As far as teasers go, this is a rather obvious one. Toyota Motor Philippines recently posted a dimly-lit photo of its upcoming model that it’s set to launch soon. If it isn’t obvious enough yet, it’s the updated Toyota GR Yaris.
Aside from that distinct tail light pattern, the wide hips of the hot hatchback don’t lie. But with that, when will it be launched?
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Well, Toyota isn’t mentioning anything just yet. There’s a good chance it might be revealed at the first round of the GR GT Cup that will kick off a few weeks from now, but that isn’t set in stone yet. The best we can say is it’ll be launched ‘any time now.’
So, what can we expect from it? Per the documents from the LTO from before, it’s safe to say that the automatic version will be offered here. But those who still prefer a (proper) manual transmission in their high-performance cars will be relieved to know that there are local homologation papers for that, too.
At the same time, there’s the redesigned bumpers that enhance aerodynamics, as well as the overhauled dashboard that puts function well above form. We’re curious if the, er, interesting handbrake will be offered as an option for the local version.
Of course, it also gets suspension tweaks as part of the model update. But the big news here is more grunt under the hood. The 2025 Toyota GR Yaris now packs 300hp and 400Nm, significantly up from the outgoing version’s 257hp and 360Nm output. It’s a solid boost from its 1.6-liter, three-cylinder turbo engine.
Excited? We sure are, and we hope to get to drive it soon.
