2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition at Lightning Lap 2023

From the February/March 2023 issue of Car and Driver.

Lap Time: 3:04.7

Class: LL2 | Base: $51,420 | As-Tested: $52,640
Power and Weight: 300 hp • 3187 lb • 10.6 lb/hp
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 245/40ZR-18 (97Y)

The GR Corolla called the police on us at least five times. Bounce it off a curb or slam on the brakes before entering a corner, and the GR, perhaps thinking it’s a normal Toyota, calls 911. An unamused sheriff visited VIR, leading an on-hand Toyota technician to disable the system. Otherwise, when it wasn’t narcing on us, the GR gave us fits of laughter.

Toyota promises that production versions won’t be as flippant about wasting the authorities’ time. But make no mistake, this is a middle finger of a car. Morizo might be Akio Toyoda’s nickname; in this case it also means no rear seats. A two-seat four-door? Why not weld the rear doors shut, and rip out the carpet and sound deadening too?

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Stiffly sprung and damped, Morizo models roll on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber in a wider size than GR Corollas with rear seats use. That gives this car more grip in Turn 1 than the BMW M4 CSL. More remarkable is the way the GR Corolla takes abuse. Go into a corner too hot or get on the gas too early, and the ensuing slide is controllable and nonthreatening. It’s like pulling a trigger, and instead of a bullet, a flag that says “bang” pops out.

We did feel threatened once in the Uphill Esses, a combination that would likely have a DOT-recommended 35-mph speed limit. The 300-hp GR Corolla goes in at 121.3 mph. An attempt to pin the accelerator up the hill led to hitting the curbing hard enough to send the Corolla onto two wheels. Missed the turn-in point on that lap. A little more compliance would be good, but the dampers aren’t adjustable. We’d also like a real-time tire-pressure display and a smaller shift knob.

Minor gripes aside, the GR Corolla is hilarious—a little bastard with a gruff three-cylinder and an all-wheel-drive system that removes threats. Part Corolla, part Caterham Seven, it’s comedy gold. Officer, we’re not laughing at you.

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