海角社区官网

Still nothing.

Doh! I’m in an automatic. The engine does all the work.

I鈥檝e only known the GR Corolla to have a manual transmission and it鈥檚 force of habit that had me reaching for a phantom clutch pedal.

But this fiery hatchback keeps my excitement level full, even if I’m doing half the work I used to.

The auto industry is eliminating manual transmissions. 2025, the Porsche 718 Boxster, Volkswagen Golf R and GTI, Honda Civic hatchback, MINI Cooper and Jeep Gladiator have all gone automatic.

Toyota鈥檚 GR Corolla launched in 2023 as a manual only, to much fanfare. For 2025, they鈥檝e introduced an alternative automatic version. Why? Toyota says this allows a wider ranger of drivers to enjoy this 鈥渉ot hatch.鈥� Not everyone knows how to drive a manual, which is absolutely fine.

And not everyone wants to drive a manual. A 75-minute rush hour drive from Mississauga to North York was a lot easier with this automatic transmission compared to the 100-plus shifts I would鈥檝e done in a manual.

There鈥檚 certainly a strong real-world case made for letting the machines do the work.

Toyota expects just 10 per cent of all 2025 GR Corolla buyers to pony up the extra $2,200 for the automatic version.

But how different is the drive feel between the two?

I’d say the power delivery on this one is still sharp and exhilarating. The eight-speed transmission moves smartly聽through its gears with precision, enabling the driver to focus on steering and handling without changing gears manually. But there is a manual-shift mode controlled by paddle shifters if you want some input into gear changes.

2025 sees an additional 22 pounds-feet of torque, which isn鈥檛 overly noticeable, but in a compact performance machine, every bit of additional force helps.

Its small footprint makes the car easy to manoeuvre at a variety of speeds and circumstances, especially in smaller street parking spaces. The standard all-wheel drive is helpful during inclement weather and supports the argument that it’s a year-round performance vehicle. The hatchback has a larger access point to the decent-sized cargo space.

There鈥檚 an 鈥淓co鈥� drive mode, which deflates most of the driving excitement, where 鈥淣ormal鈥� is lively and ideal for day-to-day driving and 鈥淪port鈥� is suited for spirited driving and demonstrates the delightful driving dynamics. There鈥檚 a 鈥淐ustom鈥� mode that enables you to enter in a few settings to match your driving preferences.

In effect, this automatic gives you all the power the manual does but requires you use your right foot alone to do it.

As with any high-performance vehicle, there鈥檚 the constant low-frequency rumble of the engine felt and heard within the cabin as you drive. It鈥檚 not offensively intrusive but it鈥檚 ever-present. Cranking up the eight-speaker JBL audio system helps neutralize it.

You can pick from four exterior colours and two interior ones but that鈥檚 where the choices end. The sole Premium trim comes decked out with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a heads-up display, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, eight-inch infotainment screen and scores of active safety systems.

In addition to the aforementioned price bump for the automatic, the fuel consumption is higher, compared to the manual, by 0.7 litres/100 km, equivalent to $259 yearly as per Natural Resources Canada.

My cars have been manuals and I鈥檇 opt for the DIY version of the GR Corolla. But I do realize that not everyone who wants a performance hatchback knows how to drive stick. And not everyone wants to learn. Perhaps it鈥檚 a shared car household.

That鈥檚 where the value increases with this automatic offering. It鈥檚 Toyota鈥檚 way of increasing accessibility and, as it says, for removing the barrier to entry to experiencing this car.

It may not be for everybody but it is certainly suited to a fair number of drivers.