The 2026 Toyota GR Corolla has been updated, and Car and Driver's testing reveals a significant improvement in acceleration.
The manual version now reaches 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, shaving 0.7 seconds off the previous model year's time.
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The updated car also reaches 100 mph in 10.7 seconds, compared to 11.4 seconds for the older model.
This makes it the quickest manual GR Corolla the magazine has tested.
Chassis and Cooling Upgrades
Toyota added 45.6 feet of structural adhesive to the body and revised the suspension.
The rear springs are 20 percent firmer, while the rear anti-roll bar is 16 percent softer. Rebound springs help keep the tires planted under hard braking.
A secondary air intake reduces inlet temperatures by an average of 85 degrees Fahrenheit under load.
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The updated car reached 140 mph 2.5 seconds sooner than before, suggesting the cooling work is effective.
However, after six hard acceleration runs, the test car displayed an overheat warning related to the driveline.
Owners complain about this regularly, and Toyota has not cured every thermal issue.
Brakes remain excellent, with a best stop from 70 mph in 154 feet, and the longest stop over six runs was just two feet longer.
The Premium Plus manual starts at $46,565 before destination. It remains the only AWD hot hatch with a manual transmission available in the U.
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S. , filling the gap left by the Subaru WRX STI and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
