Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 2024 review: rally-bred hot hatch is better than ever

​​This is our first chance to drive the new, 2024, Gen 2 Toyota GR Yaris in final production form on public roads. The full story is in the next issue of evo magazine on August 7, but in the meantime, here’s a miniature review of one of 2024’s most sought-after performance cars.

Although it looks very similar to the original GR Yaris on the outside, there have been a great many detail changes beneath the surface to make the Gen 2 car a thoroughly updated machine. Some of the most important changes include a much improved driving position, stiffened bodyshell, the option of a new eight-speed auto transmission (and an improved shift for the standard six-speed manual), more power and torque, enhanced cooling including a water-spray switch for the intercooler and a brand-new dashboard fascia.

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The blocky, function-over-form dash interface isn’t the prettiest solution, but it is more user-friendly than the previous car’s. Everything is angled toward the driver just-so, and in easy reach. In an evo office straw poll, most of the team love the fascia’s no-nonsense, motorsport-style function-over-form approach. And it’s not like the old Yaris dashboard was pretty…

The new set-up includes an excellent digital instrument panel, which is clear, easy to read and, in Sport mode, changes the traditional rev counter to a rally-style bar across the top of the screen. Sat-nav is now standard as part of a more modern touchscreen in the dash; it’s not the slickest system but it does the job. And this isn’t the sort of car you buy for its ergonomics and infotainment, after all. 

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Because to drive, the updated GR Yaris is better than ever. The Gen 2 car has stiffer spring rates (all round, but more so at the front than the rear), an uprated front anti-roll bar and extra bolts fastening the front dampers to the body (which is also intended to improve steering response and feel). That’s aided and abetted by a stiffer bodyshell than before, with a greater quantity of spot welds and adhesive applied to its structure. 

You feel very much in touch with what’s going on at all times, not only through the steering and pedals but also through the chassis itself. And you’re more keyed in to it all, thanks to the 25mm lower seating position – you can see better ahead, too, since the main mirror no longer blocks your view and the dash is lower than before. The GR Yaris deals with undulations brilliantly, too, particularly over crests.

The downside is a slightly firmer ride: the old Yaris had notably smooth-riding damping but the new car is a little more tense. It doesn’t spoil the car on British B-roads but it does move with a slightly stiffer gait than before. It’s still a relatively comfortable ride overall, and a worthwhile trade off for the more responsive handling. 

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There are three settings for the permanent all-wheel-drive system, which splits torque front to rear via an electronically controlled coupling. The torque splits have been revised: Normal mode divvies torque 60:40 front to rear but in Track mode, the balance shifts actively between 60:40 and 70:30, apportioning more to the rear on corner exit – there’s also a Gravel mode, which nominally splits torque at 53:47. In Normal mode, the GR Yaris’s natural balance is toward understeer but in Track mode, it’s a positive, pointy thing. Get on the power early and you feel the torque balance helping it power its way out of a tight corner. You can also feel the Torsen limited-slip differentials at each end doing their thing – now standard on UK cars, rather than part of an optional Circuit Pack.

There’s a further set of driving modes – Eco, Normal, Sport and Custom – which tweak the powertrain map, steering weight and air-con level, via a new switch on the centre console. Sport brings a welcome increase in throttle response. 

We’ll be testing the auto version in the near future; driven here is the six-speed manual, which feels even better than before. GR’s engineers have obviously been hard at work because somehow the shift is swifter, sweeter and less balky. 

Lastly, the GR Yaris is a quicker car than before, too. Toyota has liberated an extra 19bhp and 22lb ft from the triple-cylinder turbo engine, for 276bhp and 288lb ft. A lot of power from 1.6 litres. The revised engine feels noticeably more urgent than before, with a boostier feel; you can hear the turbo whooshing on- and off-throttle, and see its response visually on the new digital instrument panel, where a neat graphic shows the turbo’s pressure and response in real time. 

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Price and rivals

The GR Yaris now costs more than £44,000, compared with the c£30,000 original (c.£33,000 with the now-standard Circuit Pack). Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised in a world where a Golf GTI now costs the best part of £40k and a Civic Type R costs £50k, but it’s not the sweetest of pills to swallow. 

The auto model costs £45,750 to the manual’s £44,250. There will also be two limited special editions, named after Toyota’s WRC drivers Sébastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä. Both will be manual but priced at £60,000, with the Gravel and Track AWD modes replaced with special settings personally tuned by the respective drivers.

The bitterest pill, however, is that only an ‘exceptionally limited’ number of cars will find their way to the UK this year, in Toyota’s words. (And that low volume is likely also a contributory factor to the high list price). A further UK allocation is planned for 2025, although the number of cars isn’t confirmed. 

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Existing GR Yaris owners and customers who were on the waiting list but missed out last time around have been contacted and sales will initially be based on a ballot system. 

It’s a shame some customers will miss out, because the refreshed GR Yaris is a brilliant car to drive. Everything that makes the original a modern classic is still there but in the Gen 2 it’s been honed to a sharper edge, polished to a brighter shine. There’s a greater sense of eagerness to its engine; a greater degree of precision to its handling; and a better driving position to put you more in touch with it all.

You can read the full first drive of the new Toyota GR Yaris in the next issue of evo magazine, out on Wednesday August 7. 

Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 specs