New Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 review on ice | evo

Short of donning a mask and cape, driving a GR Yaris on an ice track is the best way to feel like a superhero. This new Gen 2 version gets more power, revised chassis tuning and an automatic gearbox option for the first time, but is it still the king of hot superminis? We sent Yousuf Ashraf for an early drive on a frozen lake in Finland to find out.
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[@vazione5410]

Great to see Toyota didn’t axe this car .

[@loxan22]

It was supposed to be limited production in the first place, great to see Toyota caring about enthusiast.

[@1flavioserra]

Cool test-drive. Humble approach from the journalist, not playing the driving hero and highlighting the difficulties (and joy) of what is a rather different driving scenario than what most Yaris GR drivers will face. And what a machine!

[@MohammedAso-lg5vr]

That interior design is amazing. Straight out of the 90s

[@VidNibs]

Seriously, grab your spectacles or pop in those contacts and take another gander. This interior design screams 'I'm a racecar driver in my own mind,' with all the authenticity of a cardboard cutout at a sci-fi convention. It's like they aimed for WRC rally car chic but crash-landed in the middle of a geometry textbook. So squared off and boxy, you'd think they were trying to appeal to a niche market of Tetris blocks. Trust me, even they're not buying it.

[@richardwright1948]

​@@VidNibsno one is forcing you to buy one. I think the interior looks great. If we all liked the same things we would all buy the same car and the world would be very dull.

[@chrisandshazza01]

@@VidNibs settle down Karen, so you don’t like it, get over it, heaps of people do - if that’s ok with you……are we allowed to like it or are you the world authority on a car designed by Tommi, Akio and Naohiko. Take a chill pill, so you don’t like it, WHO GIVES AF🙄

[@VidNibs]

@@chrisandshazza01 Listen to yourself. Clearly you “give AF” since you responded with an essay.

[@VidNibs]

@@richardwright1948 Have fun paying £45 (£50k+ in most cases) for a Yaris 🤦‍♂️

[@chrisandshazza01]

The work that has gone into this vehicle from all the right people on the planet is just mind boggling…Tommi M, Akio T, Naohiko S along with all the race and rally drivers - not to mention the millions upon millions needed to bankroll this weapon. These cars just don’t happen anymore. Just mind bending stuff. Thanks Toyota🙌🙌🙌✊✊✊🙏🙏

[@gaycha6589]

This is first vid that has made me think about swapping in my 2021 GR for the new model. Th grey looks good too

[@stephen2282]

Ayee Yousuf getting that bag... you deserve that seat your currently in m8 - already putting out work that rivals that of some of the industry veterans.

[@jamiljafri4841]

I would love to see more videos like this! Keep this up. Hope we get to see more from Yousuf. He really knows how to articulate his experience on camera

[@jamiljafri4841]

The camera work is also 👌 Please credit them in the description. I'd like to see more of their work

[@F1YMS]

Good to see Evo doing videos again. Get Yousuf behind some more machines!

[@analog4css]

Well done mate - great to watch!

[@mrmorizofan7001]

Thanks for the video. Happy gr owner here.

[@sharkdog111]

This is the car I've been waiting for. Ticks all the boxes.

[@_que]

Nice review YA. Good driving skills as well.

[@RiddleTime]

Yea that looked like showing us how it is to have fun with this car, lovely!

[@scottiewardle]

have preordered - can't wait 🔥

[@TimRodieDrivesStuff]

Great vid - more Yousuf plz!

[@avenashmc]

wow crazy, remember seeing Ashraf reviewing his Alfa Giulia Super 7/8 years ago? Glad to see him progress and aweome review.

[@AshrafonCars]

That would've been 2019! Thanks for the kind words 👍🏼

[@ZeeBri]

​@@AshrafonCarsI also remember seeing your work in The Intercooler! Glad to see you're on to bigger things and you're great on camera 👍

[@AshrafonCars]

That feels like it was yesterday - scary! Glad you enjoyed the vid.

