--- title: "2025 Toyota GR Corolla Starts at $40,000 Now—and the Auto Doesn’t Come Cheap" description: "The Toyota GR Corolla is unsurprisingly more expensive for 2025 than its ever been before, but it at least comes with a range of upgrades." date: "2024-09-24" modified: "2024-09-24" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/2025-toyota-gr-corolla-starts-at-40000-now-and-the-auto-doesnt-come-cheap" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Toyota News" tags: - "GR Corolla" - "Hatchback" - "sports car" - "Toyota" --- # 2025 Toyota GR Corolla Starts at $40,000 Now—and the Auto Doesn’t Come Cheap ![2025 Toyota GR Corolla in Heavy Metal with hood open showing engine in garage.]() *\Toyota\* The new and improved [2025 Toyota GR Corolla]() represents an unexpected but much-appreciated update for Toyota's still-young hot hatch, adding torque, suspension enhancements, and an available eight-speed auto. Just about the only negative this refresh carries is a polarizing grille treatment, though it's all been done in the name of better cooling. Oh—and the price has gone in the wrong direction, too. The GRolla is not immune to annual MSRP increases of course, but it turns out that Direct Automatic Transmission is a pricey option. The GR Corolla now starts at $39,995 including destination for a base manual. That's an increase of exactly $3,000 over what the hatch cost in its debut 2023 model year, though on the plus side, every GR Corolla going forward will roll out of Toyota's Motomachi plant with front and rear limited-slip differentials. Step up to an auto, and the price rises $2,000 to $41,995. That's a sizable jump compared to where we started, but then the [GR Corolla]() has changed a fair bit since those early days, too. There's the DAT for people who want it, but also launch control on automatic cars; an extra 23 lb-ft of torque throughout the range for a [Morizo]()-matching total of 295 lb-ft; several chassis tweaks including added rebound springs and improved rear coil stabilizers; and the opportunity for better cooling if you equip the sub-radiator. ![]() ![]() ![]() Those refinements don't come free, and that's before you get into the creature comforts afforded by the Premium spec. There, you'll pay $42,575 for suede-like heated front seats, eight-speaker audio, and newly available dual-zone climate control, among other niceties. An auto in similar guise, again, costs two grand more. And the Premium Plus, which mostly maps to the old Circuit Edition but doesn't appear to share its more aggressive rear wing, will set you back $46,650 or $48,650, depending on transmission. For the hell of it, I took today's announcement as an opportunity to refresh my memory on where the [Honda Civic Type R]() currently sits, in terms of dollars and cents. A 2025 model will set you back $46,690, again including destination. I'd argue the mid-grade GR Corolla Premium is the trim most comparable to a base CTR, and Toyota retains its pricing advantage, even with an auto. It's just that *everything* is getting more expensive, across the market. But there's a silver lining to all this, and it's that the era of stupid markups on these cars might just be coming to an end, if the chatter on [Reddit]() [communities]() holds any truth. *Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()