The Million-Rand Corolla: How does the automatic GR Corolla stack-up?

Yes, we officially have a million-rand Corolla. But before you scoff, understand that this isn’t a grocery-getter with a body kit; it is a 221kW performance hatchback.  However, at this price point, it steps into a ring occupied by legendary heavyweights from Germany and Japan.

More Than Just a Badge

The GR Corolla is the third child of the Gazoo Racing family, following the giant-killing GR Yaris and the purist’s GR86. While it shares a silhouette with the standard hatch, the internals are pure motorsport:

• The heart: The G16E-GTS 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo—the most powerful of its kind—pumping out 221kW.

• The grip: The GR-FOUR AWD system, which allows you to toggle torque split (60:40, 50:50, or a rear-biased 30:70).

• Automatic: Now more usable on a daily basis, the addition of the brand's 8-speed automatic gearbox makes this the most practical pukka GR model yet launched locally.

• The sprint: It will blast from 0-100km/h in around 5.0 seconds.

The Rivalry

To see if the Corolla justifies its price tag, we have to look at the neighbourhood it now lives in.