Introduced for the 2015 model year, the current-generation Toyota Yaris is one of the most popular hatchbacks in its class and is already considered one of the most reliable and cost-friendly options on the market. However, Toyota has received a lot of heat for not offering a higher-performance version to go against the likes of the Ford Fiesta ST and Volkswagen Polo GTi. Well, it seems that the Japanese automaker listened and the 2017 facelift brought the first performance-oriented version of the Yaris. It’s called the Yaris GRMN and broke cover at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.
Inspired and influenced by Toyota’s return to the World Rally Championship in 2017 with the Yaris WRC, the GRMN gets its juice (surprisingly enough) from a supercharged engine and it’s the company’s first foray into a niche dominated by Volkswagen and Ford. Developed with Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s motorsport division, and tested on the Nurburgring, the Yaris might have what it takes to give the Polo GTi and Fiesta ST a run for the money.
Having a new performance, subcompact hatchback in dealerships is as exciting as it gets, but the Yaris GRMN needs to check a few important boxes in order to make a difference. Find out more about that in my review below.
Continue reading to learn more about the Toyota Yaris GRMN.
Exterior
As seen in the preview renderings, the GRMN is a slightly beefed-up Yaris. The first thing that catches the eye is the more aggressive front fascia, the reworked nose, and the revised headlamps. Starting below, the already large trapezoidal grille has grown even bigger. The opening is wider at the bottom, while the grille has a sporty honeycomb mesh. The cutouts that house the foglamps have been redesigned too, with thinner black trim toward the headlamps. The foglamps are new too. However, it should be noted that these features are identical to the regular, facelifted Yaris, so the GRMN isn’t necessarily more aggressive up front. The truth is that the GRMN doesn’t offer much beyond the red stripe below the grille and the black and red accents on the engine hood.
The same is available when the Yaris GRMN is viewed from the side, but there are a few exceptions to talk about. For starters, the GRMN rides on unique wheels. Sporting a multi-spoke design inspired from racing, the rims are finished in black and provide a great contrast with the white body. Speaking of the body, the same black and red decals seen in the engine hood adorns the lower section, just above the side skirts. One final touch is the “GRMN” badge on the front fenders, with the “G” and “R” over black and red backgrounds, respectively. The black mirror caps add to the looks too, but this is yet another feature that’s also available on the standard Yaris, along with a black roof.
The first thing that catches the eye is the more aggressive front fascia, the reworked nose, and the revised headlamps.
Around back is where the facelifted Yaris gained the most changes, so the GRMN benefits from an identical update. While the outgoing model had small taillights on each side of the tailgate, the units are now larger and extend well into the trunk lid. The bumper was also redesigned, now including smaller black inserts at the bottom and triangular detailing at the corners. On top of that, the GRMN sports an aggressive, diffuser-like element with a center-mounted exhaust and a large, black-painted roof spoiler.
Overall, the Yaris GRMN isn’t as sporty looking as I wanted it to be, especially up front, but the overall package is decent given that neither the Polo GTi and Fiesta ST aren’t exactly menacing to look at.
Interior
A quick comparo to the outgoing Yaris reveals a mildly updated dashboard with a revised control layout under the infotainment screen. Toyota also introduced new materials for the upholstery, new color schemes, new trim, and a refined infotainment interface. There’s also a 4.2-inch TFT display in the instrument cluster for the more expensive models, including the GRMN. On top of these standard-spec features, the GRMN gained a pair of sports seats specifically designed for this car by Toyota Boshoku, a leather-wrapped steering wheel taken from the GT86 sports car, and aluminum sport pedals. Granted, it doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s actually a big deal to have sporty seats and steering wheel in the tiny Yaris.
Drivetrain
Arguably the most important feature of the Yaris GRMN is the drivetrain, because the usual small displacement engine found in the hatchback has been replaced by a supercharged, 1.8-liter four-cylinder unit. Rated at “more than 207” horsepower — an official figure is not yet available — and mated to a six-speed manual transmission, it promises to deliver “best-in-class times both for the sprint from nought to 100 km/h and acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h in fourth gear.” Specific data is not yet available, but the GRMN needs to hit 62 mph in less than 6.5 seconds for this statement to be true.
As far as output goes, it’s pretty solid compared to the 189-horsepower rating of the Volkswagen Polo GTi and the 197-horsepower rating of the new Ford Fiesta ST.
Arguably the most important feature of the Yaris GRMN is the drivetrain, because the usual small displacement engine found in the hatchback has been replaced by a supercharged, 1.8-liter four-cylinder unit.
The drivetrain is backed by a custom, reinforced chassis with additional bracing, a suspension system tuned through extensive testing at the Nurburgring track with input from Gazoo Racing, and a Torsen limited-slip differential. Shorter springs, dedicated shock absorbers developed with Sachs, a larger diameter front stabilizer bar, and performance brakes round off the package.
The “extensive testing on the Nurburgring” bit sounds interesting to say the least and it could brings us a pretty capable Yaris. A ’Ring lap time would definitely be interesting, but either Toyota 
isn’t planning on releasing a video or it should go online later this year, closer to the car’s launch date.
