One of the most anticipated car launches of the year would have to be the Toyota GR Corolla. This is a model that I’ve been personally waiting for, as a massive fan of the Corolla nameplate. After a couple of months full of teasers and sneak peeks, we were invited to experience the car itself, and not just on the road, but on the track.
2026 Toyota GR Corolla
When it comes to looks, the GR Corolla adopts a more aggressive design language than its smaller hatch brother (the Yaris). I have to admit that for what is basically just a ‘4-door hatchback’, the Corolla presents itself as striking, with a big gaping front fascia, wide stance, and sharp angles; it looks angry (especially in the Emotional Red) color.
I particularly like how they seemed to make the GR Corolla unapologetically ‘sporty’ looking. The rear would be the most striking part of the whole car, with a rear diffuser jutting out from the main body, and the triple exhaust system, which is something you don’t normally see. Overall, I would say the GR Corolla is a blend of sporty looks without looking like a ‘toy’.
Mechanically, the Toyota GR Corolla takes a lot of what exists in the Yaris, which isn’t a bad thing because we all know how good the Yaris is. It’s just so that the Corolla is a little bit bigger and has more doors. It even has the same 1.6-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 300 hp, and the power is sent to all four wheels via an in-house designed 8-speed automatic transmission. Driveability of the car is also customizable through the various drive modes, Eco, Sport, and Track, which change the behavior in terms of throttle response and other dynamics, but most importantly it also moves the bias of the all-wheel-drive system, in track mode, most of the power is sent to the rear wheels to help aid in car rotation and add more fun.
The All-rounder GR
We were given the chance to blast it around the Clark International Speedway (CIS) for 1 lap, and I was immediately smitten. At this point in my life, I am more drawn to mature models, cars that have the balance of fun and practicality, something I can take to the grocery, and also take up a mountain road. No car I’ve ever driven has nailed that brief as much as the GR Corolla does.
The moment I floored it out of the pit lane, it gave me a sense of ‘true’ speed, but not in a shocking way. It felt approachable, and I felt that proper performance engineering was put into the DNA of this car. It braked well, it had tons of grip, the steering was light but had feel, and it had the right amount of stiffness for track performance. Despite having racing experience, I’m not a car control expert yet, but after 2 corners, I was able to understand the GR Corolla’s limits. I knew that even if I was dancing on the limit, the car gave me the confidence to keep pushing as if it had a guiding hand helping me the whole time.
Yes, it does sound like a lot of magical electronic trickery helps make the GR Corolla, but I’d like to argue that for someone like me who just wants to be able to have fun on the track or on the occasional scenic road, I would be more than okay to have the car helping me rather than being a purist’s idea of performance. If you want raw, pure, and on edge, you can look at the GR Yaris and 86. That’s not to say that the GR Corolla is a softie or a pretender. I’m sure it has its moments of insanity and lunacy, but overall, it drives like a dream for me. It’s the right amount of giggle-inducing fun, but approachable.
Prices for the Toyota GR Corolla range from PHP 3.8 – 3.9 million, depending on the transmission (manual or automatic) and special colorways.
Local Racing Icon
Since the boys and girls of automotive media were well behaved with the GR Corolla, Toyota PH was kind enough to also allow us to sample the Tamaraw OMR (One Make Race) car that will be headlining the 2026 Toyota Gazoo Racing PH Cup. As a participant of the said race series, I was keen to find out if the Tamaraw belongs on track. These OMRs have been meticulously developed and tested; in fact, the opinions of some of the top race car drivers in the country have been used to fine-tune the final product. This setup can be purchased by anyone interested in joining for just PHP 1,350,000 (not bad at all for a race-ready model).
In terms of performance, the Tamaraw OMR used the same 2.4-liter diesel engine found in the Fortuner, but uses a manual transmission. There have been some tweaks to the suspension and brakes, but everything else remains (more or less) stock. I have to say that after 2 laps of driving, I couldn’t stop laughing and smiling. It seems silly to drive a racing truck in a track, but I have to say that the OMR has the right ingredients to make it an absolute hoot on track. I really did enjoy blasting around Clark in it, and I bet the racers for the 2026 PH Cup will feel the same. It might not be the fastest or coolest race car ever built, but it sure is fun.
GR Expansion
In the past few years, GR has really been a growing segment for Toyota. In fact, it seems like the brand is single-handedly trying to inject performance and motorsports into the local automotive scene. With the Toyota GR Corolla, the brand has introduced a model that encapsulates the essence of a true Corolla, a no-compromise sedan now with the spice to enliven your daily drive. While the Tamaraw embodies the idea of a true PH Cup, a race car made for us, by us.
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