2025 Toyota GR Corolla price and specs: Eight-speed auto, more torque, price hike for hot hatch

• 2025 Toyota GR Corolla pricing and specifications
• Eight-speed automatic transmission added to GR Corolla line-up
• Torque increase, improved cooling, carbon-fibre roof for manual and auto
• Priced from $67,990 before on-road costs

The updated 2025 Toyota GR Corolla all-wheel-drive hot hatch is on sale now in Australia with a newly-optional automatic transmission.

Due in local showrooms soon, the five-door GR Corolla receives the option of a “close-ratio” eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission for $2500 more than the existing six-speed manual.

It is on top of a price rise for the manual model of $3800, which now starts from $67,990 plus on-road costs – and sees the flagship automatic near $75,000 drive-away.

The GR Corolla changes follow an update to the smaller three-door GR Yaris due to launch in Australia with an eight-speed automatic in mid-2025, around 18 months after its global reveal in January 2024.

Toyota says the eight-speed automatic has been developed – and durability-tested – for circuit and rally driving with input from Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers.

Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are fitted to the automatic GR Corolla, along with a gear selector borrowed from standard Corolla variants with a manual shift mode.

The GR Corolla automatic includes a launch start control feature, while cooling fins have been added to parts of the transmission case susceptive to high temperatures to “repeatedly withstand hard use”.

Automatic and manual versions of the GR Corolla benefit from an update to the 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine with a 30Nm torque boost to 400Nm, matching the updated GR Yaris.

Power remains unchanged at 221kW for the GR Corolla.

A redesigned front bumper with a wider grille delivers optimised cooling performance to the brake ducts, sub-radiator and automatic transmission fluid cooler.

Ducts on the outer edges of the front bumper have been added to “prevent airflow disturbance along the side of the vehicle”, which is said to improve aerodynamic efficiency.

A carbon-fibre roof previously restricted in Australia to the now-sold-out Morizo Edition is now fitted to standard GR Corolla variants, plus a new front suspension member, resulting in a 13kg weight decrease.

Additional tweaks for 2025 include active noise cancellation “to reduce unwanted engine noises”, and an updated infotainment system with wireless Android Auto support joining the existing wireless Apple CarPlay feature.

Automatic versions include a more advanced adaptive cruise control system with stop-and-go support, and a low-speed autonomous emergency braking system with object and vehicle detection in forward and reverse when parking.

Pricing for the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS manual has increased by $3800 to $67,990 before on-road costs, while the new automatic variant is priced from $70,490 – or likely close to about $75,000 drive-away, depending on where it is registered.

For context, a Honda Civic Type R manual costs $74,100 drive-away while the soon-to-be-updated Volkswagen Golf R dual-clutch auto is $70,590 before on-road costs.

The updated 2025 Toyota GR Corolla GTS hot hatch is on sale now in manual and automatic form.

• GR Corolla GTS manual AWD – $67,990 (up $3800)
• GR Corolla GTS automatic AWD – $70,490 (new)

Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.

• Carbon-fibre roof (new)
• Active noise cancellation (new)
• Wireless Android Auto (new)
• 1.6-litre turbo three-cylinder engine (221kW/400Nm), six-speed manual transmission and selectable all-wheel drive
• Five seats
• 18-inch alloy wheels (cast, not forged)
• Yokohama Advan Apex V601 tyres
• Performance brakes with red calipers
• Torsen limited-slip front and rear differentials
• Vented bonnet and low-rise body-coloured rear spoiler
• Dusk-sensing LED headlights with auto high-beam
• 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless/wired Apple CarPlay, satellite navigation
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Manually-adjustable front sports seats with heating
• Heated leather-trimmed steering wheel
• Leather shift knob and handbrake lever
• Aluminium pedal covers
• Dual-zone automatic climate-control air conditioning
• Proximity-key entry with push-button start
• Head-up display
• Wireless smartphone charging
• Eight-speaker JBL sound system
• Rear privacy glass
• Auto-folding power-operated side mirrors
• Illuminated door handles
• One USB-C port
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Seven airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian/cyclist detection, intersection support
• Lane-keep assist
• Adaptive cruise control (high-speed, no stop and go)
• Speed sign recognition
• Blind-spot monitoring

• Eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission
• Stop-and-go support for adaptive cruise control
• Low-speed autonomous emergency braking (forward and reverse)

• Glacier White – no-cost
• Ebony (black) – no-cost 
• Liquid Mercury – $575
• Feverish Red – $575

Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.

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