Toyota GR Yaris (2020 - 2024) – interior and tech
Flawed packaging is derived from its homologation nature, but key touchpoints have been extremely well thought out
The GR’s interior is a two-sided conundrum, with brilliance and blatant compromise in one small package; let’s explain. Firstly, and most unusually for a Toyota, the interior’s packaging is heavily compromised due to its bespoke body. By this we don’t only mean the rear seats are tight and the boot is small, which they are, but there are some other oddities such as the tiny gap to look through the windscreen between the rear-view mirror and top edge of the screen, and the front seats are set far too high, even for short drivers.
Yet despite this, Toyota has focused on other elements that feel absolutely right, such as the high-mounted gearlever which sits higher than in a normal Yaris, falling to hand almost perfectly. The pedals are well placed for heel-and-toeing, plus the steering wheel itself is thin-rimmed and feels just right in the hands.
Toyota has also made other key changes where it counts, such as its dial set which is bespoke to the GR – and by this we don’t mean a different font, but a fundamental change from the highly unattractive digital set found in normal Yarises to a clean and clear analogue set-up with white-on-black graphics and red needles. It’s this detail-level of thought that’s found throughout the GR Yaris, making it feel like a real passion project, rather than something thrown together.