[@keith6360]

@@AshrafonCars more DIY videos on the personal fleet please

[@KN-jw7ts]

Why i will never desire a civic type R over this. More likely to see conditions like this, as opposed to a dry track where I’m from. It’s so damn cool!

[@JasonISF]

My argument against a Civic type R is... What supercars are FWD??

[@Reptilianoverlord-jc8mt]

@@JasonISF 😂 there’s actually a 10 sec quarter mile FWD Type R.

[@Ssh52]

@@JasonISF I get your point but you seriously need to drive one to understand, they are serious bits of kit

[@RadKitflix]

@@JasonISFwhat supercars fit 4 people, comfortably, and has a 60 dollar oil change that you could do yourself.

[@JasonISF]

@@Ssh52 I would love to. I've driven an S2000 and that was a lot of fun.

[@Dctrue76]

Nice review!

[@fizziani]

Well done Yusuf.. since the Alfa giulia and fulvia vids this has been your calling!

[@didierleurquin3693]

Great review, and so much fun ! I would still go for a GR86 or new BRZ, though ...

[@nolahahnshouse3389]

The smile on my face watching this episode 😊.. sad we can’t get these in the states 😢

[@KN-jw7ts]

Got the next best thing, or arguably the better overall car…..the gr Corolla. Same mechanicals, driving characteristics and feel, at 3200 lbs, still feels light weight in this day and age. Have been lucky enough to drive both, they are equally capable and extremely fun.

[@nolahahnshouse3389]

@@KN-jw7ts yeah I know but I’m greedy 😈.. I still would like both! Lol

[@mikelyon5595]

Looks like a blast!

[@Shadowboost]

One last tank of fuel? Gordon Murray T.50 with some extra fuel bladder bags in the luggage compartments revving it to 12k all day

[@willymack5677]

I believe you’d picked the objectively correct answer.

[@MGRracing]

​@@willymack5677Absolutely! What an awesome pure drivers car the T.50 is! And a proper manual gearbox too! Shift times? Who cares! . It should be all about the experience and involvement. Nothing beats being in full control.

[@gregclark2509]

100%

[@HumanButcher150]

T.50 looks like a soaped MR2.

[@julienpare7467]

I really hop we get the auto gear box in the corolla

[@khaki_man]

I really really hope all the same changes come to the GR Corolla. 😁😁

[@jamesj97370]

My Gen 1 at £32k was an absolute bargain!

[@mugenmark]

Likewise. 24 mths interest free as well. Feel like I robbed Toyota tbh compared to the mk2

[@FreQ135]

Most definitely, I missed out because I was saving for a house instead, and it's out of reach now. Enjoy your car, it really does look like a lot of fun.

[@aravindradhakrishna8660]

@@FreQ135 you could get one used, the prices are pretty decent in my market for a lightly used GR Yaris from Japan.

[@markomarin3414]

The best thing about the gen 2 GR Yaris is , it’s come with an automatic gearbox. Finally a daily driver car .

[@jimmymcgoo8641]

All the mk1 owners trying to make themselves feel better 😅😅😅😅😂😂😂😂😂

[@mosca3289]

Nice film, bro.

[@marwood1969]

I have a Gen 1 GR that I've had since they came out 3 years ago. I was hoping for a bit more real world info here, but hey never mind. I was a bit concerned that the increase in power would ruin the dynamic of the car but it seems not. The real trouble is going to be trying to get one from Toyota and not get stiffed by the speculators.

[@JasonISF]

Yeah... I have a feeling there will be a painful price hike with this 'evolved' GRY. The existing Rallye version was already over 60k Australian $.

[@FreQ135]

@@JasonISF ​They announced the price already. £45k or £60k for the special editions. It looks great, but man that's a big jump. On the plus side, they are giving existing owners and people on the waiting list first refusal, so you might be able to beat the speculators more easily this time....although I wonder how many of those there will be at these prices.

