Coming back down to earth felt surreal after my stint in the Toyota GR Yaris. It was as if I’d finally met my perfect match. I’ve always wanted to wrap my hands around the firm steering of this bite-sized pocket rocket — and it did not disappoint.
Car enthusiasts adore this mighty little machine, and I completely get why. Its rally-ready pedigree runs deep, and its lineage tells a story written in gravel, grit, and raw motorsport energy. When you lay your eyes on it, you immediately appreciate its compactness. The aerodynamics are precise. It has wide hips, an angry face, and a sharp, angular rear that looks ready to pounce. Sticky Michelin tyres hug the road beneath those beautifully crafted alloys.
The GR Yaris doesn’t feel like a normal hatchback. The driving position, chunky steering wheel, and short-throw gear lever are all engineered for intent. You instantly pick up that motorsport DNA — the car is tight, low-slung, focused.
Even rolling out of a driveway, you feel tension in the chassis, like it’s waiting to be unleashed. It’s one of the few modern cars that still delivers old-school, analogue excitement the moment the turbo spools. This isn’t a warm hatch. It’s a purpose-built rally homologation special — and it hits you instantly.
Cars like this remind me why I fell in love with motoring journalism. Simple, fun, engaging, unassuming — yet capable of tickling the inner petrolhead. It definitely calls the inner hooligan, but I behaved myself. The thirst is real. This little pocket rocket averaged around 14L/100km — likely because it was fresh with just over 2 000 km on the clock — so I didn’t push it too hard.
Sure, the sticker price is high, but I’d still say go for it. Why? Because it’s iconic, Japanese, and destined to be praised for years to come. Shockingly, this rally-bred beast can also work as a daily. The auto version I drove is priced at R950 000.
Would I choose the manual? Absolutely — I’m a sucker for shifting and full immersion. But even the automatic feels engaging and alive. Firm, hard, raw — but pure joy. And the corners? Wow. With four-wheel drive and incredible traction, it just hangs on. Toyota deserves all the applause for that 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine. Small but explosive. The updated 206 kW output turns it into a little monster. Torque is instant. It pulls hard in every gear, and the AWD system puts down power so cleanly that you forget it’s compact.
The balance is beautiful. The front end bites with aggression, the rear becomes playful on command, and the steering is direct and weighty. It’s the kind of car that makes you take the long way home — through every twisty road you can find. And best of all, it still delivers pure mechanical joy. No fake noise. No overcooked electronics. Just proper driver–car communication.
But yes, Toyota simplicity inside is still a thing. The cabin is minimal: a basic screen for Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a straightforward digital driver display, and a few central buttons and knobs. My favourite, of course, was the driving-mode selector. Sport, Track — those two became my best friends.
The clutch isn’t too heavy, the turning circle is decent, and if you’re gentle, it’s not as thirsty as you’d expect. But let’s be honest — this car thrives when pushed. The suspension is firm (not punishing), the cabin is snug, and road noise at highway speeds is noticeable. Boot space? Nothing to brag about.
So if comfort, ease, and refinement matter most — this isn’t your daily. If passion, precision, and fun matter more — daily it, without question. For me? I’d treat it like a weekend scalpel—something to savour, not dilute. I adore the low-slung, compact feel. It’s agile enough to weave through traffic and blast off into the sunset. Toyota has bumped the GR-Four system to handle around 200 kW — even more potent than before.
The GR Yaris doesn’t pretend to be subtle — and that’s exactly why I love it. It looks like a rally car that somehow passed road regulations: wide arches, squat stance, fat tyres, real functional aero. It doesn’t blend in with Polos, Golfs, Clios or the usual suspects. It stands proudly apart. Toyota didn’t try to make it pretty — they made it purposeful. It’s styling that makes enthusiasts smile and confuses everyone else. In today’s world, that’s refreshing.
And oh man — on the twisties, it’s unreal. The way it rotates is addictive. It stays flat, grips hard, and that AWD system digs into the tarmac. Brake late, turn in hard, power out early — it begs you to push harder and rewards you when you do. You feel everything through the chassis. And the gearbox… that mechanical click is something rare in modern cars.
Is it still one of the most exciting cars under a million? Without question.In terms of emotional impact per kilometre? It might just be number one.
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