- Reports suggest the next Toyota GR Corolla will lose its three-cylinder.
- It could gain a turbo four-cylinder engine with 33 percent more power.
- The same engine might also power future GR Celica and Supra models.
The Toyota GR Corolla has plenty of qualities than endear it to petrolheads. One of them is its turbocharged three-cylinder engine. It displaces just 1.6 liters, but manages to churn out a pretty impressive 300 hp.
Now, a new report suggests that Toyota will give its hot hatch a heart transplant for the next generation that will allegedly add a cylinder and 100 horsepower.
Also: Toyota GR Celica Might Be Hiding Its Engine Where You’d Least Expect It
The move makes sense if you’ve been following the news around the brand’s upcoming four-cylinder turbo engine, pegged for a range of future models. Some have already been confirmed, while others, like the next-generation Celica and Supra, remain unannounced.
During the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, Toyota unveiled more details about its performance future. Alongside a dramatic new Corolla concept (pictured above) came a family of fresh new engines. One of them is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that would make a logical choice for the next GR Corolla whenever it comes out.
In fact, Motortrend reports that Toyota’s powertrain boss, Takashi Uehara, said the 2.0-liter can make “up to roughly 400 horsepower” while offering better refinement and lower production costs than the three-cylinder currently powering the GR Corolla.
He also acknowledged the challenges associated with the three-cylinder. Engineers had to use special dampers and countermeasures to control vibrations, adding cost and complexity. The new four-cylinder, on the other hand, was designed with compact packaging and efficiency in mind, without those tradeoffs.
All of this makes switching to a more conventional four-cylinder more likely. Toyota is a mainstream brand at its heart. Part of what makes the GR Corolla so noteworthy is that it really has no reason to exist. Had Toyota never developed it, nobody would’ve complained.
That might make some wonder if Toyota will even build another generation. Thankfully, everything points to yes. At the same event, the brand’s executives reaffirmed their commitment to performance and internal combustion under Akio Toyoda’s watchful eye.
More: One Comment From Toyota’s Boss Turned The GR Corolla Into A Monster
Chief Technology Officer Hiroki Nakajima went as far as to say Toyota “should manufacture engines until the very end,” even if that means running them on carbon-neutral fuels.
