2026 Toyota GR Yaris: Rally-bred hot hatch gets more performance parts

Toyota has given the GR Yaris a light update, introducing a small selection of parts and tweaks to its rally-bred hot hatch that have been “directly inspired by its motorsport programs” for no extra cost.

Headlining the changes is a new steering wheel as standard across the pint-size three-door hot hatch range. It features a completely new visual identity – seemingly inspired by the GR GT Prototype – with its diameter reduced from 365mm to 360mm and its hand grip shape redesigned to fit “comfortably in the palms when cornering”.

The new steering wheel’s controls have been given individual buttons in a motorsport-style arrangement and feature ringed illumination for improved legibility, while the centre pad now sports Gazoo Racing’s ‘GR’ logo instead of Toyota’s ‘Three Oval’ emblem.

That detail is likely linked to Toyota’s ambition to evolve Gazoo Racing into a standalone brand globally, rather than continuing to position GR as a performance sub-brand as it is currently.

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Remaining tweaks include retuned electric power steering with “an expanded operating range”, while the top-spec GR Yaris GTS is now fitted with high-performance Bridgestone Potenza race tyres as standard for increased cornering grip.

This Australian confirmation follows the global reveal of these updates in March 2026, with the tweaked light hatch due to arrive locally in June 2026.

Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations John Pappas said in a press release that these upgrades were more evidence of how the brand’s motorsport endeavours influence its GR-branded cars, regardless of how minor the tweaks are.

“When you’re racing, improvements are measured in tenths of seconds and these upgrades to the GR Yaris are designed to deliver the sort of performance enhancements that can make a difference,” he said.