[@JasonISF]

@@FreQ135 $87K AUD??? Toyota surely are taking the piss. You could spend half of the difference, modifying a gen 1 and it'd be a lot faster. No one is going to pay almost 90,000 dollars on a GRY unless they're stupid.

[@JasonISF]

​@@FreQ135toyota are surely taking you Brits for a ride as on the GR global website the rrp for a "high performance" RZ manual is about 4.9 Million JPY which is roughly 50.5k AUD...

[@jay_b..]

Where are people getting the price from? It’s not on the UK Toyota website?

[@brooksy2622]

I have a Gen 1 and love it. If I didn’t have one, I would struggle to opt for this at almost double the price of a used Gen 1. I have Cobra seats in mine, plus Eventuri air intake. I see Gen 2 being no more than 10% better overall. So, almost double the price for 10% does not seem like the value choice to me.

[@devilmaycry383]

I would like to express my interest in upgrading from the Mk 1 to the Mk2 model, as the ballot system allows for such an opportunity if i am lucky. The improvements and refinements introduced in the new model are truly remarkable, and I believe they would greatly enhance the overall driving experience.

[@VidNibs]

Truly remarkable improvements? In what way? Please enlighten us.

[@chrisandshazza01]

You scream the sort of person that could never be enlightened, deal with your issues somewhere else man, you’re like a crying baby. Did your boy/girl friend dump you today or something?

[@chrisandshazza01]

@@VidNibs you want an essay reply honey?

[@ChummiaChan]

Thanks for this video, I am happy that more people will be able to drive it thanks to the automatic gearbox, but I am even happier myself that they kept the 6-speed manual along with the proper mechanical handbrake. Thank you Toyota, instead of yet another boring 50k Euro 4-cyl SUV on the road, this is now my goal to get a Manual 2024 GR Yaris. 💖

[@arda_]

One thing reviewers conveniently ignore, my GR Yaris order from 2021 arrived this week. 1000 days after my order went in. Not a waitlist but an actual order. Toyota was absolutely horrible during the three years as well. Great cars, horrible customer experience, keep that in mind when purchasing a now very expensive Toyota.

[@FreQ135]

Wow, that does surprise me. I'd expect them to be quite good with customer service, but maybe they aren't used to this type of vehicle and the interest it generated? On the plus side, you have your brand new car now, at a decent price, so just keep it and enjoy.

[@pablom2706]

And I thought waiting 8 months for a new Sequoia was crazy. I’ve read Chinese cars have made logistics more complicated for other carmakers. But I don’t know if that’s the case in general

[@fromfareastindy8234]

Unfortunately, in the future it will take more time for all Toyota vehicles to reach the UK. In some cases, they may even withdraw from the UK market. The British government will continue its zealous policy to exclude you enthusiasts, as it has cut off Toyota, which has continued to support British industry after leaving the EU. (The Japanese government is similar in some respects.) By the way, EVs, which we are so keen on, are being shunned by the shipping industry due to fire risks. Maybe we will be able to order a car with a garage in the future, and it will arrive in plenty of time. LOL

[@mugenmark]

Strange! I put my order in as soon as the books opened in late 2020 and collected mine in April 2021. Constant updates on the app and from the dealer and even the Evergreen crash in the Suez didn’t delay mine and it actually arrived a month earlier than estimated.

[@idi.amin77]

LOL too bad. Shift to southeast Asia mate

[@dummyacc6288]

2022 subaru wrx sti or gr yaris/ corolla???

