Just a month after its global debut, UMW Toyota Motor has wasted no time bringing the updated 2026 Toyota GR Yaris to Malaysia. While it looks largely unchanged on the outside, the real upgrades lie inside, with further enhancements driven by its ongoing motorsports development.
The headline update for the 2026 Toyota GR Yaris is found at the steering wheel. It now features a diamond-shaped central airbag hub, with the function buttons spread out across larger panels. Toyota says this new steering wheel is the result of feedback from its motorsports experience.
On the previous steering wheel, drivers often found themselves accidentally pressing buttons during spirited driving. With the new design, the controls are more clearly separated, making them easier to operate under pressure. As a bonus, the button graphics are now illuminated, improving visibility in low-light conditions.
Alongside this, the steering wheel itself has been made thinner for improved response and now features specially shaped grips designed to better fit the driver’s palms during cornering. According to Toyota, the design was refined through multiple prototypes and hours of on-track testing with its “professional racing drivers”.
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Sticking with the theme of driver-centric upgrades, Toyota has also made improvements to the car’s electric power steering (EPS) assist function. This will enhance the car’s ability to handle a wide range of driving styles, from high-grip circuits with slick tyres to low-grip rally courses with rally tyres.
Complementing this, the torsion-bar rigidity has been refined, while revisions to the torque sensor and control software have widened the steering torque detection range, enabling the system to deliver optimal assistance even under extreme cornering loads.
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In Japan, the car is available with an optional vertical handbrake, along with heated seats and a heated steering wheel. For now, UMW Toyota Motor has not offered this feature locally, so the GR Yaris in Malaysia retains a conventional manual handbrake.
What has been included, however, is the optional RZ performance package from Japan. Here, the car comes standard with the 18-inch BBS forged aluminium wheels wrapped in the new Bridgestone Potenza Race tyres.
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For now, that’s where the updates conclude. The GR Yaris continues to be powered by its iconic 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, delivering 304 hp and 400 Nm of torque to all four wheels via either an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. This allows for a 0-100 km/h sprint time in just 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 230 km/h (electronically limited).
Despite the updates, the 2026 Toyota GR Yaris retains its pricing. According to the Malaysian website, the manual is priced at RM315,600, while the automatic comes in at RM325,600 — both on-the-road, excluding insurance.
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