2025 TOYOTA GR COROLLA VS. HONDA CIVIC TYPE R

• 2025 Toyota GR Corolla

• 2024 Honda Civic Type R

Several models in the expansive Toyota stable feature the GR badge in some shape or form, but there are only three Gazoo Racing road cars at present in the USA: the GR Supra, GR 86, and the GR Corolla. Debuting in 2022, the GR Corolla was, and still is, lauded as a performance-focused Corolla offering birthed and purposed to reignite the model's sports car heritage and attract customers to the nameplate. The GR Corolla drew inspiration from famed race cars of yore such as the TE25 Corolla and TE27 Corolla Levin, and also leveraged the experience gained in Toyota's modern-day motorsports exploits.

Bred to win races and be commercially available, the GR Corolla has recently been revised and updated for the 2025 model year. The latest tinkering of the fourth Gazoo Racing road car's formula has bolstered its performance capabilities while introducing more driver assistance features that enhance the depth of the GR Corolla's offerings. However, with all that the GR Corolla now offers, how does it compare to one of the most iconic hot hatches still available in 2024: the Honda Civic Type R?

The Core Of It All

Honda Civic Type R

In the current Civic Type R, you'll find a powerful four-cylinder petrol engine from the K-series engine family, designated K20C1 - an engine quite different to the ones powering the preceding Type Rs. These were the K20A series engines, and they relied on port injection; the current K20C1 engine features direct injection. The latest engine's exhaust manifold is integrated into the cylinder head instead of using traditional exhaust ports like those on the K20A. The implementation of an integrated exhaust manifold allows for an easier installation of a turbocharging unit. The K20C1 utilizes a 16-valve DOHC setup with the famed VTEC system. However, that is also different from the VTEC system in the K20A series.

In the K20C1, VTEC is only present on the exhaust camshaft, unlike the K20A series which featured VTEC on the intake and exhaust cams. The turbocharging unit has a maximum boost pressure of 25.2 psi, and it offers the torque needed lower in the rev range to render VTEC on both camshafts inessential. Peak power is achieved at 6,500 rpm, just 500 rpm before the engine's redline. A driver conducts the four-cylinder power plant via Honda's dive-by-wire throttle system.

Toyota GR Corolla

Motivating the GR Corolla is Toyota's G16E-GTs turbocharged three-cylinder, which first appeared in the GR Yaris. For its use in the GR Corolla, Toyota took the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine to the operating table, equipping it with several innovative components to produce an engine that performed better than the version powering the GR Yaris. Introducing a lightweight, three-exhaust muffler, Toyota improved the engine's exhaust efficiency which also added more power. This version of the engine also received multi-oil jet piston cooling, large-diameter exhaust valves, and a machined intake port. In its most potent form, the engine makes 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque in the Morizo Edition (a limited edition), while the standard model is rated for 273 lb-ft. Another key aspect of the GR Corolla's engine, in comparison to the Civic Type R, is that it utilizes both port and direct injection through Toyota's D-4S system.

Two years since its debut, the GR Corolla benefits from improved engine efficiency, resulting in a slight increase in torque output in the middle of the rev range. The 2025 GR Corolla's torque output is now 295 lb-ft across the board. Similarly to the Type R, the turbocharger in the GR Corolla also has a maximum boost pressure of 25.2 psi. The Type R not only has more torque than the GR Corolla, but it also holds its peak torque output slightly longer in its rev range, but Toyota's hot hatch is a closer competitor to the Type R now in its evolved state than before the 2025 model year. In terms of power, the Type R wins, although both cars produce their peak power at the same rpm.

Dissecting Drivetrains

Honda Civic Type R

Mated to the turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the Type R is a six-speed manual transmission with a short-throw shifter, using Honda's automatic rev-matching system. The Type R's row-your-own gearbox gets a more rigid exterior case, a high-strength bearing system, stronger gears, and a higher tolerance for the demand for a high torque output. Additionally, this transmission utilizes a helical reverse gear mechanism that reduces noise when in reverse. Bridging the engine to the six-speed manual transmission is a lightweight single-mass flywheel. The Civic Type R is front-wheel drive only.

One of the most notable aspects of the Type R's drivetrain is the helical limited-slip differential designed to minimize wheel spin, ensuring all of the power reaches the ground effectively. The purpose of the LSD is to equalize the front wheels' rotating speeds under acceleration in a straight line to maximize forward movement, even when there are uneven levels of traction. Unlike a conventional locking differential, the limited-slip differential in the Type R allows differing wheel speeds to accommodate the longer distance the outside wheel needs to travel in corners to reduce wheel spin when coming out of a corner. The helical limited-slip differential also aids the throttle responsiveness of the four-door hatchback during cornering.

Toyota GR Corolla

Toyota offers the 2025 GR Corolla with a six-speed iMT (intelligent manual transmission), which also features a rev-matching system, but unlike the Honda, you can also have a close-ratio eight-speed automatic. Interestingly, Toyota's engineers structured the shift points similarly to the manual transmission. An electronic multi-plate clutch is the go-between for the engine and transmission in the GR Corolla. Toyota has improved the usability of the clutch pedal and revised the clutch's characteristics for 2025 to feel even better for the driver.

Power is sent to all four corners of the GR Corolla through the GR-FOUR All-Wheel Drive system that was developed in collaboration with the brand's Gazoo Racing World Rally Team. This system allows for the adjustable distribution of power between the front and rear Torsen limited-slip differentials, which are now standard for the 2025 model year. Previously, the entry-level model featured AWD open differentials as standard with the dual LSD setup offered in the Performance Package of the pre-update GR Corolla. Although featuring some similarities between the two, the GR Corolla is outfitted with more hardware and electrical nannies than the Type R.

