Toyota has given the GR Yaris another performance-focused shake-up, introducing a new GTS Aero Performance Package variant that sharpens the already feisty hot hatch with motorsport-inspired hardware and a bolder visual edge.
The new package leans heavily on lessons from Toyota’s racing programs, particularly Japanese rallying and the Super Taikyu endurance series. Toyota Australia says that hands-on feedback from competition drivers directly shaped several of the new components, with the focus squarely on improving stability, heat management, and aero balance at speed.
One of the most noticeable changes is the revised bonnet treatment. A functional cooling duct and new grille insert have been fitted to help extract heat from the compact engine bay, giving the turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder more thermal headroom during sustained hard driving. Additional aero add-ons sit lower on the car, including a new lip spoiler co-developed with Super Taikyu driver Kazuya Oshima, aimed at reducing lift and sharpening turn-in.
Fresh ducts between the doors and front wheels help purge trapped air from the wheel arches, which Toyota says enhances steering feel under heavy braking and adds poise during cornering. Underneath, a redesigned floor panel smooths airflow, while new rear bumper ducts tidy up turbulence – another detail drawn directly from endurance racing experience.
The most eye-catching change, though, is the sizeable rear wing. Manually adjustable, it’s designed to give drivers the option of extra stability when pushing hard on fast roads or track days, complementing the GR Yaris GTS’s existing dynamic package, which includes a Torsen limited-slip differential, forged 18-inch wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, and a firm chassis tune.
Power continues to come from Toyota’s potent G16E-GTS engine, producing 221kW and 400Nm, sent to all four wheels through either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. The adjustable AWD system – with its selectable torque splits – carries over unchanged.
Buyers can choose from five exterior colours; Feverish Red, Frosted White, Glacier White, Liquid Mercury, and Tarmac Black. The upgraded model is now on sale in Australia priced from $64,990 for the manual, and $67,490 for the automatic (excluding on-road costs).
