Toyota is changing its image as it looks to expand performance car range

Toyota is by far the most popular new car brand in Australia. But now the Japanese giant is looking to change its image with a range of radical new cars.

Toyota isn’t known for making exciting machines, but all that is about to change thanks to the arrival of a new hot hatch.

American magazine Car and Driver has revealed that Toyota is planning to build a hot hatch version of its Corolla small car.

Toyota is expected to build a hot hatch based on the Corolla small car.

Set to be named the Corolla GR, it is expected to land in showrooms somewhere between 2022 and 2023 depending on how long the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

It will be powered by a 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine making an impressive 191kW and 360Nm according to the magazine. The Corolla GR could also get an all-wheel drive set-up.

If those performance figures make it through to the production version it will place the Corolla GR in between the front-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf GTI and Hyundai i30 N but well below all-wheel drive competitors the VW Golf R and Ford Focus RS.

The GR version is likely to get a range of performance upgrades including bigger brakes, stiffer suspension and radical styling.

Toyota has already confirmed the Yaris GR.

The car will be built on Toyota’s TNGA platform, which means it is likely it will spawn more performance cars.

One spicy hatch Toyota has already confirmed is the coming Yaris GR. The rally-inspired pint-sized hot hatch is based on the brand’s smallest car on sale in Australia and will use the same 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo engine and all-wheel drive.

Toyota Australia has yet to give any details on what the Yaris GR will cost, but it is likely to cost more than front-wheel drive rivals such as the circa $35,000 Ford Fiesta ST and VW Polo GTI.

The Yaris GR has all-wheel drive, which helps it get the power to the ground.

The small Toyota C-HR SUV could be another vehicle due for a fiery edition. The brand has trademarked the C-HR GR name.

The Japanese giant sells more than double the new cars of its nearest rival in this market, Mazda.

Its popularity stems from its reputation for making reliable, safe, affordable and cheap to maintain cars.

But Toyota has been steadily adding some edge to its image as it looks to expand its customer base. First was the fun and affordable 86 sports car and then the launch of the Toyota Supra last year. The Supra was co-developed with BMW, which provided the BMW engine and transmission.