Chassis/Suspension

Honda Type R

The Type R gets a significantly upgraded chassis compared to the standard eleventh-generation Civic. A longer wheelbase, measuring 107.7 inches with wide front and rear tracks, serves as the foundation. Compared to the standard Civic models, the chassis of the Type R features 3.8 times more structural adhesive applied to its weld points, increasing joint stiffness. Torsional rigidity has been increased by 15%, also reducing overall NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) levels. The reliance on more high-strength steel improved overall stiffness while reducing weight. Tipping the scale at 3,188 pounds, 62% of the car's weight is set toward the front of the car. The engine compartment strut towers are surrounded by circular frames, which can also be found behind the rear seats, to help stiffen these portions of the chassis. Development and testing of the Type R's chassis was conducted at several iconic racetracks, such as the Nürburgring in Germany and the Suzuka circuit.

Supporting the stronger chassis is a dual-axis strut MacPherson front suspension system. Specialized tuning allows for more initial negative camber to improve turn-in ability, along with increased suspension caster to aid stability. The rear of the Type R features a Multi-link suspension system. Honda has also implemented a rigid rear subframe with aluminum hub carriers, stamped-steel control arms, and tubular 20.5 mm stabilizer bars at the front and rear. An Adaptive Damping System helps control the body roll and pitch, aiding the steering feel through corners. The Type R's body sits 4.8 inches away from the ground and measures 180.9 inches in length.

GR Corolla

The GR Corolla sits on the GA-C platform and features the same basic body frame as the regular Corolla. Comparatively, the GR model features 349 more spot welds and a significant amount more structural adhesive in the pursuit of improved joint strength and rigidity. The wheelbase of the GR Corolla is slightly shorter than that of the Civic Type R, measuring 103.9 inches. When equipped with the new eight-speed Direct Automatic transmission, the 2025 GR Corolla weighs 3,351 pounds and is only 22 pounds lighter than that if outfitted with the six-speed manual. Among the laundry list of improvements introduced in the 2025 model year, Toyota has used special bolts that fasten elements such as the lower control arms and lower ball joints better, resulting in improved steering response.

At the front of the car is a MacPherson strut suspension system, while the rear axle houses a double wishbone system. Toyota's engineers sought to improve traction during hard cornering by adding rebound springs to the front and rear suspension, designed to mitigate inner wheel lift during intensive driving scenarios. The rear coil springs and stabilizer bar were revised to improve ground-gripping abilities during cornering and improve the overall sense of control. The rear squat that was experienced during acceleration was reduced by raising the trailing arm mounting points.

The updated GR Corolla has yet to test its upgraded mettle, although many of the newly introduced enhancements leverage the knowledge gained during countless motorsport endeavors. The Type R, by contrast, has already set lap records at a handful of iconic circuits.

Interior

Despite it's main focus on performance, the Civic Type R boasts a relatively up-market interior. Racing-inspired sports seats dropped in bright red high-friction suede punctuated by embossed Type R logos are the centerpieces, seamlessly connecting to the red carpet. Door panels are elevated by black suede armrests with red accent stitching matching the seats. The gear selector with an aluminum shift knob is surrounded by a polished gray surrounding trim, and the dashboard is segmented by a metal honeycomb design element featuring a Type R plate. High-quality switchgear is used throughout, and you get a nine-inch touchscreen to work infotainment from.

There is 42.3 inches of legroom for the driver and front passenger, while the rear offers 37.4 inches of legroom. With the rear seats up, the Type R has 24.5 cubic feet of cargo space. We've always felt that the Type R is an ideal merging of performance and practicality, maximizing on its hatchback style by being perfectly useful every day - not just around a track. How does the interior of the 2025 GR Corolla compare?

Unlike the Type R, the GR Corolla's interior is more conservative in its styling. Instead of bright red seats, the GR Corolla is outfitted with black suede seats accented by black leather side inserts. The door panels are a medley of black leather and plastic. The gear selector knob is wrapped in a textured plastic element while the lower portion of the selector features a leather covering with red accent stitching. The parking brake is fully wrapped in black leather and features red stitching, and this color theme is all you can opt for. A segmented dashboard is characterized by polyurethane leather, an eight-inch touchscreen, and polyurethane leather-wrapped steering with multi-function controls.

In comparison of passenger space, the larger Type R is the clear winner. Front occupants have 42 inches of legroom, but rear passengers are stuck with less than 30 inches. The Type R also offers much more cargo space courtesy of its liftback styling, while the truer hatchback design of the GR Corolla limits it to just 17.8 cubic feet. The Type R, is, then, a much nicer and roomier place to spend your time.

Conclusion: And The Winner Is...

Both cars are positioned at the upper echelons of performance within their respective ranks. When comparing the two against each other, there are many instances where each outshines the other. The Honda Civic Type R beats the GR Corolla in a match of raw power output, interior space, and a nicer cabin, but looking at the number of components underpinning the drivetrain, the order is reversed. The GR Corolla promises more grip and will be just as entertaining to drive. It's also likely to offer a few more trim options, rather than just the one sole option in its lineup.

Both are well-equipped to serve the role of a track-ready daily driver - but perhaps one area we haven't covered yet is status. Whereas the GR Corolla is a relatively fresh face on the scene, the Type R has a cult-like following and a reputation to uphold. However, the GR Corolla is rapidly making a name for itself as one of the most entertaining cars to drive - and a value-for-money buy, to boot.

2024-08-12T05:13:06Z dg43tfdfdgfd