for 2025 is what's changed for occupants up front. As good as the outgoing GR Yaris was, plenty of criticism was levelled at its cabin.

The driving position was too high, the high-mounted touchscreen and low rear-view mirror created a letterbox-like view out the windscreen, and according to racing drivers, many of the key dashboard controls were hard to reach when belted in with a harness.

Toyota has lowered the driver's seat by 25mm, raised the rear-view mirror, and fitted a near-all-new dashboard that integrates the screen, climate controls and other buttons into a binnacle tilted 15 degrees towards the driver, with an upper edge 50mm lower than before.

The new dashboard is polarising in photos – and, to be blunt, could be accused of being lazy design – but it's far more convincing in the metal, and the vastly improved forward vision and lower driving position are immediately obvious behind the wheel. There's a hint of late-1990s 'A80' Supra about it too, which we like.

We still wish the seat went a little lower – or the steering wheel went higher – but that may be personal preference.

As before, the heated steering wheel feels small and sporty, the pedals are well spaced, and the gear lever is within easy reach.

The front seats are comfortable and very supportive, with pleasing suede and synthetic leather-look trim, as well as heating, and on the GTS, red accents and seatbelts – though some drivers may lament the lack of power adjustment in a $60,000 car.

That short-changed feeling continues elsewhere. There are hard plastics on most surfaces – even the suede on the door armrests doesn't have any soft padding beneath it – and there is no centre armrest.

Toyota has clearly spent its money on the bits that make the GR Yaris go fast – there is a leather-trimmed manual handbrake where an armrest would go – but customers at this price start to expect a bit of luxury and quality for their money.

Placed around the AWD mode selector dial and drive mode switch are two USB-C ports, but annoyingly Toyota has removed the shelf on the dashboard, and there's no wireless charger, so your phone tends to linger awkwardly in the cupholders. There is space on the passenger side of the dashboard, but it's not rubberised so it's not much use on the move.

Storage is generally limited – the glovebox and door pockets are modest, but not huge, and the cupholders are also small – though general amenities are well covered, with dual-zone climate control, and keyless entry and start.

Space in the rear is tight – six-foot (183cm tall) adults will find their heads jammed into the roof lining, and knees in the front seatbacks – so it's best reserved for kids, with top-tether points and ISOFIX anchors for little ones.

There are no air vents, no USB ports and no cupholders, ingress and egress isn't particularly easy, and there are only two rear seats, not that you'd really want to be one of three people squished into the back.

Boot space is similarly limited, with just 174 litres on offer – so much more than a carry-on suitcase, and a backpack or two will require calling upon the 60:40 split-folding rear seats.

MORE: Toyota GR Yaris facelift unveiled with automatic transmission and more power, coming to Australia

Does the Toyota GR Yaris have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Replacing the old GR Yaris's 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen is an 8.0-inch unit, now running Toyota's latest software.

It's a big step forward over the previous system, with more contemporary graphics and much faster responses, though it's still not the best infotainment system on the market, and the structure of its menus is confusing.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now wireless and wired – rather than wired only – though as mentioned above, the lack of a wireless charger means you'll need to plug your phone in anyway, and there's nowhere to put it.

Satellite navigation is also standard, plus voice recognition and AM, FM and DAB+ digital radio, all linked with an eight-speaker JBL sound system.

Ahead of the driver is a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which replaces a 4.2-inch screen and a pair of analogue dials.

There's plenty of customisation in the screen, between a few main views – including one with a central tachometer, and a racetrack setting with a horizontal RPM readout – and three pods that can show the current gear, turbo boost, G-force, power distribution and more.

Switching between views is a little fussy – it requires quite a few presses and prods of the steering wheel buttons – but you can set it up in one of three presets, and once you've done that, it's a set-and-forget matter.

Toyota Connected Services is included in the purchase price, with lifetime access to an SOS emergency call, automatic collision notification and 'essential vehicle insights' through the myToyota app – plus a year of free access to stolen vehicle tracking, remote multimedia access and other functions, after which time a subscription fee is charged.  

Is the Toyota GR Yaris a safe car?

The Toyota Yaris is covered by a five-star safety rating from 2020, but it does not extend to the GR model – and there are significant structural differences between the two.

What safety technology does the Toyota GR Yaris have?

A full suite of advanced safety technology is offered in the GR Yaris, now covering rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors.

It works similarly to other Toyotas, with smartly tuned adaptive cruise control, a lane-keep assistant that isn't too intrusive, and lane-centring software that works well on straighter roads but can struggle with tighter curves, as with many others of its type.

Automatic models gain adaptive cruise control that operates at low speeds, not just higher speeds, plus low-speed autonomous emergency braking for car parks.

How much does the Toyota GR Yaris cost to service?

The Toyota GR Yaris is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Service intervals are set every six months or 10,000km – whichever comes first – which is short when rivals only need to visit the dealer once a year.

The first six services cost $310 each, after which time the capped-price program ends, so prices amount to $1860 over three years or $2970 over five years for a GTS manual.

At the time of writing, the Toyota website suggests services seven to 10 for a GTS auto cost $1345.58 each – which we suspect is a mistake.

A year of comprehensive insurance coverage with a leading provider is quoted at $1539, based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Is the Toyota GR Yaris fuel-efficient?

Toyota quotes fuel consumption in mixed driving of 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres for the manual – up from 7.6L/100km in the old model – and 9.1L/100km for the auto.

We spent nearly all of our time in the GR Yaris GTS manual on country roads, across a mix of gentle cruising and performance driving in sharper corners. Our 9.1L/100km observed fuel consumption is better than we anticipated, but naturally higher than the 6.7L/100km extra urban claim.

