Yahoo Autos This Toyota Corolla has no back seat or roll-down rear windows. Here's why it's the best one.
DETROIT - I twist the GR-Four knob over to the 30:70 mode, get some revs going, and gun it. The front-end sticks and pulls while the rear performs a tidy arc as soon as I begin to dial in some steering. “Would you look at that? A Corolla that will actually go sideways!” I think to myself. How novel.
This sideways act is possible in any GR Corolla, though. I happen to be in the driver’s seat of the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition, which is the hottest and most-special version of this hot hatch. Toyota’s only making 200 of them, and predictably, that’s sent prices skyrocketing high above the already-steep MSRP. Frankly, the limited quantity is a shame given how much effort was put into improving the Morizo over the already-superb Circuit Edition.
If you prefer your special editions to not shout their specialness to the universe, then the Morizo is your cup of performance tea. Countless folks came up to me over my week with the car assuming it was a Circuit Edition after looking at the forged carbon roof and hood ducts that are shared between the two versions (and how you tell they’re not a Core). The one obvious giveaway to know you’re looking at a Morizo Edition would normally be the presence of matte gray paint. However, my tester is painted in the only other paint available for the Morizo: Windchill Pearl. This white paint can be had on the non-Morizo models, making it a perfect under-the-radar spec. A pro identification tip beyond the paint is to take a good look at the wheel and tire package. All Morizos come fitted with matte black BBS forged wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires that are 10 mm wider than the standard tires.
Of course, if you’re close enough to read the tire model name, you’ll also be able to look through the rear windows to notice the lack of rear seats. Yep, Toyota removed the rear bench to save weight (but strangely kept the rear floor mats). Engineers also removed the rear window regulators, rear door speakers and rear wiper blade/motor. In total, Toyota says it removed just under 100 pounds from the car versus the Circuit Edition, resulting in a curb weight of only 3,186 pounds.
In case it wasn’t obvious, chucking these parts largely nullifies the GR Corolla’s usefulness as a daily driver. I took one evening drive in the rain, and the immovable water on the rear window makes everything behind you a blurry mess, especially when there are headlights adding to the glare effect through the glass. Not being able to roll the rear windows down isn’t the end of the world, but the odd-looking GR plastic pieces that are placed on top of the would-be switches are comical. And lastly, the audio system suffers from its lack of speakers. Combine the loud engine, exhaust, tire and road noise, and you need to have the volume pegged to hear a podcast or radio talk show.
Thankfully, the Morizo is capable of providing more than enough on-road entertainment itself. Everything else about this special Corolla is a hoot and a holler. The 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder is re-tuned for additional torque, as it produces 295 pound-feet of it instead of the usual 273. Horsepower remains the same at 300 ponies, but acceleration for the Morizo is a smidge peppier than the Circuit thanks to the extra torque, weight loss and closer-ratio six-speed manual transmission. Peak torque comes on later and tapers off sooner — 3,250-4,600 rpm — than the standard GR Corolla, but the engine’s character is retained, and driven back-to-back, the Morizo feels just a little more eager to respond to throttle inputs. This is a turbo that you need to wind out and get the revs up. Driven below 3,000 rpm, the GR Corolla is rather tame outside of the booming exhaust. Build boost, and this engine will happily spin up to its 6,500 rpm redline all day long and sound great doing it. Just like Senior Editor James Riswick did in our Type R vs. GR Corolla comparison test, I spent a day driving alongside a brand-new Civic Type R, and neither of us could get a step on the other in straight-line acceleration. Even in extra-hot Morizo trim, these two hot hatches are a perfect match.
