After endless speculation and rumours, UMW Toyota Motor has finally announced the arrival of the highly-anticipated Toyota GR Yaris in Malaysia, priced at RM299,000.00. It will be available as the Performance Pack Edition in limited units.
PERFORMANCE
Built on a unique platform combining Toyota’s new GA-B platform and the rear section of the TNGA-C platform used for the Corolla and C-HR, the GR Yaris is the first production model to built at the bespoke GR factory at Motomachi, Japan. It’s also the birthplace of the Lexus LFA.
- Engine: 1.6-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged
- Transmission: 6-speed manual with Intelligent Manual Transmission (i-MT)
- Drivetrain: GR-Four All-wheel drive (AWD)
- Horsepower: 261 hp @ 6,500 rpm
- Torque: 360 Nm @ 3,000 to 4,600 rpm
- 0 to 100 km/h: 5.5 seconds
- Top speed: 230 km/h
The GR Yaris will only be available with a manual gearbox. The Intelligent Manual Transmission helps match the engine speed while the driver is downshifting for smoother gear changes. As part of the Performance Pack, the GR Yaris is fitted with a Torsen limited-slip differential (LSD).
The GR Yaris comes in three different modes – Normal, Sport and Track. In Normal mode, torque is split 60:40, in Sport 30:70 while in Track mode, torque split is a perfectly balanced 50:50 distribution.
EXTERIOR
Weighing just 1,280 kg, the body of the GR Yaris has been constructed with a mix of carbon fibre and aluminium to keep weight as low as possible. The 18-inch BBS wheels come as part of the Performance Pack along with a thicker front anti-roll bar and bigger diameter front springs. Otherwise, the GR Yaris rides on a set of suspension tuned by the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team.
The car’s battery has been placed in the boot for better chassis balance to improve handling, stability and responsiveness.
- 18-inch BBS forged alloys wheels with 225/40 R18 Michelin Pilot 4S tyres
- 356 mm brake disc with 4-pot calipers (F), 297 mm brake discs with twin pot calipers (R)
- Double wishbone rear suspenion
- Forged carbon roof
- Colours: Emotional Red 2, Precious Black, and Platinum White Pearl
INTERIOR
Inside, a pair of lightweight front sport seats take centre stage, complemented by smoked silver trims. Up ahead is a bespoke GR three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel and just to keep things exciting, they’ve even retained the mechanical handbrake for when you need to make a quick U-turn. *wink*
Such is the attention to detail that the pedal position, pad angle of the pedals, and its pressing angle were all calculated with regards to the driver’s hip point to gain the best possible controllability. Even the short-shift gear lever is positioned higher on the centre console and closer to the steering wheel for quicker shifting.
- Analogue instrument cluster with 4.2-inch TFT multi-info display
- Gear shift indicator
- Boost meter
- Head-up display
- 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
- Six speakers
- Dual-zone air conditioning
Just because it’s a rally car for the road doesn’t mean the GR Yaris does not come with creature comforts. It gets a smart entry system with push start, an electrochromic rear view mirror and power windows with jam protection.
In case you’re wondering where most of the GR Yaris’ noise comes from, Toyota says an engine sound enhancement system is in place to help transmit sounds into the cabin according to how hard you press the throttle.
SAFETY
You can’t go fast without feeling safe and in that aspect, the GR Yaris has pretty much got it all covered too. It comes with six airbags and Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) features that include a Pre-Crash System, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert, Lane Tracing Assist, and Auto High Beam.
The GR Yaris’ Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) features an Expert Mode allowing the driver to disable it along with the traction control.
- Rear parking sensors
- Driving video recorder
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
- ISOFIX
Each Toyota GR Yaris in Malaysia is accompanied with a plaque to highlight its exclusivity as there are less than 200 units available for the Malaysian market. The GR Yaris comes with a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty and is available exclusively at all GR Garage outlets.
GALLERY
