With its 304 hp, the Toyota GR Corolla seems well equipped to cut cruppers against the Volkswagen Golf R and Renault Mégane RS We have therefore imagined a first match between these three compacts, which should unfortunately remain virtual because the Japanese does not plan to come to Europe.
A European specialty for a long time, sports compacts are gradually being driven out of the Old Continent by standards on CO2 emissions.2 ever stricter. Toyota has thus announced very sad news: its GR Corolla will never land in our region. The only ones to rejoice are its competitors, already increasingly rare. But would the Japanese really have the means to to rub shoulders with the Volkswagen Golf R and Renault Mégane RS? We will try to determine it with this first virtual match.
Style: Big bad look for the GR Corolla
The current Corolla already displays a less anonymous bodywork than most of its predecessors. But the hybrid versions sold here, including in GR Sport finish, seem very wise next to this sports variant. If the copiously widened wings and the additional gills already set the tone, it is especially the triple tailpipe that should attract attention. It does not only have an aesthetic purpose, since it would also reduce the counter-pressure to gain power. Across the Atlantic, those who are really not afraid to stand out can even opt for the special “Circuit Edition” series, equipped with small scoops on the hood and a large spoiler above the tailgate.
On the other hand, for fans of discretion, the Golf R is much more suitable… even if it is entitled to an additional exhaust outlet to respect the tradition of Golf badged R. It’s the best way to recognize this cutting-edge version. , which otherwise remains quite close to a “simple” TSI 150 R-Line variant. A pack called R-Performance can however come to slum this dress a little by adding in particular an imposing spoiler above the rear window. As for the Mégane RS, it lies between these two extremes. It is indeed entitled to a body widened in a more subtle way than on the Corolla, to a large extractor accommodating a large trapezoidal exhaust pipe and to daytime running lights in the shape of a checkered flag.
Interior: a fairly wise Japanese
Inside, the Toyota is far from displaying the same exuberance as on the outside. The general atmosphere is even very dark. Fortunately, the GR logo on the three-spoke steering wheel and the aluminum pedals are there to give a touch of sportiness. The seats even seem to be less enveloping than in a hybrid Corolla GR Sport! But the “real” GR is still entitled to a new 12.3-inch digital instrumentation developed especially for it to display information such as turbo pressure.
Not enough to impress the Golf, which has two 10-inch tiles almost juxtaposed. A controversial 100% digital interface that it shares with the rest of the range. In its R version, it adds a few touches of blue and aluminum or a flat steering wheel. Not to mention bucket seats, which are not, however, covered in leather as standard. This time, however, it is the Mégane RS which most quickly shows its difference with the other petrol variants. by its red marker at the top of the steering wheel, its stitching in the same color, its (faux) carbon inserts or even its large fixed paddles behind the steering wheel.
Engine: A three-cylinder against two four-legged
In this chapter so crucial for a sports compact, the GR Corolla may at first seem beaten in advance. It is indeed the only one to be satisfied with a three-cylinder, with a fairly modest displacement of 1.6 l. But this engine, already 261 hp strong in the little sister GR Yaris, has gained muscle here again. This G16E-GTS now develops more than 100 hp per cylinder, or 304 hp, for a torque of 370 Nm. It therefore has nothing to be ashamed of in the face of the Renault Mégane RS’s four-cylinder 1.8 l Turbo, which is gratified with 300 hp and 420 Nm. On the other hand, the Golf R keeps a certain head start with its “big” four-legged 2.0 turbo, with 320 hp and 420 Nm. In return, the German is also the heaviest of the trio, with 1,554 kg empty while its two competitors remain below the 1,500 kg mark.
Chassis/transmission: one traction against two 4 x 4
Here, it’s the French who seems to leave with a handicap: she is the only one to send all her cavalry to the front wheels. But, thanks to its self-locking differential, standard on the Trophy version or by taking the Cup chassis option, it is already difficult to fault its traction. While it can count on its steered rear wheels, unique in the segment, to offer a sensation of formidable agility in tight turns. Like its predecessors, the Golf R remains faithful to four-wheel drive. This does not prevent the recipe from changing significantly: two clutches controlled on the rear axle now allow you to modulate the distribution of torque between the rear wheels to curb understeer, or even perform some very smoking figures in Drift mode. This evokes the Ford Focus 3 RS or Mercedes-AMG A 45 S. But our extreme test at the Nürburgring revealed to us that the chassis of this German continued to put efficiency before sensations.
Flying in hand, the Japanese rival therefore has a good chance of being more entertaining. It uses the same GR-Four all-wheel drive as the GR Yaris, featuring three different modes and capable of sending up to 70% of torque to the rear wheels to offer a temperament close to that of a propulsion. The Circuit Edition goes even further by adding two Torsen self-locking differentials front and rear. Despite a weight increase of nearly 200 kg, we can thus hope to find a good part of the excellent sensations offered by the little sister GR Yaris Track, equipped with the same panoply.
But it is also in the way of changing gears that the difference could be made, since the Corolla is only available with a six-speed manual transmission, with a function simulating an automatic heel/toe. Quite the opposite of its two adversaries, who decided to keep only a double-clutch transmission in their offer… at least in Europe. Across the Atlantic, where the Mégane is not marketed, Volkswagen still allows you to order with a “good old” lever. A choice that may surprise in the kingdom of the automatic transmission, but which is far from unusual on the sports cars sold in the country of Uncle Sam.
Price: a match impossible to arbitrate
As mentioned in the preamble, the GR Corolla will normally never come to Europe. At least not officially: a few individuals and a few specialized companies will doubtless attempt the adventure of importing on an isolated basis. But, between the costs of approval, those of transport, customs fees and the margin to be cleared in the event of passage by a professional, the addition should fly away by summits. If this Toyota had come to us through the official route, it would have been murdered anyway by the ecological malus in France. Despite its lightness, the GR Yaris already pays more than €10,000 in tax! In this area, the Japanese compact would therefore have risked doing even worse than the Mégane RS, which is already struggling to interest buyers since it was penalized by a deterrent penalty: count a minimum of €12,012 in 2022. The price of this Renault does not help to panic the sales figures either, with an addition starting at 44,000 €, even 49 €000 in Trophy. The Golf R is even more greedy on this point, with pricing starting at €52,180 despite less complete equipment. But it largely compensates for this difference thanks to a lower ecological tax, between €6,039 and €10,980 depending on the equipment.
Conclusion: a match that is too virtual
The most powerful three-cylinder engine on the market, sophisticated all-wheel drive that works wonders on the GR Yaris, a body-built look… on paper, the GR Corolla has everything to shake up the sports compact segment. Even if no performance figures have yet been announced, its characteristics seem largely up to those of the Volkswagen Golf R and Renault Mégane RS It is however impossible to decide between similar competitors without taking the wheel, preferably on a winding road. and on the circuit. A very real match that we would obviously have loved to offer you, but which risks remaining quite utopian given the decision not to import the GR Corolla into Europe. Who is dedicated to launching a petition to push Toyota to change its mind?
TO READ. Renault Mégane RS: end clap in 2023
