Credit where credit is due to Toyota. While many manufacturers would have launched a niche car like the GR Corolla only to forget it after two or three years, Toyota has continuously improved its sport compact every year since its launch in 2023. In 2024, it received aerodynamic improvements, and in 2025, its torque increased by 22 lb-ft, its suspension was optimized, and an automatic option arrived. The pace isn’t slowing for 2026, but unfortunately, all these refinements have had an inverse relationship with the model’s price.
A Significant Price Surge
Before detailing the 2026 model’s improvements, it’s important to highlight how much more expensive this car has become since its debut in late 2022. At launch, the base version, then called “Core,” was available for under $37,000, including delivery fees. The fully-equipped Circuit edition, with a forged carbon fiber roof, started at under $44,000. Today, the cheapest GR Corolla costs $41,115, and its Circuit equivalent, now named Premium Plus, starts at $47,160.
| 2026 GR Corolla Price | 2023 GR Corolla Price | |
| Base/Core MT | $41,115 | $36,995 |
| Base/Core AT | $43,115 | N/A |
| Premium Plus/Circuit MT | $47,160 | $43,995 |
| Premium Plus/Circuit AT | $49,160 | N/A |
You’ll need to step up to the Premium Plus level to get luxuries like faux-suede seats. At the same time, it would be negligent not to point out that today’s GR Corolla offers more than the 2023 model. Beyond the torque increase and chassis improvements, front and rear limited-slip differentials were not standard on all models back then, unlike today.
Nevertheless, we’re talking about a $4,120 increase for the entry-level model and a $3,165 increase for a fully-loaded version. Add the automatic transmission, and you’re nearing $50,000 for a Corolla, which truly reflects the current times.
A Questioned Competitive Positioning
Another point to consider: the GR Corolla previously offered access to a high-end sport compact in the $35,000 to $40,000 range. This made a difference compared to the Honda Civic Type R and the Volkswagen Golf R, but that gap has narrowed, and the Hyundai Elantra N has arguably taken its place. For 2025, the Civic Type R cost $47,090 and the Golf R started at $48,325. Both these models offer active dampers, which the GR still lacks. At an equal price, is Toyota’s offering better? This question was less crucial when saving a few thousand dollars, but now, customers must think about it.
Technical New Features of the 2026 Model
What does the 2026 model year bring to the GR Corolla? It now features “45.6 feet of additional structural adhesive” around the body, supposedly to improve rigidity. There is also a new secondary air intake duct, aimed at keeping engine temperatures low during sporty driving – an area where the owner community found the car somewhat ill-equipped. Inside, the Premium Plus trim receives a more powerful JBL audio system including a subwoofer. The infotainment screen is still only 8 inches with large bezels, whereas regular Corollas have more modern equipment. These aren’t the main reasons to buy this car, but for daily use, these details matter.
And What About the Radical GRMN Version?
So that’s the 2026 GR Corolla lineup, but it’s not the *complete* lineup. Toyota promised months ago a model with “track-focused enhancements,” supposed to bear the GRMN badge. And guess what, images of the GRMN-badged vehicle taken at a recent dealer event have already been removed from social media. The suspense, much like Toyota’s profit margins on this model, is intensifying.
Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com