Toyota GR Corolla | Spotted

The Toyota GR Corolla always seemed the perfect choice for the British market. It has some of the rallying goodness of the GR Yaris, a car that was massively oversubscribed when it arrived five years ago and still holds its value today, packaged in a five-door hatchback that can comfortably fit people in the back without having to pack them flat. And while it would have had stiff competition from the likes of the Honda Civic Type R and VW Golf R, the aforementioned hardware would have made it a hugely tempting alternative for the hot hatch regulars.

Toyota has never fully clarified why it didn’t bring the GR Corolla to Europe. Its exclusion appears to have nothing to do with emissions or safety; the latter is paying for the GR86 here, and because it’s a five-door hatchback it should appeal to a different buyer than those looking at a GR Yaris. But the situation could soon change if Toyota moves production of the GR Corolla to Burnaston from 2026, where the company assembles the standard model, so fingers crossed that orders open here. But if you’re the impatient type or just don’t want to wait for Toyota to make a decision, we have just what you’re looking for: a GR Corolla that’s already in the country.

Sorry to state the obvious, but it’s a Japanese import that was first registered in its home country in 2023 and has 9,000 miles of fun under its belt. People bring JDM-spec cars to Britain for donkeys, whether it’s the frustratingly brilliant exclusive models that Japanese carmakers reserve for their home market or simply for the novelty of driving something different. And with all the restrictive laws in place both here and on the continent, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we see more, like this Nissan Fairlady Z currently up for auction or this exhausting Nissan GT-R.

Of course, going through the hassle of importing a car in the first place has to be worth it, which the GR Corolla certainly is. As with the GR Yaris, the Corolla’s transformation from an everyday family hatch to a highly capable performance car wasn’t the work of an instant. For example, the bodywork received significantly more reinforcement to make it stiffer, an all-wheel drive system with a torque-splitting differential and a heavily revised suspension.

The 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo engine has also been lifted from the GR Yaris, although an increase in boost pressure boosts power to 300bhp – around 20bhp more than the supermini. Toyota also released a special edition called the ‘Morizo’, the nickname of company chairman Akio Toyoda, which came with slightly more torque, retuned dampers and the removal of the rear seat. And while they may be more desirable, you might as well go for the shorter, lighter GR Yaris if you don’t need the rear seats. So if you’re looking for real practicality, this ‘standard’ GR Corolla should do the job just fine.

On the other hand, you don’t often see this in white, with most press cars finished in dark gray or red, but it suits the car well and serves as a nod to its JDM roots. The seller will part with it for £46,990, which is quite a bit more than the list price in Japan (roughly the equivalent of £30,000 here), although the final price should include all import costs and taxes associated with bringing a car into the country. That said, the price is comparable to the price of an FL5 Civic Type R with similar mileage, which presents a somewhat enviable conundrum. Toss a coin? Either way, you don’t lose.

Engine: 1,618 three-cylinder, turbocharged
Transfer: six-speed manual transmission, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 300 at 6,500 rpm
Torque (lb⋅ft): 273 at 3,250 rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
Year registered: 2023
Registered mileage: 9,000
Price new: 5,250,000 yen (Japan)
Yours for: £46,990