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Somewhere along the road to autonomous Ubers and keyless everything, we forgot what it felt like to drive something imperfect. A car that’s not built to appease the masses, but to provoke a response, good, bad, or brilliant.
The 2023+ Toyota GR Corolla isn’t the sanitized, wind-tunnel-tuned commuter we’re used to. It’s a modern misfit. A rally-bred hatch with turbo torque, three cylinders, and the kind of mechanical chatter that reminds you this is a machine. And machines have quirks.
“I just want to say, I have had dozens of cars over the years, ranging from race cars to luxury cars, and I want to add my 2 cents to the general consensus here… this thing is amazing.
Very special car. Actually shocked that Toyota is making cars like this. I’ll share with you, lovely folks, what I’ve done so far that’s improved and maintained my ownership.
So far, I have 4,500 miles on it. To give you some context, I bought this as my fun daily, something new I can enjoy and not worry about breaking down (I have enough project cars). Also, I am an OEM+ kind of guy, but on a budget lol. Let’s begin:
Kept her under 5,000 RPM until the first oil change at 622 miles with Liqui Moly GF-6A Special Tec 5W-20 and a Toyota filter. (Not trying to start a war, haha, I like their oil and Amazon had a good deal. Don’t overthink it. Any oil that meets the spec will do.)
Did rear diff and transfer case fluid at 2,500 miles. (Read the manual for the type of oil to use.) Not gonna lie, they were dirty. Can’t believe there’s only 0.4 qt of fluid in that transfer case. I’m going to replace it again, maybe at 6,000 miles, just to see the condition.
Mods around 1,000 miles:
Started with full ceramic tint: 20% all around and 70% windshield. Live in SoCal, so really felt the difference this summer.
Next, felt the 1–2 gear shift jerkiness, and thanks to this group, I saw the issue was the pitch mount bushing being really soft from the factory. Did not want to change the whole mount due to cost and NVH, so went with $38 Whiteline inserts, part number KDT985. Figured they will do for now. Super easy install. Really happy with the results. Shifting is much nicer, and jerkiness is like 80% gone.
Next on the cheap/free mods was the exhaust valve mod. Super easy and basically keeps the valve open the whole time. Honestly, much louder than I thought lol. Very happy for a free mod and 100% reversible.
The last mod I’ve done is the gas pedal spacer. IDK if you guys noticed, but it’s hard to rev match smoothly because the gas pedal is so much lower than the brake pedal. I didn’t want the Cusco extender pedal, which I’ve heard good things about and is half the price of the spacer, because I have big feet lol. Bought VF Engineering’s spacer. Issue solved! Easy install.
The only thing left on the mod list will be wheel spacers. Can’t decide on what to get. 15mm front and 25mm rear seem to be the sweet spot. I just don’t want to put in new wheel studs. Anyways, zero issues so far, and I drive the shit out of this thing. I don’t feel like I need more power on the street. Suspension feels amazing. That’s it! Enjoy your cars! Cheers.”
– Brian Meen, 2023+ Toyota GR Corolla Group, Facebook
That jerky 1-2 upshift, which has become a known trait among GR Corolla owners. He solved it with a $38 Whiteline pitch mount insert (part no. KDT985). Not a full mount replacement. Just an insert. “Shifting is much nicer and jerking is like 80% gone,” he writes. And that 20% that remains? That’s flavor. That’s where the bond lives.
Toyota GR Corolla – GR Explained & Brand Context
- “GR” stands for Gazoo Racing – Toyota’s in-house motorsport and high-performance division that also underpins cars like the Supra and bZ4X GR editions
- Born from Nürburgring endurance efforts – GR models are rooted in Toyota’s racing programs, with GR Corolla developed to rally-spec tech and homologation-level build quality
- Symbolizes Toyota’s return to hot‑hatch roots – motor‑sport‑grade dynamics in a compact hatchback are rare from mainstream manufacturers
- Priced thousands above base Corolla – the GR trim commands over 20% price premium compared to conventional Corolla, reflecting its performance enhancements
You could eliminate every vibration and quirk with enough money and bushings, but you’d end up with a car that drives like a spreadsheet. The GR Corolla’s beauty is in what it doesn’t apologize for. When another group member asked if it was tolerable for long drives, Meenshot shot straight:
“It’s no Camry. It’s a proper sports car with 4 doors and AWD. It’s not quiet on the freeway… but the seats are comfy and the transmission is perfection.”
Not every car needs to whisper. Some cars should shout a little.
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It’s the kind of car that invites you to tinker. Meen’s small mods, a VF Engineering gas pedal spacer, ceramic window tint, and a DIY exhaust valve hack, are humble, not flashy. The gas pedal fix in particular was a game-changer: he didn’t like the height difference between the brake and throttle, so he fixed it. “Didn’t want the Cusco extender… I have big feet lol.” Practical, cheap, and immediately effective. He didn’t just improve the driving experience; he personalized it.
And that’s the broader truth here: quirks aren’t just forgivable, they’re essential. Ask anyone who’s lived with a truly great car, and they’ll tell you the oddities are what make it memorable. Vince Spencer, a fellow group member who owns a 9-second Monte Carlo, put it best:
“This car is awesome, not cheap, not a rocket, but the most fun car I’ve ever owned and operated. Just enjoy this car, and then appreciate that it’s a Toyota.”
It’s that rarest of things in 2025, a modern car that makes you feel like a part of the process.
You don’t need a $5,000 turbo kit to make a GR Corolla your own. A free exhaust valve mod and a few hours under the car can transform the drive. And when Meen talks about possibly adding wheel spacers, but hesitating because he doesn’t want to replace studs, you see the relationship forming.
He’s not just upgrading the car; he’s listening to it, making decisions that strike a balance between practicality and performance. That’s what driving is supposed to be: a conversation, not a transaction.
Toyota GR Corolla – Performance & Dimensions (2023–2025)
- 0–60 mph in around 4.9 seconds – a three‑cylinder turbocharged engine develops ~300‑310 hp and hits 60 mph in under 5 s, per independent testing and Toyota specs
- Compact-yet-sporty dimensions – roughly 166.9 in long, 70.7 in wide, 56.5 in tall with a 101.2 in wheelbase, reflecting GR Corolla’s hatchback underpinnings
- GR trim adds chassis upgrades – wider track, performance-tuned shocks, larger brakes, and track-rated Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires (vs standard Corolla)
- Only available in performance‑oriented trim levels – the GR Corolla is exclusively offered in track-first configurations (such as “Core,” “Circuit Edition,” etc.)
Of course, it’s not a perfect car. The infotainment system won’t show oil temps or coolant pressure like some of its peers. And that infamous 1-2 notch? Still there, even after the bushing insert. But that’s part of the experience. These so-called flaws ask more of the driver. They demand attention, patience, maybe even a little forgiveness. But they also reward you with authenticity, a trait more valuable than horsepower in today’s homogenized market.
At a time when too many performance cars feel like high-speed simulators, the GR Corolla stands apart by asking you to show up and drive. Not just aim. Not just coast. Drive. Its quirks aren’t bugs to be squashed, they’re features. And if you’re lucky, they might just remind you what it means to fall in love with a car again.
Image Sources: Toyota Media Center
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
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Source: torquenews.com
