Toyota GR Corolla Motor Authority Best Car to Buy 2023 Finalist Nominee

Can the Toyota Corolla, the epitome of the consumer electronics car, win Motor Authority's Best Car of 2023 award? I never thought I'd have to ask such a question, but here goes.

Toyota, an automaker known for playing it safe with reliable but boring cars, has pushed a rally car powertrain into the Corolla economy car. With a trick-laden all-wheel-drive system and the willpower to back up its attitude, the Toyota GR Corolla is a riot.

For the GR Corolla, Toyota used the same G16E-GTS 1.6-liter Turbo 3 engine used in the smaller GR Yaris. Torque is only 273 lb-ft, but power jumps from 268 hp in the GR Yaris to 300 hp. The single-scroll ball-bearing turbo produces a lot of boost, but it takes a while to build up boost. Peak power is delivered only up to 3,000 rpm, and then it continues to go all out until the 7,000 rpm redline. The early shifting makes the GR Corolla seem like it doesn't have much power. Don't be fooled. It just needs a heavy foot and a long wait between shifts.

Buyers who don't #GiveAShift need not apply, as the GR Corolla is equipped with only three pedals and a six-speed manual transmission. The gearbox is short and features aggressive throw, the clutch is reasonably heavy, and the take-up point is somewhat easy to grab. Thanks, Toyota.

A key element of the GR Corolla's fun is its advanced all-wheel drive system that allows the driver to change the front/rear power distribution between 60/40, 30/70, and 50/50; the 60/40 front bias is for everyday use, but in sport mode, the 30/70 rear bias The 50/50 front bias is for daily use. According to Toyota, the 50/50 split is for high-performance driving. On the street, the standard 60/40 split is fine, but when the road gets twisty, this hot hatch really shines when the GR Corolla is switched to the Sport model: with the 30/70 split, the front end scratches the pavement while the rear slides, and pulling the car out of a corner is not difficult. It's not hard to pull the car out of a corner. This is a system unlike any other on the market today, and in a good way it reminds me of the old Mitsubishi Evo. [Toyota announced a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 4.99 seconds for the GR Corolla, but our dyno can't tell the difference from 5.0 seconds. Toyota may be too eager to analyze the time, but the GR Corolla is still fast enough.

The McPherson strut front suspension and double wishbone rear suspension are combined with dampers, springs, and sway bars tuned for the track. The result is a firmer ride, not something one would want to drive on the pockmarked roads of the Midwest.

The upper trims, the Circuit and Morizo models, are equipped with Torsen-type limited slip differentials front and rear, while they are optional on the base Core model. The differential is part of the GR Corolla's secret sauce to effectively harness its power. It is a necessity.

The GR Corolla looks like no other Corolla. Widened body panels give it an inflated appearance and cover 18-inch wheels wrapped in 235/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber (also available in 245/40 Cup 2). Wide open intakes feed the intercooler and cool the brakes. Like the Honda Civic Type R, the GR Corolla has a triple-tip exhaust.

Starting at $36,995, the GR Corolla seems like a bargain, but it's not perfect: the 12.3-inch digital meter cluster interface could have been created with MS Paint, and the 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system's interface is dated, and the screen resolution feels a full model cycle behind everything else on the market. The interior is full of hard, cheap plastic straight out of a Corolla economy car parts bin, with no center armrest up front; add two limited-slip differentials and the GR Corolla is over $40,000, closing in on the more mature Honda Civic Type R Momentum.

Will the analog experience and willpower of the Toyota GR Corolla be enough to beat out two other hot hatches, a ridiculous SUV, a luxury EV, and a sports sedan for the win, along with the champs from our sister sites Car Connection and Green Car Report on January 4? will be announced, so check back.