And this isn’t simply a GR Corolla with a few expensive accessories.

Toyota has taken lessons from Nürburgring testing and Japan’s Super Taikyu racing series, then applied them to a car that already had a reputation for being rather entertaining.

The result is a Corolla that weighs 30 kg less than the regular GR model.

Removing the rear bench certainly helps. It also means the GRMN is now strictly a two-seater, which makes the Corolla badge seem slightly amusing.

But Toyota hasn’t spent all its development time removing things.

The turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder engine still produces 224 kW, although torque has increased from 400 to 415 Nm. More importantly, the additional pulling power is concentrated between 3,600 and 4,800 rpm.

That’s the sort of improvement a driver might actually notice when leaving a slow corner.

Toyota has also fitted an intercooler spray system to help control temperatures during demanding driving. The gearbox receives closer ratios, while the GR-FOUR all-wheel-drive system has been recalibrated.

The chassis work is arguably more interesting.

Special monotube dampers use internal rebound springs, and Toyota says engineers adjusted suspension travel in millimetre increments during testing at the Nürburgring.

That sounds rather obsessive for a Corolla. Then again, the regular GR version was never intended to be an ordinary shopping car either.

The GRMN runs on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, measuring 245 mm wide. That’s 10 mm wider than those fitted to the standard GR Corolla.

Carbon-fibre body panels help reduce weight, while the adjustable rear wing has five positions.

Inside, there’s a dedicated bucket seat, a flocked dashboard and an identification plate showing the car’s production number.

Toyota is also working on a five-seat MORIZO RR with an automatic transmission. That should offer an alternative for buyers who like the performance upgrades but occasionally need to carry more than one passenger.

The GRMN is expected to arrive in selected markets during 2027, including Japan, North America and Australia. Pricing hasn’t been announced.

It will almost certainly cost considerably more than a normal Corolla.

Whether the extra expense makes sense depends on what buyers expect from the car. Anyone wanting everyday practicality can already find that elsewhere in Toyota’s range.

The GRMN exists for people who think the regular GR Corolla still leaves room for improvement. And apparently, two rear seats were standing in the way.

Part of the pressure comes from price. Crossovers and sport utility vehicles brought larger margins for manufacturers, so brands promoted them heavily and buyers followed. Over time, though, sticker prices climbed enough to leave part of the market behind. For many households, entry points moved upward while simpler body styles faded from dealer lots.

Recent sales numbers added weight to the discussion. During the first quarter of 2026, the Toyota Camry moved ahead of every other Toyota passenger model and utility model sold in the same family, including the Toyota RAV4. Camry volume reached 78,255 units, up 11.3 percent from a year earlier. RAV4 ended the quarter at 59,869 units, down 48.1 percent. There is context here, since the utility model sits in the middle of a generation change, which affects the comparison, though the gap still drew attention.

Executives from several groups have started speaking more openly about passenger cars. Auto News reported internal discussion across Ford, Nissan, Stellantis, and other companies. Tiago Castro, Nissan’s United States marketing and sales chief, described sedans as “unapologetic and unexpected.” He also tied the format to brand identity, saying such vehicles reconnect a company with earlier roots.

At Stellantis, design chief Ralph Gilles described demand in direct terms. He said many buyers ask for sedans. He also pointed toward smaller formats, mentioning young designers who admire hatchbacks shaped like the Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk II from the 1980s. His wording stayed practical. A personal car, easy to park, enjoyable on the road. That part, he said, is forcing new discussion around body choices.

Ford offered perhaps the clearest public signal. Speaking in January at the Detroit Auto Show, chief executive officer Jim Farley said the sedan market is still vibrant. He explained Ford had not managed to compete profitably before, though he added a different route might now exist.

Regulation plays into this shift too. Manufacturers had long argued against fuel economy targets set at 50.4 miles per gallon. Federal policy is now moving toward 34.5 miles per gallon, though the change carries another consequence. Crossovers and many sport utility vehicles earned an advantage by fitting the light-truck category. New fuel rules would move many smaller examples into passenger-vehicle classification.

Once those vehicles lose special treatment, product math changes. For some brands, the sedan starts looking useful again.

