More powerful and durable development of hot hatch costs £44k
JACK WARRICK
The updated Toyota GR Yaris is now on sale in the UK – after a price hike of more than £12,000. The four-wheel-drive hot hatch starts at £44,250, with the World Rally Championship-inspired Kalle Rovanperä Edition and Sébastien Ogier Edition specials coming in at £60,000. Previously, the price was £32,205 and the performance-enhancing Circuit Pack an extra £3500.
The new car will be sold in the UK in an unspecified limited quantity. Existing GR Yaris owners and those who were on the waiting list for the previous car will be prioritised.
A Toyota spokesperson told Autocar that the sharp price rise wasn’t linked to demand but was “representative” of the car’s positioning, with factors such as inflation and new tech adding to its cost.
The hike of £12,045 puts the new GR Yaris into competition with larger, more potent hot hatches, including the Audi S3 Sportback (£44,720) and Mercedes-AMG A35 (£45,915) – and not far off the Honda Civic Type R (£49,995).
The changes to the car are subtle but functional. The front bumper is now made from three pieces rather than one, for example, so it’s easier to make quick repairs on a track day, and the front grille is now made from metal rather than plastic to better protect the radiator. The bodyshell is 15% stiffer than before and the 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo engine’s outputs have been raised by 19bhp and 22lb ft to 276bhp and 287lb ft.
An eight-speed automatic gearbox is also available for the first time, alongside the standard six-speed manual.
Inside, the dashboard has been completely reworked, swapping traditional gauges for a digital instrument cluster and angling the infotainment touchscreen towards the driver, who sits lower than before.
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