- toyota has officially confirmed that some sort of hot hatchback is coming to the u.s. market.
- it will wear a gr badge, for gazoo racing, and we're thinking it's going to be a turbocharged version of the corolla hatchback.
- the gr corolla is happening for the 2021 model year, so we expect to see it unveiled soon.
toyota is done teasing us with the tantalizing idea of a new sport compact. it's now happening for real. the company recently posted an official page on its website talking about a 2021 toyota hot hatch, and there are some enticing details that seem to confirm our recent speculation that a gr-badged toyota corolla hatchback with a turbo engine is coming to the u.s. market soon.
the page shows a picture of the global gr yaris and discusses that model's turbocharged three-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive, and specially tuned suspension. while the page clearly states that the gr yaris isn't coming here—not surprising given it's based on the global yaris not sold in the states—it does state that "perhaps it's time the u.s. got a toyota hot hatch to call its own." we couldn't agree more.
the corolla hatchback is the logical choice to receive the gazoo racing badge because it's the only conventional hatch toyota sells in america (the prius hybrid is a hatch, too, but it seems an unlikely candidate for the gr treatment). we anticipate the gr corolla will use the same 257-hp, 1.6-liter inline-three as the gr yaris, paired with a six-speed manual transmission. it'll also receive aggressive exterior add-ons, a stiffer suspension, and sticky performance tires.
toyota is calling this new hot hatch a 2021 model, so we think it'll be revealed within the next few months and go on sale by the end of the year. we can't wait to see what's in store.