During that quiet stretch, rivals gained ground. Chevrolet answered first with fresh Corvette developments for model year 2027. The new Corvette Grand Sport X entered as a replacement for the Corvette E-Ray and became a new hybrid step in the range. Chevrolet paired the new LS6 with the ZR1X hybrid layout, bringing total output to no less than 721 horsepower. Pricing also landed early. Grand Sport starts at $88,495, Stingray moves to $73,495 with a $2,495 DFC charge applied across all models, while the GSX reaches $112,195. The Z06 now stands at $121,395.

Toyota’s own figures still place the GR GT firmly in the upper tier. The hybrid sports car uses a V8 under the hood and delivers around 641 horsepower, together with 627 pound-feet from a newly developed 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 hybrid system. Those numbers form the known baseline before any wider market rollout, including possible arrival in the United States.

A digital proposal now adds another angle. A UK-based CGI creator working under the name avantedesigns_ prepared a revised GR GT interpretation and published a wider-bodied version online. The reworked shape keeps the original structure visible, though body width grows in a restrained way rather than through dramatic extensions.

The author behind the rendering also drew influence from the Lexus LFA concept. Surface treatment around the fenders reflects that direction, while proportions stay close to Toyota’s own concept shown earlier. The visual change does not rewrite the car. It shifts emphasis.

One reason for the exercise came from gaming culture. The creator explained that Forza Horizon 6 uses the GR GT hybrid V8 sports car as a cover model, which pushed him toward reworking the design digitally.

There is another layer here. Chevrolet’s Grand Sport X now enters every discussion around modern hybrid sports cars because output and price sit in clear public view. Toyota has not added fresh official figures beyond what is already known, so outside renderings fill part of the gap.

The result remains unofficial, yet the comparison writes itself. One side offers 721 horsepower and firm pricing. The other carries 641 horsepower, 627 pound-feet, hybrid V8 credentials, and a design now stretched slightly wider through digital imagination.

Gazoo Racing Toyota GR GT Renderings

This new one rides on a different platform, and it’s aimed straight at the mid-sized market again, but the approach feels more ambitious. Sales are scheduled to begin later this year. Pricing? Still unknown. And no, nobody has driven it yet.

Exterior

Dimensionally, it has grown significantly, now measuring 198.8 inches in length and 78.3 inches in width. On the other hand, height is slightly lowered to 67.3 inches, which is 0.8 inches lower than the previous model.

You can see the shift visually. The hammerhead-style front end is here, along with slim LED DRLs, flush door handles, and broader fenders. The roofline sits lower than the outgoing model. Longer and wider, lower roof. It changes the stance more than you’d expect.

Interior

Inside, the extra wheelbase apparently wasn’t just for looks. Toyota says it allows for a roomier cabin and easier third-row access, plus better battery packaging underneath. Captain’s chairs come standard in the second row. On the XLE AWD, you can swap in a bench and go from six to seven seats.

Toyota even claims adults can sit comfortably in the third row; well, maybe not all adults, but still. There are also climate vents, a reclining backrest, and a lot of USB-C ports.

Infotainment and Technology

The 2026 Toyota Highlander has a primary 14-inch infotainment and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, technology-wise. There are physical buttons that are only used in climate control.

Both models include standard 64-color ambient lighting, heated front seats, SofTex upholstery, and the latest multimedia system offered by Toyota.

Electric Power

As for performance, the new Highlander features a 77.0 kWh battery for both front-wheel and all-wheel drive variants. In the XLE front-wheel, for instance, the battery delivers a 287-mile range and 221 horsepower, while the all-wheel drive is capable of 270 miles of range and 338 horsepower, and 323 lb-ft of torque. There is also a larger battery available in the Limited edition with standard AWD and the same 320-mile rating.

Charging is handled through a standard NACS port for DC fast charging. Toyota estimates a 10–80 percent charge in about 30 minutes under ideal conditions. A dual-voltage home charging cable is included. There’s also battery preconditioning and Plug & Charge capability.

On the safety side, this is the debut vehicle for Toyota Safety Sense 4.0. It includes pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing assist, and proactive driving assist. The Limited adds Traffic Jam Assist, Advanced Park, a panoramic view monitor, and lane change assist.

There’s one more detail that might matter to some buyers: vehicle-to-load capability. It can power external devices or act as a backup power source.

Toyota hasn’t given us pricing yet, and we haven’t driven it. That part will come later. For now, the Highlander’s transformation is pretty straightforward: bigger, fully electric, and no gasoline fallback.

2027 Toyota Highlander – Photo Gallery