Toyota has had plenty of hits when it comes to car nameplates that stand out as beacons of fun and thoroughly cool machines to see on the road. Of course, icons like the 2000GT or legendary MkIV Supra and its insane power potential are well known, and even on the slightly more "boring" side, the AE86 Corolla is a beloved little drift machine. One Toyota that few, if any car enthusiasts look at as an awesome car, though, is the Yaris. Gone from the US market now but still sold elsewhere, the Yaris is Toyota's small and very affordable hatchback, with next to no performance features to speak of.

The Yaris GR, though, flips that notion on its head with incredible engineering, enthusiast-focused design, and motorsports pedigree that puts it up there with today's Japanese performance icons as an awesomely fun little car. Like many iconic hot hatchbacks, what makes the Yaris GR so effective in this regard is a homologation of WRC designed technology into a road legal car, making it not only one of the few true rally cars for the road but also one of the most exciting cars in Toyota's current lineup, and most awesome hot hatches out there. Sadly not for sale in North America, the Yaris GR is one of the best hatchbacks we can't have yet.

Born From Rally Ambitions

Introduced to the world in 1999, the Yaris has served as Toyota's competitively affordable subcompact, built as either a sedan or hatchback. Sold worldwide under various names, the Yaris saw its death in the USA for the 2020 model year after slowing sales but remains a popular offering elsewhere, like in Europe. Another area Toyota had pulled out of wasn't a market for road car sales, though, but the World Rally Championship (WRC), abandoning the competition in 1999 to focus on other racing endeavors. Aiming to return to rally competition, the small, light, and nimble Yaris was chosen to become their rally racer, and it made its debut with Toyota's Gazoo Racing (GR) team for the 2017 WRC season, seeing victory not long after.

While the Yaris re-lighting Toyota's rally flame is one part of why the GR Yaris was made, the other was a focus on fun sports cars. While the Supra and GT86 currently fill Toyota's model lineup in this role, they aren't full Toyota products, with the Supra sharing much BMW engineering and the GT86 being a co-development with Subaru. As Toyota's in-house motorsports team, GR has worked on making hopped up, more exciting versions of Toyota road cars before, like the GR Supra and supercharged Yaris GRMN, but for the Yaris GR, bringing the Yaris rally car's tech and performance to the streets was the main goal, and this involved a lot more than a slight boost in performance. Built from the ground up with this homologation in mind, the Yaris GR isn't fully a Yaris underneath, but a unique design made by combining the front half of the Yaris' platform and rear of what the current Corolla rides on. That, though, is only the beginning of what makes this hot hatch so special.

Via global.toyota

RELATED: This Is The Worlds First Modified Toyota GR Yaris

Small, But Very Mighty

Firstly, the heart of the Yaris GR is remarkable in its own right. Based on the GR developed engine powering the proper rally car, the Yaris GR uses a transversely mounted 1.6 L turbocharged inline-3, and while such a small motor may not sound super exciting, this is the most powerful 3 cylinder engine in the world currently, laying down an impressive 257 hp (268 hp for the Japanese market), with an old-school turbo-lag kick, 7,200 rpm redline, and hydraulic engine mounts to reduce vibration. Pairing to this pocket rocket engine, an enthusiast delighting 6-speed manual is the only option, with super crisp shifts and rev-matching system.

That's not all, though, as since it's a rally car at heart, the Yaris GR uses an awesome AWD system named "GR-FOUR," packed with rally tech like a center electronic limited-slip differential, and overdriven rear axle that allows for smooth and efficient splitting of torque. That torque split is another seriously good area of the Yaris GR too, and with its drive mode selector can send 60% of it to the front wheels when in Normal mode, 70% to the rear in Sport mode, and hits a 50/50 split in Track mode. Thanks to all this and a 2,821 lb curb weight, 0-60 mph takes 5.3 seconds, and top speed is 143 mph.

Via global.toyota

Fun-Focused Through And Through

As mentioned, a mashup of platforms was used to create a unique basis for the Yaris GR, and to match that, a similarly unique body was designed. Looking like a properly mean and aggressive hatchback, the Yaris GR only comes in a 2-door body layout, with a modified rear end and completely distinct front from the normal Yaris. As well, the trunk, hood, and doors are all made from aluminum, the roof is a carbon-composite, and the underside has 259 more weld points than a standard Yaris to give even better rigidity. While the wheelbase length is the same as a normal Yaris, other dimensions are not, including a rear track widened by 2.4" and ride height lowered by 1.8".

When it comes to the ride, no advanced adaptive suspension is offered, instead only coming with MacPherson front, double-wishbone rear suspension that is stiff but decently comfortable for daily driving, but also imbues it with composed yet fun-loving handling. The steering also adds to this, with a heavy (relative to a normal Yaris) feel that also gives excellent accuracy and precision, without the skittish nature you may expect from a hot hatch. Suppose you want to take this rally-bred handling even further. In that case, an optional Circuit Pack changes up the suspension to be stiffer and more agile while also giving 18" forged BBS wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, red brake calipers, as well as front and rear mechanical Torsen limited-slip differentials in place of the open front/rear differentials that come standard on the Yaris GR.

Via global.toyota

RELATED: Watch The AWD Toyota GR Yaris Challenge A FWD Mini Cooper GP On A Wet Track

A Practical Interior To Boot

Naturally, the Yaris GR's cockpit is derivative of and nearly identical to a normal Yaris, but not without several twists like the rest of the car. Starting with the seats, they're a sporty design with padding and bolstering to be comfortable, yet grip you tight while pushing the car, and also have a high seating position, not unlike the real rally car. Though, while the Yaris has usable rear seats for adults, the Yaris GR doesn't, with the AWD system's tunnel helping to reduce the available space compared to the FWD normal Yaris.

Features are good, though, with an 8" touchscreen infotainment system packing standard bells and whistles like Apple Car Play, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity, two built-in USB ports, as well as a 6-speaker sound system. Furthering the tech aspects, driver assists like adaptive cruise control and auto-leveling headlights also come standard.

When it comes to materials, expect the standard Yaris assortment of plastics, but with some premium stuff like Alcantara, red stitching, and GR badges scattered throughout. Those plastics, though, really aren't bad, and overall quality is pretty good for the interior. Practicality is also decent, with the little inline-3 delivering 27 mpg city and 34 mpg highway, and a trunk size of 6.1 cu-ft - around half the size of a 2021 WRX STI's trunk.

Via global.toyota

Pricing

Sadly, the 2021 Yaris GR is not for sale in the USA, and no plans to do so have been announced yet, with the pocket rally rocket's main market being Europe and Japan. For the Yaris GR, though, the base price is equivalent to $33,350 USD, making it a great value when stacked up to North American rally-bred cars like the 2021 Subaru WRX STI's base price of $37,245.

For the aforementioned Circuit Pack option with its assortment of tweaks and upgrades, add on another $4,950 to the Yaris GR's price tag. If you want more tech-based features, a $2,121 Convenience Pack adds a premium JBL audio system, ambient interior lighting, a HUD, and more little niceties. Production-wise, Toyota's goal for 2020 was to make just 750 units, with another 1,000 for 2021, making it a rare and special little monster.

NEXT: Watch Chris Harris Drift A Toyota GR Yaris Right To The Edges Of A Wet Airstrip