After four years, the Toyota GR Yaris has been enhanced with numerous additions for 2025 as part of Toyota’s kaizen (constant improvement) philosophy.
Priced from RM315,600, the new Toyota GR Yaris’ enhancements are as mentioned below:
- Increased engine output.
- Newly Available Cooling Package
- New front and rear design
- Driver-First Cockpit layout
- Enhanced suspension durability and handling
- New exterior colour
PERFORMANCE
With the increasing competitiveness of rivals, GAZOO Racing decided to increase the output of the 1.6-litre 3-cylinder DOHC 4-valve turbocharged engine (G16E-GTS) of the GR Yaris. Already a high output engine, the power has been increased by 39 ps and 40 Nm of torque, with maximum figures now at 300PS and 400Nm.
The higher output was achieved through incorporating motorsport technology such as lightweight pistons and strengthened valvetrain ensuring high performance with high durability. This included using a new material for the exhaust valves. The pressure of the high-pressure fuel pump in the D-4ST system has been increased to cater the engine enhancement. There is also a larger exhaust pipe designed to reduce back pressure by 40% to contribute to the high engine output.
For the Malaysian market, the new GR Yaris also comes with the cooling package (optional in some countries) which includes a sub-radiator, cold air intake duct, intercooler spray and NACA Duct undercarriage cover. With the additional cold air intake duct design, less hot air is drawn from the inside of the engine compartment.
The Intercooler spray is activated by a switch on the instrument panel before performance driving, with the intermittent operation set to 150s based off actual competition time. The Intercooler spray lowers intake air temperature for high engine performance sustainability, even in hot weather conditions.
The clutch and Dual Mass flywheel is capable of handling high engine torque and the damper part has been changed to enhance reliability and reduce noise and vibrations. The clutch system has been tuned particularly on the pedal return stroke for excellent controllability even through quick launch, shifting and half-clutch operations under conditions like performance driving.
The new Drive Mode Select with Eco, Normal, and Sports Modes is available to provide a balance of easy controllability in both motorsports driving and daily driving situations. While being a minor change model, the electronic platform has been changed to enable the installation of Drive Mode Select.
The GR-Four AWD System has been enhanced with a new Gravel mode and updated Track mode. In Gravel mode, there is 53:47 front to rear distribution while Track Mode continuously varies the drive force distribution in accordance with the driver’s operations and the car’s dynamics. This variation can go from 60:40 to 30:70 to maintain optimum grip and stability on all kinds of surfaces.
The light but rigid suspension systems – front MacPherson struts and rear double wishbones with trailing arms – have had adjustments made. Changing from single to triple point fastening shock absorbers suppresses changes in alignment, increasing durability of the vehicle for performance driving. The front and rear spring have also been optimized to be stiffer to improve handling and responsiveness.
EXTERIOR
The new exterior design for the GR Yaris is an evolved version referred to as “Functional MATRIX Ver.2”. It is an aggressive and more functional design, consolidating the radiator and brake ducts. Its Split Construction is also a Toyota-first feature.
The split construction has been adopted for the front bumper so it can be quickly reinstalled using the spare construction. This also makes it easier for third-party parts to be developed, expanding the possibilities for user customization.
The front grille now has a steel mesh to be finer, giving an enhanced opening balanced with strength. There are also openings for the side grilles and ducts to provide air for the sub radiator and brakes. The bumper corners have been shaped to produce a downforce effect and more effective airflow around the tyres.
At the rear, the changes were largely to improve the GR Yaris in motorsport use and
also to make it recognisable as the ‘new GR Yaris’. The rear spoiler has been matched with the body colour, creating a low stance and a sleek silhouette.
The red parts of the rear combination lamps have been enlarged to the rear door side and connected laterally, emphasizing the wide impression. The mufflers have also been moved lower and further outward to create a wide and low stance.
Comparing with the previous version, it will be seen that the third brake light has been relocated to the rear combination lamp. This keeps it within the line of sight of drivers following behind during high-speed driving, a safety measure.
For colour choices, Precious Metal joins the existing choices of Platinum White Pearl Mica, Precious Black and Emotional Red.
INTERIOR
Significant changes have been made inside the GR Yaris to give the driver’s cockpit an authentically race-bred feel with a design that’s true to the “driver first” principles that define the car. As with other areas of development, the GR team took the inputs from racing and rally drivers as inspiration for re-positioning controls and giving the driver faster, clearer access.
Therefore, many of the changes in the cabin are mainly for the benefit of those who prefer performance driving. Nevertheless, they are practical changes as well as improvements. that can also benefit the everyday driver. For example, the driver’s field of vision from the wheel has been improved by lowering the top edge of the instrument panel by 50 mm, changing the position of the rearview mirror and angling the control panel 15 degrees further towards the driver.
Some controls have also been moved closer to the driver so they can be reached quickly and easily. On the passenger side, the tray in the instrument panel has been made larger – this is intended for those who need to fit extra meters or a co-driver’s monitor if they go rallying. GR Gun Metallic paint has also been adopted throughout the cockpit, reducing the distracting shine of the previous chrome plating.
The instrumentation includes a new GR Full TFT meter (12.3-inches) that is similar to the GR Corolla’s with two layout modes – NORMAL and SPORT, the latter providing a sports performance-focused data display. The design is free of any superfluous ornamentation, so graphics are clear and information can be instantly viewed and understood.
Besides orienting the cockpit towards the driver, the seating position has also been revised to improve the driver’s posture. The seat is now lower by 25 mm and the relationship with the steering wheel has been adjusted accordingly.
For daily use, the console cupholder and rear pocket have been redesigned to accommodate a wider range of items that can be contained, along with a removable separator for extra functionality. BRIN NAUB upholstery has been adopted on the main parts of the driver seat and front passenger seat. This is an artificial nubuck that has higher quality than suede. It is also more elastic and stretchable than suede, giving a refined ambience in the cabin.
Body rigidity has been improved by increasing spot weld points by 13% and structural adhesive application area by 24%. This results in better handling stability and ride comfort enhancement with the yaw response, steering feedback and grip feel enhanced.
SAFETY
Like the GR Corolla, the new GR Yaris also has the latest driver assist system known as Toyota Safety Sense (TSS). With the third generation of this active safety suite, advancements have been made which enhance the functions.
TSS3 consists of a Pre-Collision system (PCS) which includes Pre-collision Brake Assist for motorcycles and Pre-collision Brake for Oncoming Vehicles. The Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) with enhanced distance setting, is now linked to the turn signals and functions with Deceleration Assist.
It has support for preventing overtaking in hazardous situations as well as considers not just the vehicle directly ahead but also the one in front of the one ahead. Curve speed reduction allows safer negotiation of gentle corners while DRCC is active.
Lane Tracing Assist (LTA) is useful for long journeys as it maintains the path of the car within the lane. In this way, the driver does not have to constantly make inputs to the steering wheel as the slight adjustments needed will be done by the TSS3 system.
Rumour has it that an automatic variant is also on the way, set to be introduced later this year as there is a very high demand for it compared to the manual variant we’re looking at here.
