In a world full of crossovers that’s teetering on an EV future, it’s great to see Toyota’s GR Corolla sport compact returning for another year. The model has gotten a big update, bringing an eight-speed automatic transmission into the fold that should open it up to more buyers along with other styling and performance upgrades. The downside is that the GR Corolla’s price has grown, and the automatic makes it even more expensive.
Including the $1,135 destination charge, the 2025 GR Corolla Core with the new eight-speed automatic starts at $41,995. Don’t even think about trying to go for the manual to save a few bucks, as that price has risen as well. A GR Corolla with the six-speed now starts at $39,995 including destination, $2,360 more than the 2024 model year.
Toyota has made some meaningful changes to the GR Corolla for ‘25. The big news is the auto, called the GAZOO Racing Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT), which Toyota says has software that can sense and anticipate driver inputs. The transmission also has closer gear ratios that help optimize power and torque delivery. This is all helped by four new drive modes with the transmission — Normal, Eco, Custom, and Sport — with Toyota saying the Sport mode was specifically tuned for the automatic.
Other changes included a minor refresh to the front fascia that improves airflow and cooling, new brake ducts, updated front and rear differentials, revised suspension tuning, launch control and more torque for the engine. The turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-3 still makes 300 horsepower, but torque is up by 22 pound-feet to a total of 295.
The downside to all of this is that the GR Corolla is now one of the most expensive sport compacts on the market. Buyers will still get to choose between Core and Premium trims, and there’s a new Premium Plus trim too. With pricing up across the board, it now means a loaded GR Corolla is nearly $49,000. The Premium costs $42,575 with the manual or $44,575 with the auto, while the Premium Plus is $46,650 with the manual or $48,650 with the auto.
Depending on spec, the GR Corolla’s pricing is now on par or more expensive than the Honda Civic Type R and the Volkswagen Golf R. If you feel comfortable enough dropping that kind of money on a Corolla, the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla will start arriving at dealerships this fall.