Toyota just made the GR Yaris beast even more powerful. Alongside several improvements, its 1.6L three-cylinder unit, instead of 260hp/ 360 Nm, now produces a massive 300hp of power and 400Nm of torque and comes paired with an 8-speed Gazoo Racing transmission and all-wheel drive.
Related: Toyota Unveils Evolved GR Yaris with Even More Power
But in Japan, the base variant called GR Yaris RS is the complete opposite. Although it may look like the full-fat variant on the outside, the GR Yaris RS gets a very basic 1.5L engine good for 118 hp and 145 Nm under its hood and is paired with a CVT gearbox that powers the front wheels only.
The GR Yaris RS is far less expensive than its much more powerful twin brother with a price tag of 2,650,000 yen, which is just over $18,000. On the other hand, the actual GR Yaris goes as high as 4,560,000 yen (almost $31,000) in its pre-facelift guise whereas the price of the recently unveiled facelift is yet to be revealed.
Although the GR Yaris RS may appear to be identical to the actual Yaris hot hatch to the untrained eye, a few characteristics reveal its actual nature. For instance, the speedometer on the performance hatch reaches 280 km/h, but in GR Yaris RS, it only reaches 180 km/h.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
