One of the most hotly anticipated cars of the year is finally available for you to enjoy. Of course, we mean “virtually enjoy” because the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla will be a rare sight for several months.
Toyota released its online configurator for the GR Corolla on Monday and while the options are fairly limited, the satisfaction of configuring your dream hot hatch is endless.
Buyers can build the $36,995 GR Corolla Core that offers the most bang for the buck among models and spec it with any color (as long as that color is black, white or red for an upcharge) with a number of packages to boot. Those range from a $500 Cold Weather package that adds heated seats and a heated steering wheel to the $2,450 Performance Package with options that adds cold-weather gear, front and rear limited-slip differentials, and premium audio. There is a menu of dealer-added upgrades too from floor mats and special shift knob if the mood strikes you.
All models, including the GR Corolla Core, get a 300-horsepower turbo inline-three with a six-speed manual transmission paired with all-wheel drive and grin-inducing upgrades to more pedestrian Corollas. The Core skips the limited-slip differentials that the other trims get, but those can be added in for $1,180 or more.
The $43,995 GR Corolla Circuit Edition is the mid-level grade and adds a carbon fiber hood, sportier suspension, and one-year National Auto Sport Association membership along with a track day. White is available, but gray and red are spend-up exterior color options. Unlike the GR Corolla Core, there aren’t any available packages for the Circuit Edition so the final MSRP is $43,995 or $44,420—assuming you can find any sold at sticker.
Of course, the full-boat GR Corolla Morizo Edition is available on the configurator complete with signature Smoke gray exterior color for $1,645 more. There are no factory packages available for the Morizo Edition (presumably because it comes perfect from the factory) and brings the top-tier GR Corolla Morizo Edition to a $52,640 MSRP. Normally we’d say that’s the most someone can spend on a GR Corolla but that’s not true; there’s almost no way they’ll escape a dealer’s markup pen.
If you ask us, the GR Corolla Circuit Edition is the sweet spot in the lineup for now. It’s the best of both worlds: buttoned-down suspension but with a usable back seat. (The GR Corolla Morizo Edition deletes the rear seat.) Almost assuredly there’ll be more special editions of the GR Corolla in the mail later in the car’s life, so jumping on the Morizo Edition has initial bragging rights but there could be a spicier version coming later.
Supersonic Red seems like a natural choice for our spec, it has enough color while still offering enough contrast on the go-fast bits. Even though it’s our spec for now, the speeding tickets are still yours if you opt for our recommendation. Toss in some floor mats and we’re right around $45,000, including destination. Not bad. Build your own version here.
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