Among a host of other changes, the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla now has an 8-speed “Direct Automatic Transmission,” or DAT. Is it better than whipping the Corolla with a good ol’ six-speed? That answer is going to depend on the person. My close friend who needs hand controls? Well, he’s going to say that a GR Corolla with an automatic transmission is better than not having one at all. Can I say the same? No. It’s all about perspective.
So, why buy the automatic? For starters, it is a hell of a lot faster than the very same car with a six-speed manual transmission. This is an old story, but the new tech is faster than you. It was the story for John Henry and it’s the story now. Toyota has even integrated a launch control function to ensure the new 8-speed torque converter auto is faster than you are off the line. We only got to try it once, though, and it’s a bit concerning that Toyota wouldn’t allow repeated launches. I wouldn’t go and do repeated launches in one of these for that very reason.
Regardless, models equipped with an AT also benefit from a new sub-radiator that’ll enhance cooling — a historic weak point of the Corolla. It doesn’t solve the diffs overheating during extra long track sessions, however, and I suspect this is why we were limited to one lap at a time on Charlotte Motor Speedway. Nevertheless, the automatic also fixes one other problem: the Corolla’s wonky pedals. In the six-speed, I struggle to accurately rev-match because the brake pedal feels higher and further away from the gas pedal. No such problem when the robot is downshifting. Moreover, I was never denied a shift while on track in the Corolla. The transmission feels quick enough, and it's a massive upgrade over just about any automatic in a Toyota (Supra notwithstanding).
(Full disclosure: Toyota invited us to North Carolina to test the Corolla, and took care of our housing, flights, and meals.)
The automatic isn’t the only story for the new GR Corolla, though. That new sub-radiator and the cooling issues that surfaced during the Corolla’s introduction have led to a new bumper that’ll feed more air to the Corolla’s frenetic three-cylinder. Speaking of the 1.6-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder, it sees a slight bump in torque, up 22 lb-ft to 295.
The powertrain and its transmissions spin all four wheels, though front and rear limited-slip differentials are now standard this year. On top of that, Toyota updated the trailing arm pickup point, raising it for better cornering stability. In addition, a new helper spring in the rear damper and a new sway bar help control squat under hard acceleration and smooth the rear out in corners. Trims have also been restructured with the introduction of a new top-of-the-line Premium Plus trim and the death of the Circuit trim. The former, as well as the middling Premium trim, gets a forged carbon roof as standard.
The changes are extensive, but the GR Corolla is still the same riotous little hatch its always been. On the street, the experience is dominated by intake noise and a complete lack of any forgiveness in the suspension. It’s also quite loud inside, and frankly, Toyota’s pretty poor audio system doesn’t help to drown out wind and tire noise.
Meanwhile, on the track, the GR Corolla is exactly what it needs to be. I’m sure that the automatic is faster, especially now that the Track settings for the differentials shuffle around torque to the axle that’s got the most grip. This isn’t the most fun way around Charlotte Motor Speedway, but the car is beautifully neutral under almost any circumstance while that over-firm suspension becomes just what you need. The Corolla is blindingly quick with its new transmission, but I didn’t have a spare second to do anything but knock tenths off my time.
Enter: the Corolla at its best. Move the differential settings over the Gravel, which puts 70 power of the power to the rear axle, leaving the remaining 30 power up front, and opt for the six-speed. Flip off the traction control, and you can exit pretty much any corner sideways without really being too worried about turning into a $42,000 Beyblade. This is hilariously entertaining, but I’d bet my lap was a good 4-8 seconds slower. You’ve also got more time to listen to the three-cylinder while rowing your own, and that’s a good thing. This is quite easily the most angry-sounding turbo engine I’ve ever driven, and while I didn’t notice the extra torque, I certainly did appreciate the various intake and exhaust noises produced by the powertrain.
Everyone’s least favorite part is, of course, ponying up the cash for one. Toyota is asking a lot of money for one of these now, and prices have steadily climbed over the last few years. A GR Corolla Core with the manual will run you $42,575 (MT) or $44,575 for the auto. But the one I drove at Charlotte all day was eye-watering, coming in at $47,125 for the stick and $48,650 for the DAT. This car is now more expensive than the Civic Type R ($43,990), my hot hatch benchmark. The Civic is a markedly more serious car, but even with stable, safe, and serious all-wheel drive, the Corolla manages to be much more fun.
Fun is the biggest reason to buy the GR Corolla, and it always has been. If we’re being honest, all the automatic had to do was not subtract from what makes the Corolla great. By and large, it doesn’t. You can still get the hot hatch sideways whenever you want, and it’ll set a better lap time. Mission accomplished, I say. Though if I wake up with $48,000 in the bank tomorrow I’m still going to order the car with a six-speed.
[Images © 2024 Chase Bierenkoven/TTAC.com]
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