We have a soft spot for the Toyota GR Corolla. Whether you choose automatic or manual model, you really can’t go wrong with this spunky performance small hatchback. Much of its charm comes from the 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, which produces 300 horsepower. Unfortunately, this three-cylinder engine may not be long for this world.
With the emergence of new Corolla concept In Japan, Toyota also revealed a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine said to be capable of producing around 400 horsepower. The new engine is said to be less complex than the three-cylinder engine currently found in the GR Corolla, which could mean bad news for our beloved three-cylinder car.
Talk to Motor Trend In Japan, chief technology officer Hiroki Nakajima hinted that the new engine could find its way into future performance models. While Nakajima has not confirmed whether the upcoming Corolla GR will adopt the four-cylinder engine, it appears that the writing is on the wall.
Even if Toyota decides to give the upcoming GR Corolla a bigger, more powerful engine, there’s good news for fans — gas engines aren’t going anywhere. Nakajima-san reiterated that Toyota “must build engines until the end.”
Photo by: Toyota
As much as we love the current three-cylinder engine, converting the GR Corolla to a simpler, more powerful four-cylinder makes sense in the long run. when We spoke with GR Corolla’s chief engineerNaoyuki Sakamoto admitted that the team “knows the limits” of the current three-cylinder engine and that extensive engineering would be required to boost the power of the automatic model.
If the next-generation GR Corolla goes up to 400 hp, it will outpace both the Honda Civic Type R (315 hp) and the latest Volkswagen Golf R (328 hp). However, we will have to wait and see whether the new GR Corolla will reach the market or not.
Meanwhile, buyers can take delivery of the 2026 GR Corolla for a starting price of $41,080, including destination.