Prices
Not surprisingly, pricing information is not available at this point. However, with the GRMN set to become the range-topping model, it will the most expensive Yaris in the lineup. Depending on trim and configuration, the Yaris fetches between £11,495 and £18,315, so it’s safe to assume that the GRMN will cost more than that. The sticker should sit around the £19,000 mark, which would but it in the same range as the Polo GTi and Fiesta ST. Given that the Yaris doesn’t have any tradition as a performance hatch, it would be wise for Toyota to keep the price below £20,000.
Competition
Volkswagen Polo GTi
Launched in 2015, the current GTi is based on the fifth-generation Polo, which has been around for nearly eight years as of 2017. But even though the small hatchback will be redesigned for 2018, the GTi will soldier on for at least two more years and will clash with the Yaris GRMN once the Toyota arrives in showrooms. Essentially a slightly sportier looking version of the standard Polo, it stands out by means of aggressive bumpers, a red stripe and badge on the front grille, and unique wheels. Motivation is provided by a turbocharged, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 189 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, which sends power to the wheels through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG. Sprinting from 0 to 60 mph takes 6.7 seconds. The Polo GTi is available in both three- and five-door versions, with pricing starting from £19,430.
Find out more about the Volkswagen Polo GTi here.
Ford Fiesta ST
The Yaris GRMN arrives just in time for the redesigned Fiesta ST. Based on the brand-new Fiesta with sportier exterior styling, it benefits from a more upmarket interior with new features. Upgrades include a revised Ford SYNC 3 entertainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Recaro seats, and exclusive trim and upholstery. The biggest change lies under the hood, where the 1.6-liter four-cylinder was replaced by a 1.5-liter, EcoBoost three-pot. But even though it now uses a tiny three-cylinder, the Fiesta ST is plenty powerful at 197 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque. The output is actually identical to the outgoing model, so performance remains the same, but Ford promises improved fuel economy. Expect pricing to start from around £19,000 in the U.K. and around $22,300 in the United States.
Learn more about the Ford Fiesta ST here.
Conclusion
A performance-oriented Toyota Yaris is the best news that comes from this niche in a very long time. With only the Polo GTi and the Fiesta ST around for quite a few years, you don’t have too many options, unless you’re willing to spend more for the slightly bigger Mini Cooper JCW. Hyundai may too launch a beefed-up i20 soon, but with no official announcement yet, it’s pretty clear that this segment will remain limited as far as options go for a few more years. The Yaris GRMN will definitely add a bit of excitement to the race, as well as give Volkswagen and Ford something to worry about.
Press Release
The new Yaris GRMN is more than a simple hot hatch, it is a thoroughbred performance model that directly benefits from the engineering and tuning skills Toyota is developing in its motorsport programme. Powered by a new, 1.8-litre supercharged engine producing more than 210 DIN hp, it promises speed, poise and rich driver rewards.
The new Yaris GRMN is an authentic, full-blooded and highly tuned hot hatch, inspired and influenced by Toyota’s return to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2017 with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and the Yaris WRC after a 17-year break from the competition. The WRC is the pinnacle of the sport and is sure to provide Toyota with new challenges and opportunities to further develop its people, explore new technologies, and experience various road conditions around the world, helping it in its pursuit of making ever-better cars.
The motorsport influence is displayed in dedicated performance features that broadcast the car’s special qualities, both in its exterior styling and its driver-focused interior. It also sports unique paint finish – white with red and black flash detailing on the bonnet and sills, echoing the livery of the thoroughbred rally car.
Toyota called on its European teams to design the Yaris GRMN and develop its engine and interior, while responsibility for the chassis and braking system fell to colleagues in Japan. Production will be handled by Toyota Motor Manufacturing France’s plant in Valenciennes.
Although successful GRMN performance models have previously been sold in Japan, the Yaris GRMN is the first to be marketed in Europe, on sale from early 2018.
Supercharged engine
The Yaris GRMN is unique in the European hot hatch market in being powered by a supercharged engine. This highly responsive 1.8-litre unit will produce more than 210 DIN hp, driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and enabling best-in-class times both for the sprint from nought to 100 km/h and acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h in fourth gear.
Chassis and suspension
To ensure the engine’s prodigious power is translated into a genuinely rewarding drive, the Yaris GRMN has a reinforced chassis with additional bracing, including an extra bar between the front suspension towers.
It benefits from suspension tuned through extensive testing on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife with significant input from Toyota GAZOO Racing’s motorsport activities, plus a Torsen limited-slip differential for better traction and handling. Shorter springs allow the car to hug the ground more closely and these are teamed with dedicated shock absorbers developed with Sachs and a larger diameter front stabiliser bar.
The car is also equipped with highly efficient performance brakes, with large ventilated discs and four-pot front callipers.
Sports styling
The Yaris GRMN’s performance credentials are clearly broadcast in its styling. Offered exclusively in three-door form, it rides on BBS 17-inch multi-spoke alloys and is fitted with a bespoke, black wing-type rear spoiler.
The features included dedicated front and rear bumper designs, a rear diffuser and a distinctive centre exhaust tailpipe.
The cabin is an equal expression of the Yaris GRMN’s performance focus, with front sports seats designed specifically for the car by Toyota Boshoku, providing the best-in-class body holding and support.
The authentic performance details include a small-diameter, leather-wrapped steering wheel – shared with the GT86 – that incorporates a centre line mark to help the driver with accurate car positioning. There is also an aluminium sports pedal set and a redesigned combi meter that reflect the car’s special sporting character.