Toyota GR Yaris 2026: prices, versions and specs explained

Toyota's rally-bred hot hatch keeps its 280 hp turbo triple but gains recalibrated steering, retuned suspension and four trims — from the €53,000 Circuit to the limited-run Morizo RR.

Author: Daria Kashirina

18:09 08-07-2026

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Toyota has launched the updated GR Yaris MY2026 in Italy. This isn't a deep restyle for the sake of new headlights, but a precise fine-tuning of a car originally built with rallying in mind: the steering, suspension, transmission and all-wheel drive have all moved closer to what you'd expect from a small sports car with WRC in its character.

At its heart sits the same 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbo engine producing 280 hp. The GR Yaris keeps its GR-Four all-wheel drive and compact three-door body, but for the new model year it gains recalibrated electric power steering, revised suspension and more precise torque distribution between the axles. On the six-speed manual version, the gearbox internals were reinforced to better withstand shock loads. Toyota carried these changes over from real racing environments — Super Taikyu, the Japanese rally scene and the Gazoo Racing program.

The Italian MY2026 range is built around four versions: Circuit, Aero Performance, Ogier 9x World Champion and Morizo RR. Current pricing starts at €53,000. The most interesting versions are more than just “expensive trims”.

The Ogier 9x World Champion Edition is tied to Sébastien Ogier's ninth WRC title, while the Morizo RR was developed with input from Akio Toyoda and is limited to 200 units for Europe and Japan. The Morizo RR uses an eight-speed GR-DAT automatic from the GR Corolla, along with revised suspension and more advanced aerodynamics.

The GR Yaris price is no longer anything like “affordable”, but the point of this car stopped being accessibility long ago. There are almost no compact all-wheel-drive hot hatches left that were created not from an ordinary version with a powerful engine, but as a separate sporting project.

People don't buy the GR Yaris for boot space or soft-touch plastics — they buy it for a rare mechanics of sensation. Toyota could just sell crossovers and hybrids. But as long as the lineup includes a GR Yaris like this, the brand keeps a small, angry machine that reminds us: rally in the DNA sometimes matters more than a big screen in the cabin.