The introduction and progressing enthusiasm toward electric cars leaves the question to mind: “What is going to happen to the internal combustion engine?” Many enthusiasts greatly fear the concept will disappear into history. New EV startups introduce themselves every day, and federal mandates now point toward unrealistic regulations of what the gas-powered motor must achieve to stay legally relevant. Toyota shows that gas burners are far from dead, soldiering onward with a three-cylinder powerplant in the new GR Corolla—maybe the future isn’t so bad after all.
We expect this new Corolla to be a hit due to the blessed, Toyota G16E-GTS inline-three shared with the GR Yaris. Look up videos of the GR Corolla’s sister unleashed by aftermarket exhaust systems, and those three-pots will impress with their WRC-like sound: competing four-cylinders better take notes! The new G16E-GTS sounds almost like a flat-six cut in half mixed with an Abarth blend. What more could you want than a smart GR-Four AWD powertrain with customizable torque distribution, 14-inch front rotors, an optional carbon fiber roof, and 100 horsepower per cylinder? The GR Corolla is the saving replacement of the Subaru WRX STI. Like vinyl, you can’t replace the emotional reaction produced from classic sound with technology.
The new GR Corolla is simply outrageous for a production car. What kind of automobile these days has three distinctly separated exhaust outlets? Two outboard pipes mute emissions on either side to appease civilians, then, when prompted, the militarized pipe shoots raw sound out the back, hopefully bypassing the muffler completely. Yes, the Honda Civic Type R also has three tips, but it doesn’t sound anything like this. Here’s a sample of how good the G16E powertrain sounds with barely any restriction.
At Daily Motor, we’re very enthusiastic toward the new GR Corolla because all this excitement packed into a practical daily driver is a revelation and should be (relatively) affordable. The GR is a Corolla, so it may also benefit from reasonable insurance rates. From a consumer’s and an enthusiast’s perspective, Toyota created the next top hot hatchback with the right ingredients. Those who don’t care how they get from A to B can own alternatively powered vehicles to meet federal laws, but when it comes to practicality, passion, and performance, save the internal-combustion engine for us motorheads. Toyota is doing just that with the new Toyota GR Corolla.
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