We can't see many GR Yaris buyers caring too much about fuel efficiency, though a mandate for 98-octane premium petrol – rather than either 95 or 98 – may prove inconvenient if a rural service station has run out of its highest-quality fuel.

What is the Toyota GR Yaris like to drive?

Powering the GR Yaris is the same 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder 'G16E-GTS' engine as before, but outputs have climbed from 200kW/370Nm to 221kW/400Nm.

Toyota attributes the changes to increased fuel pressure, a larger-diameter exhaust pipe, and additional cooling to push the engine further, with the GTS gaining an extra sub-radiator not fitted to the GT.

It has sweat the details elsewhere. There's a revised clutch for the manual, 13 per cent more spot welds, 24 per cent more structural adhesive, tweaked suspension mounts, and changes to the AWD system I'll detail in a moment.

Performance is, as before, explosive for a small, light-by-modern-standards car. The engine is responsive and pulls hard to redline in the right gear, but still dishes out plenty of low- and mid-range torque when it isn't.

It delivers a rorty take on a three-cylinder's signature thrummy note, with plenty of turbo blow-off noises when lifting off the loud pedal – but we wouldn't say no to a bit more noise.

The claimed 0–100km/h time has dropped by 0.1sec with the extra power, which isn't a big difference – but it's not like the old car was slow.

The six-speed manual transmission is a great unit, with a short, notchy throw that feels purposeful, a well-weighted clutch, and a bite point that's easy to learn. Less experienced manual drivers will appreciate the iMT rev-matching feature, which flatters those who want it, and is an opt-in not opt-out system for those who don't.

The real news here is the other gearbox, an eight-speed automatic. While it wasn't available to test on the road, we experienced it on the racetrack in the GR Yaris, as well as on road and track in the GR Corolla with the same engine.

It's a torque converter unit, but don't switch off – this is a great example of the breed.

It is not as snappy as a dual-clutch transmission (DCT) in a Golf R or i30 N, and when driven sedately can slur its changes like a classic torque-converter auto.

However, drive the car hard, and shift speeds are as quick as you'd want them to be – with the jolts on upshifts and aggressive downshifts you want in a performance-car gearbox – and it makes up for that last 10 per cent of missing snappiness with a far smoother character around town, without the annoying low-speed hesitation common to DCTs.

On the track, we left it to its own devices, and rarely found ourselves clashing heads with the transmission's choice of gear – though Winton is a tight track that doesn't require many gear changes.

We still prefer the engagement of a manual – Toyota expects 65 per cent of buyers to go that way – but we can see plenty of buyers struggling to choose between manual and auto.

The rest of the GR Yaris driving experience has been sharpened compared to its predecessor, but is largely familiar.

Visibility is a step up over its predecessor, and we had no issues seeing through sharp corners that might've troubled drivers of the old model. The lower driving position is better than before, but we wish the seat went even lower, and the rear window is small.

Steering is direct and quick, though we left it in Normal mode most of the time, as Sport is far too heavy for our tastes. There's not too much feel from the road surface below, but we don't mind too much.

New for 2025 is a drive mode selector, which can be swapped between Eco, Normal, Sport and a Custom mode that allows specific control of the engine response, auto gearbox programming, steering weight, and air-conditioning mapping under load.

It's in addition to the GR-Four all-wheel-drive mode selector, revised for 2025. Normal mode is unchanged (60:40 front-to-rear torque split), but Sport (30:70, a favourite among many owners) has made way for Gravel (53:47), and Track has switched from 50:50 to a variable split, which can send between 40 and 70 per cent of the engine's torque to the rear wheels.

It's naturally a little easier to push the Yaris into understeer in Normal than Track – which allows some rotation in corners under power on the race track, and is our favourite setting – but regardless of mode, it takes a lot to overcome the GTS grade's sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres and limited-slip differentials.

That combination of all-wheel drive, sticky tyres, clever differentials and an Expert mode that dials down the stability control – but leaves a safety net if you get unstuck – makes for a confidence-inspiring track car, with limits that even novices can explore.

We didn't get a chance to drive the GT – which wears less grippy Dunlop SP Sport Maxx rubber, and carries open differentials – but past experience suggests it isn't quite as capable in standard form as its more expensive sibling.

If you have the extra $5000 to spend, used prices of the outgoing model suggest you're likely to get that back come time to sell the car.

Ride comfort is firm – this is a performance car, not a hum-drum Yaris hybrid – and it can feel a touch jumpy over particularly rough roads, but our initial impressions suggest it's compliant enough to tolerate the daily grind. Keep in mind we only drove the GTS grade, which has a different "high-performance" suspension tune to the GT.

The updated car is said to be firmer than the outgoing model, so we look forward to testing it on bumpier roads at home to see what it's like over a longer period.

The brake pedal inspires confidence, with this GTS grade gaining additional ducting for the range's huge 356mm four-piston front and 297mm two-piston rear stoppers.

What we didn't love is the tyre roar, which is deafening – even by performance-car standards. Expect to work the (only average) JBL stereo overtime.

Should I buy a Toyota GR Yaris?

There wasn't much wrong with the old GR Yaris, but it's clear Toyota has listened to, and addressed, criticisms of the outgoing model – while taking its best attributes to the next level.

The new automatic gearbox strikes a good balance between snappiness and smoothness, the interior changes have unlocked better visibility and more user-friendly technology, and it's just as capable, fun-to-drive and fast (even faster, in fact) than before.

Little in life is free, and $60,000 drive-away for the cheapest model – or $70,000 for the grippier automatic model many customers will want – will prove too hard a sell for many buyers, especially given interior space isn't generous.

There are cheaper, more supple and more practical hot hatchbacks out there, but none feel quite as special or purposeful as Toyota's rally-inspired hero – and for that reason, we'd still have one in a heartbeat.

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