EPISODE · Nov 17, 2020 · 19 MIN
Should you buy a GR Yaris AWD homologation special (is it a good investment)?
from AutoExpert · host John Cadogan
Should you bite the bullet and indulge your inner ‘boy racer’ … and buy a GR Yaris? Just associating the word ‘Yaris’ with anything even vaguely desirable does feel odd. Gotta say. And will it be a decent investment? There’s that to consider. Save thousands on any new car (Australia-only): https://autoexpert.com.au/contact AutoExpert discount roadside assistance package: https://247roadservices.com.au/autoexpert/ Did you like this report? You can help support the channel, securely via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=DSL9A3MWEMNBW&source=url The GR is essentially not a Yaris at all - at least not as we expect it. It’s a full-on WRC homologation special. Completely different body - three doors. Plus it’s lower and wider and lighter. It’s got 260 more spot welds and 15 metres more adhesive - and a carbon fibre roof. (All of which keep it stiffer.) Massive grille, twin exhaust, world’s most powerful turbo petrol three-cylinder engine. 1.6 litres. So, they’re big cylinders. I like three cylinders, too - literally half of a straight six. And there’s an out-of-balance rotating couple that tends to make them rock longitudinally. So they’re typically categorised as ‘raucous’ - which a lot of cars need to mask. But not this one, clearly. 200 kilowatts and 360 Newton-metres - and the turbo makes it pretty punchy over about 3000rpm. Five and a bit seconds to 100, kinda thing. Proper AWD, too. Not this part-time rubbish. Defaults to 60;40 drive (front to rear) but if you select ‘Sport’ mode you can get 70 per cent of the drive at the rear, or opt for 50:50 in ‘Track’ mode. Full independent rear, too. Big brakes. 18-inch alloys running Pilot Sport 4S Michelins. What I’m essentially saying is: Proper driver’s car. For a change, from Toyota. It’s a six-speed manual, with rev-matching (which you can turn off if you want to go ‘old school’ and heel-and-toe). And you can turn the ESC off if you want to recalibrate your ‘slide rule’. And an old-fashioned ‘pull-up’ handbrake, which (if activated while in motion) de-couples the AWD system. Goodness me - why would anyone want to do that? (It would be a travesty having an electronic handbrake on a car such as this.) It’s even got radar cruise - which is pretty rare in a manual. Bottom line - buying a car like this is a love thing. And you don’t have to rationalise love. Personally I’d love to carve up a rich wanker in an A45 AMG in a Yaris. In the wet. On the outside. That would be just one of those enduring, special moments. So, buy this car if you love it. If it moves you … you know [LOOK DOWN] down there. Don’t justify it to yourself as an investment. That’s about as real as the Easter Bunny.
What this episode covers
Should you bite the bullet and indulge your inner ‘boy racer’ … and buy a GR Yaris? Just associating the word ‘Yaris’ with anything even vaguely desirable does feel odd. Gotta say. And will it be a decent investment? There’s that to consider. Save thousands on any new car (Australia-only): https://autoexpert.com.au/contact AutoExpert discount roadside assistance package: https://247roadservices.com.au/autoexpert/ Did you like this report? You can help support the channel, securely via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=DSL9A3MWEMNBW&source=url The GR is essentially not a Yaris at all - at least not as we expect it. It’s a full-on WRC homologation special. Completely different body - three doors. Plus it’s lower and wider and lighter. It’s got 260 more spot welds and 15 metres more adhesive - and a carbon fibre roof. (All of which keep it stiffer.) Massive grille, twin exhaust, world’s most powerful turbo petrol three-cylinder engine. 1.6 litres. So, they’re big cylinders. I like three cylinders, too - literally half of a straight six. And there’s an out-of-balance rotating couple that tends to make them rock longitudinally. So they’re typically categorised as ‘raucous’ - which a lot of cars need to mask. But not this one, clearly. 200 kilowatts and 360 Newton-metres - and the turbo makes it pretty punchy over about 3000rpm. Five and a bit seconds to 100, kinda thing. Proper AWD, too. Not this part-time rubbish. Defaults to 60;40 drive (front to rear) but if you select ‘Sport’ mode you can get 70 per cent of the drive at the rear, or opt for 50:50 in ‘Track’ mode. Full independent rear, too. Big brakes. 18-inch alloys running Pilot Sport 4S Michelins. What I’m essentially saying is: Proper driver’s car. For a change, from Toyota. It’s a six-speed manual, with rev-matching (which you can turn off if you want to go ‘old school’ and heel-and-toe). And you can turn the ESC off if you want to recalibrate your ‘slide rule’. And an old-fashioned ‘pull-up’ handbrake, which (if activated while in motion) de-couples the AWD system. Goodness me - why would anyone want to do that? (It would be a travesty having an electronic handbrake on a car such as this.) It’s even got radar cruise - which is pretty rare in a manual. Bottom line - buying a car like this is a love thing. And you don’t have to rationalise love. Personally I’d love to carve up a rich wanker in an A45 AMG in a Yaris. In the wet. On the outside. That would be just one of those enduring, special moments. So, buy this car if you love it. If it moves you … you know [LOOK DOWN] down there. Don’t justify it to yourself as an investment. That’s about as real as the Easter Bunny.
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Should you buy a GR Yaris AWD homologation special (is it a good investment)?
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