The Toyota GR Yaris facelift is coming to the market in Japan this spring with a new eight-speed automatic option now available alongside the old six-speed manual.
The company claims it designed the 8AT called GR-DAT specifically for the Yaris hot hatch. Tighter gear ratios enable it to realize the potential of the 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine under the hood better than the manual gearbox could. Optimized transmission software can pick the best gears at all times by analyzing the driver’s behavior and even predicting their next actions.
New pistons, sensors and higher boost pressure allow the 1.6-liter GR Yaris mill to pump out 304 PS (300 hp / 224 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque in its newest design iteration – a sizable bump from the original 272 PS (268 hp / 200 kW) and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft). The pre-facelift version of the car could sprint 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 5.5 seconds; it is unclear how much faster its successor is.
On the exterior side of things, larger air intakes in the new front bumper make cooling more efficient overall. Extra welding points result in a more rigid body, and the taillights look different, too.
Inside, the center console is tilted 15 degrees towards the driver. It manages to house an infotainment system display, a climate control panel and engine start/emergency light buttons, which are now easier to notice and reach. Toyota says you can now push either button easily even when buckled up with a multi-point safety harness.
The driver’s seat is also mounted 25 mm (1 inch) lower now than before. The 12.3-inch digital dash screen is the same as in the latest GR Corolla.
