At the other end of the spectrum from the Prius is the facelifted Toyota GR Yaris, which has also been launched in Indonesia at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS). The revised rally-inspired über hatch makes its ASEAN debut with revised looks, more power and a new automatic gearbox option.
The standard transmission is still the manual, which goes for 1,150,000,000 rupiah (RM332,000), while the auto retails at 1,198,000,000 rupiah (RM345,900). Like the Prius, the GR Yaris is an indent order car with a minimum wait time of three months depending on the output of the Motomachi plant in Aichi, Japan.
Under the bonnet lies the same G16E-GTS 1.6 litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, but it’s been fettled with a strengthened valvetrain, a new exhaust valve material and higher-pressure direct injection to both produce more power and improve durability. New pistons with wear-resistant rings have also been added.
The result is that the three-pot now delivers 33 PS more at 305 PS at 6,500 rpm, while torque has been bumped up by 30 Nm to 400 Nm, made between 3,250 and 4,600 rpm. These figures, by the way, are for the Japanese market, which the Indonesian website quotes; the rest of the world gets 280 PS and 390 Nm. With the extra power comes a faster century sprint, the GR Yaris now getting from zero to 100 km/h three tenths of a second quicker at 5.2 seconds.
But the big news, of course, is the new eight-speed GR Direct Automatic Transmission. This is not your typical Toyota slushbox – it’s been developed to deliver the fastest possible downshift and anticipate the right gear selection based on brake and throttle input. It also gets heat-resistant clutch material, a new torque control system and a compact, high-response linear solenoid. All this, plus more closely-spaced ratios, allow the auto GR Yaris to achieve quicker lap times compared to the manual model.
Of course, real car enthusiasts will still be able to get the car with a six-speed manual (which gets a new dual-mass flywheel) with automatic rev-matching, which this Emotional Red show unit is. Elsewhere, there are new Sport, Normal and Eco drive modes that have been divorced from the GR-Four all-wheel drive’s operation, with the auto additionally getting quicker shifts and throttle response in the Sport setting.
The AWD system has also been reconfigured – instead of the front-to-rear split being fixed at 60:40, 30:70 or 50:50 depending on the drive mode, the new GR Yaris gets variable torque distribution that changes based on the mode. In Track mode, the car will shift anywhere from 60:40 on corner entry to 30:70 on corner exit, the latter to maximise traction and acceleration.
Meanwhile, the new Gravel mode defaults to 53:47 and will automatically adjust in response to the driver’s inputs, vehicle behaviour and road or track conditions. The GR Yaris also finally gets the Performance Pack (which Malaysian cars came with) as standard, gaining Torsen front and rear limited-slip differentials and lightweight BBS 18-inch alloy wheels.
Under the skin, a 13% increase in spot welds and 24% in structural adhesive has led to a stiffer body shell, improving yaw response, steering feedback and grip feel. The front MacPherson strut and rear double wishbones – the latter being exclusive to the GR Yaris, remember, thanks to the use of the Corolla’s GA-C platform at the back – also get new springs for better handling, plus additional bolts on the dampers to reduce alignment changes under load and increase steering response.
While most of the changes have been mechanical in nature, there have also been significant (and mostly functional) tweaks on the outside. The front bumper is all new and features improvements taken from motorsports – the grille (which feeds air to the enhanced cooling package, including a new transmission oil cooler for auto models) gets a stronger metal mesh, while the three-piece construction means that any localised damage can be repaired by replacing the specific part instead of the whole bumper.
The bumper corners have also been shaped to resemble flics, reducing front lift. Moving to the back, you get redesigned full-width taillights (again, exclusive to the GR Yaris) that now incorporate the fog and reverse lights. This moves them away from the rear bumper – which itself receives a diffuser cutout to reduce drag – to lessen the risk of damage. The third brake light has also been moved downwards for better visibility and to make it easier to swap out the tailgate spoiler.
Inside, the changes are even more colossal, with an all-new dashboard again being inspired by motorsports. The businesslike, almost commercial vehicle-esque angular centre console has been canted by 15 degrees towards the driver to ensure easy reach of all major controls, including the nine-inch infotainment touchscreen. A new 12.3-inch digital instrument display has been added as well, with different layouts for Normal and Sport modes and a transmission oil temperature readout for auto models.
Outward visibility has also been improved by lowering the top edge of the dash by 50 mm and raising the rear-view mirror, with a corresponding seat height drop of 25 mm for a sportier driving position. As for the front passenger, they get a larger storage tray in front of them that also provides additional space for installing extra gauges or a co-driver monitor.
With the facelifted GR Yaris now being sold in Indonesia, we can expect the hot three-door to arrive in Malaysia sooner rather than later. Would you buy the new auto model or stick with the honest-to-goodness manual? Sound off in the comments after the jump.
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