[@MrAvitazi]

Hawk eye sti or evo, manual

[@andysteggals2745]

The ‘problem’ with the GR is that it’s too capable for UK roads. It’s impossible to get it to skid at legal speeds so you need to go to Sweden to a frozen lake to have fun. Now…..hear me out with this one….have a go in the manual Toyota Aygo X on uk country lanes, Its got a lovely gearbox, its super light and compact, you have to really rag the thing to get it to shift, heal and toe is easy, so if your a fan of 1980’s hot hatches (Citroen AX GT, Fiat 127 Sport etc) you’ll be reminded of what it’s like to have to work for your thrills and at legal speeds. I’ve driven thousands of miles in both and I’m not ashamed to admit I have a bigger grin on my face after a country lane thrash in the Aygo than trying to get the Gr Yaris to misbehave and worry that I’m going to lose my licence.

[@MrAvitazi]

200m to ice track here in lapland finland. Or the road to the ice track is slippery stage too. Studded tyres requirement for the fun

[@Mikoyagi]

Love my GR yaris, but you simply cannot explore the limits of traction on public roads. It's a really good car....

[@chrisandshazza01]

I’d still stick with the GR, a bit of self control definitely needed though. 🤘🤘

[@mugenmark]

I got mine to step out once on a cold damp roundabout back in December but i did try to take the 3rd exit whilst accelerating hard in 30/70 split. Briefly stepped out then the steering tightened and composed itself and I shot off up the link road like an exiting a hairpin turn on a tarmac rally stage.

[@DR-lg6xr]

i purchased my new gr yaris back in september 21..... kept it 6 months and sold it..... bought a new vw up gti.....more fun for me .... i felt exactly the same as you about the gr..... still miss it a bit, but the up makes me smile more when i drive it

[@billshoe22191]

This ice track should help with the diff overheating after a couple of laps

[@khamid1]

Coolers front and rear. Small outlay. Job done.

[@ricepony33]

Less grippy tires for all performance cars!

[@JasonISF]

Honestly if I got a GR yaris I'd ditch the PS4S tyres after they wore out and just run Potenza R003. I don't care about lap times. Best time I ever has was running low grip tyres on my BRZ!

[@richardpiggott5531]

Agree I’ve been running Michelins CC2s for a while now and for all conditions road driving in the UK and snowy alpine trip they’ve been brilliant.

[@ricepony33]

I honestly think there is a market for a low grip performance looking and feeling tire.

[@nesertema4583]

sadly, they did nothing in the 2nd gen to fix the oil starvation issue or the weaknesses in the gearbox. this is left to be fixed by the customers.

[@Beanercounter]

Wish we got them in the U.S. Guess I'll settle for a GR Corolla.

[@KN-jw7ts]

As I just mentioned to another gentleman, the grc is not a “settle”. Didn’t believe it until I drove one. Just as remarkable.

[@ryanw3907]

We originally weren't going to get anything; I find it hard to complain now that I've lived with my GRC for about a year.

[@AntoniusTyas]

From GBP33k in 2020, now GBP45k in 2024. I think Toyota realized how much money they lost developing GR Yaris. I can kinda accept that price for a car that, in theory, should have not existed in the first place and would have been outright denied by accountants just because it's going to be a financial headache to engineer.

[@MrAvitazi]

360 was cool af

[@fattybutt96]

can't wait for these changes to trickle into the GR corolla

[@michaelteret4763]

Last tank? 917K.

[@UziGR6642]

they needs to be a Toyota gr yaris hybrid soon

[@ShebanFPV]

Reminds me of Evo ) in a smaller package )

[@RadKitflix]

The corolla seems like such an after thought compared to this. Wish we got in the states.

[@KN-jw7ts]

What the hell are u talking about? Anyone that has driven both does not come to that conclusion. Myself included.

[@juststuff5216]

Auto gearbox .... finally!!!

[@13xBlackSun]

No manual? 😢

[@evo]

The manual is thankfully still available, and now has a slightly slicker shift than before.

[@politicoinutil]

Yousuf Ashraf looks like footballer Ayose Perez.

[@easye47]

About the only place you can drive it without the diff and engine overheating 😂

[@KN-jw7ts]

Let me guess… you’ve never driven one. You just read that somewhere and think you know things.

