2025 Toyota GR Corolla First Look: New Automatic Transmission Option Revealed
Updated hot hatch includes a two-pedal option, uprated torque, better cooling, sharper suspension, and more.
The GR Corolla is a rally-inspired, turbocharged three-cylinder, all-wheel-drive hot hatch we never knew we wanted from Toyota of all companies. Its execution turned out to be as good as the premise, and given the successful-ish releases of Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR)-massaged Supra and 86, it feels like the automaker has reconnected with the fun-to-drive car mojo that used to be sprinkled throughout its lineup. As if really pandering to the car enthusiasts in the cheap seats, Toyota even made the GR Corolla manual-only, with no automatic transmission offered.
But that also left a lot of stick-shift-unfamiliar enthusiasts out of the picture, as well as those who slog through tedious commutes in between pulse-quickening back-road blasts or track outings. To bridge that gap, Toyota has developed an eight-speed automatic transmission for the 2025 GR Corolla. Don’t worry, the six-speed stick shift is still standard.
DAT Gearbox
The new automatic transmission is one of several improvements this year from the brand’s speed shop solely for the performance version of the Corolla. Toyota also adds some torque, more aggressive ducting, and a few other conspicuous tricks. But let’s start with that transmission.
