Strap in folks, there’s a new Toyota GR Yaris in town. Already a 10/10 hot hatch in TG’s humble opinion, the Japanese carmaker has returned to the drawing board and come back with something even racier than before. The headlines are: the turbocharged 1.6-litre 3cyl engine remains, but a host of mods see max power climb from 257bhp to 276bhp and torque rise from 266 to 288lb ft.
A stronger valvetrain, sturdier exhaust valve material, increased fuel injection pressure and new lightweight pistons with wear resistant rings all help the GR Yaris take more of a thrashing for longer. All rigorously tested in the Japanese Rally Championship, naturally. Meanwhile rigidity is up, the suspension has been toughened and its spring rates revised.