[@FreQ135]

Honestly, the price for the mk2 is painful. The GR Yaris was so popular because it was such a great product for £34k. At £45k, it's a much tougher sell. In France, it's about €90k! The dream is over for me, I'll just pick up an Abarth or Swift Sport instead. With the cost of living, I feel like I'm constantly having to revise down what I can afford, which is incredibly frustrating.

[@jay_b..]

Where are you getting this pricing from? They have not released it yet?

[@miura67]

@@jay_b..Toyota just released prices - £44,250

[@miura67]

Agree 100%

[@jay_b..]

​@@miura67thank you. Where did they announce this? Their Website has nothing.

[@jay_b..]

Also is it possible to put a deposit down? I don't see it on the website?

[@JeepCherokeeful]

Differential won’t overheat out there!

[@KN-jw7ts]

Nor will it in 99% of real world usage.

[@JeepCherokeeful]

@@KN-jw7ts of course! if you don’t do track days, that is

[@raph151515]

@@KN-jw7ts are you a GR salesman? do you think it's ok to buy a brand new car which is advertised as a track beast and then you must modify it to avoid limping to the dealer shop?

[@iklex2439]

New Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 review on ice SAY NO MORE

[@grenphelps7455]

Did I recently see the new price for this as £60k, oofftt, personally I don't think it's worth that.... great car, but £60k...🤦

[@LCOF]

£45k.

[@grenphelps7455]

​@@LCOF ah, but there was a mention of £60k must be for a limited edition 😅😅

[@DistrictHero13]

Great updates Toyota. Now sell it in Canada

[@mihaijurchescu8331]

Nice car but so not worth “upgrading” from gen 1 to gen 2 considering how much more expensive it is to the 1st generation

[@memepatrol3081]

shame they dint not partner with Hyundai and use their 8 speed DCT, im calling BS on 0.3 sec on the torque converter auto.

[@ThePedroDB]

It's just a shame Toyota increased the MRRP to £44.5K....

[@fullbass1426]

More of a Gen 1.5 instead of Gen2

[@cleggdog]

I love the front grille of the 1st gen car, the boxy aggressive look. The new face lift is terrible

[@KN-jw7ts]

I thought I was the only one that thought that. Most ppl complaining about the interior (which I like), but the real issue for me is that front end.

[@mitchreeves1]

£45000! 😮 £13000 more than the previous gen!

[@whutzzzup]

Toyota has no love for Canada enthousiasts :( I want one

[@FreQ135]

It's not so bad, at least you get the GR Corolla with the same basic running gear. It's a bit heavier and not a rally special, but it's probably a more usable everyday road car.

[@whutzzzup]

@@FreQ135 it'd be for my joy ride. Not everyday road car. I like the smaller, lighter, more nimble Yaris. Plus i like the look of it way more. To each, their own taste. The yaris apeals to me more.

[@hilly451]

Said automatic turned off instantly 😢

[@jay_b..]

I have just talked to Toyota HQ UK. They will only be inviting people to buy the car from the waiting list that closed from way back in 2022 for the last GR yaris. Very disappointing and following the way Porsche sells its cars. Now speculators will buy and sell it. Actual drivers will suffer.

[@raph151515]

if they didn't solve the AWD overheating, it's a waste of time

[@JasonISF]

That's a GR Corolla issue, not the yaris as it's a lot lighter.

[@raph151515]

@@JasonISFa simple google search indicates otherwise

[@FWPiano]

It's been a widely-known issue since the launch of the GR Yaris four years ago. That's why it's extra upsetting to us GRC owners, we kinda knew it was coming and Toyota didn't fix it lol...@@JasonISF

[@khamid1]

​@@FWPiano get a rear cooler. Job done.

[@KN-jw7ts]

So you take your cars on track regularly?

[@wisruteb]

Budget 911 Dakar.

