Hot Toyota GR Corolla Gets an Automatic for 2025, and a Whole Lot More

We understand: You drive daily in Los Angeles’ incessant stop-and-go traffic, and you just couldn’t stomach owning a car with a manual transmission when you spend so much time in first, and if you’re lucky, second gear.

So that’s why you haven’t bought a Toyota GR Corolla! As slick as its rev-matching, six-speed manual transmission is, it’s still a manual transmission.

Well, rejoice, because the rumors were true—Toyota is indeed offering an automatic transmission for the 2025 GR Corolla, which is due sometime this winter. And it isn’t just any slushbox; it’s an 8-speed Gazoo Racing Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT) with paddle shifters. Gazoo, of course, is Toyota’s racing research and development arm.

That close-ratio transmission, Toyota says, “is a sports car enthusiast’s dream, offering quick-shifting performance and optimal gear selection.” It’s different from the automatic in the GR Supra and GR86, where shifting largely relies on sensing vehicle behavior, such as deceleration g-force and speed. “The DAT’s optimized software delicately senses the way the driver steps on the brakes and operates the accelerator. With these inputs, it anticipates when gear shifting is optimal even before changes in vehicle behavior occur, achieving gear selection that reflects the driver’s intentions and, thus, leads to shifting that is similar to that of professional drivers.” Hmmm.

There are four drive modes on the all-wheel-drive GR Corolla: Sport, Normal, Eco, and Custom. The DAT, Toyota says, was tuned specifically for the Sport mode. “It was tested and driven all over the world, including race circuits, to ensure exciting performance and maximize the driving potential.”

Besides the optional DAT (the six-speed manual remains standard), there are other improvements, as Toyota and Gazoo were bent on fixing things we didn’t notice were broken. The GR Corolla is still powered by the turbocharged G16E-GTS 1.6-liter, three-cylinder engine, which still pumps out 300 horsepower at 6500 rpm. But now there’s 295 lb-ft of torque, up from 273.

During testing at the Toyota-owned Fuji International Speedway, the engineers wanted to improve traction during hard cornering, so they added rebound springs to the front and rear to suppress inner wheel lift. The rear coils and stabilizers were also tweaked to help improve ground contact response and controllability when turning. “The trailing arm mounting point,” Toyota says, “which is the rotation center of the rear axle, has been raised to reduce rear squat during acceleration. This has reduced the change of vehicle posture, enhancing the drive force response when the accelerator is pressed. It also enables a stable cornering posture.”

Torsen limited-slip differentials will be standard for 2025. Launch control will also be added for DAT models.

Clearly, Toyota and Gazoo are anticipating that even the DAT-equipped cars will be spending time on racetracks. The front bumper has been redesigned to accommodate optional cooling components while retaining aerodynamic performance.

An automatic transmission fluid cooler comes standard on DAT vehicles, and if you think you may need even greater cooling capability, a sub-radiator is available as a factory-installed option on the Premium model and standard on the new Premium Plus grade (Core remains the entry-level model). Premium Plus, which apparently replaces the Circuit Edition, also gets you a carbon fiber roof, a “vented bulge hood” and matte-black wheels.

On the inside, not much news, but Toyota promises “a new dark sporty vibe due to the new trim finishes on flat surfaces and switches throughout the vehicle to provide a pleasing tactile feel.”

Pricing and “additional details” on the 2025 model arrive later this year, Toyota says. The 2024 Toyota GR Corolla Core starts at $37,595, including $1095 shipping.