What is the most powerful Yaris?
The Toyota Yaris GR Yaris is the most powerful Yaris road car, delivering around 261 PS from a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and sending power through all four wheels.
To understand why it's the peak, this article surveys the Yaris lineup—from the rally-inspired GR Yaris to the narrower GRMN edition and the standard petrol and hybrid models—and explains how power, drivetrain, and weight shape performance.
Powerful Yaris lineup: how the numbers compare
Before listing the main variants, here is a concise snapshot of the key road-legal Yaris power figures to place the GR Yaris in context.
- GR Yaris (2020–present): 1.6L turbocharged three-cylinder engine, about 261 PS (193 kW) at 6,500 rpm and 360 Nm of torque from 3,000–4,600 rpm; GR-Four all-wheel drive; 6-speed manual; 0–100 km/h about 5.5 seconds; top speed near 265 km/h (165 mph).
- GRMN Yaris (limited edition, late 2010s): around 212 hp from a 1.8L engine with forced induction; front-wheel drive; manual transmission; limited production in Europe; 0–100 around the mid‑6 seconds; top speed around 230 km/h.
- Standard Yaris and Hybrid variants: petrol versions typically around 100–125 hp; hybrid versions around 115–125 hp combined; front-wheel drive; transmissions vary (manual, CVT, or hybrid e-CVT by market).
The GR Yaris stands out for its combination of power, torque, all-wheel drive, and a lightweight, rally-inspired chassis that make it the apex among production Yaris models.
How Toyota engineered the GR Yaris for power and handling
The GR Yaris was developed with Gazoo Racing to deliver a compact, high‑performance hatch with authentic rally DNA. Its high‑revving 1.6L turbo engine, paired with an advanced GR-Four all‑wheel-drive system and a rigid, light loom, enables precise handling and strong traction across corners. A close‑ratio six‑speed manual gearbox completes the driver-focused package.
Market impact and legacy
Since its debut, the GR Yaris has earned praise for offering genuine sports-car performance in a relatively accessible package for a hatchback, reinforcing Toyota’s commitment to a distinct GR performance line and influencing expectations for future compact performance cars.
Summary: The GR Yaris is the most powerful Yaris in production today, at roughly 261 PS, with the GRMN edition representing a historic but less powerful, limited-run alternative. Standard Yaris variants remain significantly less powerful, underscoring the GR Yaris as the performance high‑water mark.