[@TheSpongebob74]

45 grand though thats mega money for dinky little hot hatch i know there epic but still 😢to much money

[@jimmymcgoo8641]

All the MK1 owners who bought their car thinking it was an appreciating classic are 😢😢😢😢😢 hahahhahahahahhah

[@khamid1]

It still is especially when it was $35K AUD, anyone paying close to double that now for gen 2 isn't thinking straight or is desperate.

[@ThePedroDB]

I'd say they're laughing. The 30% price hike on the Mk.2 means that the residuals on the Mk.1 cars are going to be rock solid from here on... 😇

[@KN-jw7ts]

You’re not too smart, are you?

[@jimmymcgoo8641]

@@ThePedroDB sure they are.

[@Bmontepeque11]

Let me tell you what driving isn't about, about increasing £10k on a car for no reason at all and making the special versions OF A 3 CILINDER YARIS be worth £60k. I don't normally knock the GR Yaris because it is a great car but Toyota is power drunk (for no reason at all) thinking that just because their sports car sold moderately well they can start asking big money for it. But still, it's a great car at least :) Edit: Oh and the new dashboard is absolutely fine, never trust the stock images!

[@SanderVandeWiel]

They didn't add 10k, Inflation between 2020 and 2024 is 20%. A Civic Type R costs 15k more than a GR Yaris.

[@neilbenton1152]

I paid 34k for my gen 1 cp in red and it 10k more for the gen 2 !! No thanks plus I prefer my old dash and rear lights, ❤

[@SanderVandeWiel]

@@neilbenton1152 34k * 1.2 = 40k. They added 4k to the price which is a very reasonable amount considering the changes. The interior and rear lights are a personal choice, I much prefer the improved seating position of the new one.

[@KN-jw7ts]

Great car as it, and was really taken back when the new interior was shown, but it quickly dawned on me that it fits this car perfectly. It wouldn’t work on nearly any other car, but is so purposeful w the gry…...takes it over the top when it comes to a bespoke motor sports feel. It is the epitome of a “toy for adults”.

[@FreQ135]

Agreed. Inflation has been high, but most people haven't had a 20% pay bump to match, so affordability is down. We'll have to see if this one is as popular as before.

[@antj29]

That dash is terrible

[@thelanehuntersdevon3955]

The price is horrific

[@ahmadthebest2266]

It’s a Muslim presenter. Give me more motivation.🤩

[@adamsaunders3052]

Mr charisma driving on a lake......... useful consumer advise

[@SimonLee-tq4gv]

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

[@danielhao5595]

This is not a review.

[@UziGR6642]

horrible interior

[@Sir.Andrews]

It's me or this vid is anything else than a pretty nice ad? What is the point of this video? Ey guys this car is nice if you have an ice track. Totally pointless isn't it?

[@LCOF]

It’s you.

[@Sir.Andrews]

@@LCOF ahá, please explain then what you have learn from this vid that wasn't been explained before.

[@fireblade6756]

c they have done nothing to improve the sound of the go kart then!!! it still sounds like shite and still cheap inside aswell ok for a boy racer then!!!!

[@chrisandshazza01]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@batmikipig]

Leave 3 cylinders engine to triumph

[@askay747]

GR Corolla better

[@chrisandshazza01]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ryanw3907]

As a GRC owner, just no lol.

[@simeonyves5940]

Sigh, gimmicks (like this), used cars, EV's, more gimmicks, more used cars, more EV's...Printing Errors Galore, and Awful, Cheap, Toilet, Paper .. Car Wow sure has killed your Magazine, it is why, after 11 Years, I have Unsubscribed. Seriously Guys, just quit and make "Evo" a Supplement within "Octane" , because I do not see it lasting much longer as the "yet another Cheap and Generic Car Magazine" that Car Wow has turned it into!

[@KN-jw7ts]

Huh? What are u crying about?

[@mexykpietrov]

Nice little car but price tag at almost Civic Type R level is just ridiculous 🤦🏻‍♂️