Toyota GR Corolla vs Toyota GR Yaris

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Toyota GR Corolla in South Africa

Toyota GR Corolla

1.6T Circuit MT Petrol 6-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 876,100 ex-showroom
⚡ 224 kW 🔧 390 Nm ⛽ 11.2 km/l
VS
Toyota GR Yaris in South Africa

Toyota GR Yaris

1.6T GR-Four Rally 6MT Petrol 6-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 897,400 ex-showroom
⚡ 200 kW 🔧 370 Nm ⛽ 11.5 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance GR Corolla
⛽ Fuel Economy GR Yaris
🛡 Safety GR Corolla
📦 Practicality GR Corolla
🔑 Ownership Tie
GR Corolla starts ZAR 80,900 cheaper GR Corolla from ZAR 816,500 · GR Yaris from ZAR 897,400

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec GR Corolla GR Yaris
Maximum Power 224 kW 200 kW
Maximum Torque 390 Nm 370 Nm
Engine Size 1618 cc 1618 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 11.2 km/l 11.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 155 mm 180 mm
Boot / Load Bay 217 l 174 l
Airbags 8 6
Kerb Weight 1370 kg 1280 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 4 seats
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 3 years / 100 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

GR Corolla and GR Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance GR Corolla +5 pts
Efficiency GR Yaris +2 pts
Safety GR Corolla +8 pts
Practicality GR Corolla +4 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

GR Corolla

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

GR Yaris

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

GR Corolla

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

GR Yaris

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec GR Corolla GR Yaris
Model Introduced Year 2023 2021
Generation First generation GR Corolla on TNGA-C platform with GR performance upgrades First generation GR Yaris – purpose-built WRC homologation road car
Facelift History First generation GR Corolla launched in SA in 2023 High-performance 8AT added to the range in 2023
Facelift Launched Since 2023 2023
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Hatchback Hatchback
Color Note Supersonic Red, White Pearl, Dark Gray Circuit Yellow, White Pearl, Black
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment Hatchback Hatchback
Tare Mass Kg 1370 kg 1280 kg
Vehicle Type Hatchback Hatchback
Spec GR Corolla GR Yaris
Length 4360 mm 3995 mm
Width 1850 mm 1805 mm
Height 1455 mm 1455 mm
Wheelbase 2640 mm 2560 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 155 mm 180 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 50 l
Boot/Cargo Space 217 l 174 l
Kerb Weight 1370 kg 1280 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1770 kg 1620 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 4 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.3 m 5.2 m

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

GR Corolla leads by 3 points

GR Corolla and GR Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 68 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 83% source coverage
68
#1 Index leader

GR Corolla

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Efficiency 43
Performance 90
Efficiency 43
Safety 98
Practicality 52
Ownership 43
Leads by 3 points
65
#2

GR Yaris

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 90 Check Ownership 43
Performance 85
Efficiency 45
Safety 90
Practicality 48
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance GR Corolla +5 Efficiency GR Yaris +2 Safety GR Corolla +8 Practicality GR Corolla +4 Ownership Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

GR Corolla

Performance 90/100
Efficiency 43/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 52/100
Ownership 43/100

GR Yaris

Performance 85/100
Efficiency 45/100
Safety 90/100
Practicality 48/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Toyota GR Corolla leads the catalogue index with 68 pts vs 65 pts for GR Yaris

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, GR Corolla leads. However, GR Yaris may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This GR Corolla and GR Yaris comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: GR Corolla 90 vs GR Yaris 85.

Efficiency index: GR Corolla 43 vs GR Yaris 45.

Safety-equipment index: GR Corolla 98 vs GR Yaris 90.

Practicality index: GR Corolla 52 vs GR Yaris 48.

Ownership-cover index: GR Corolla 43 vs GR Yaris 43.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.