There is more to life with TurboRenault.co.uk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • This section contains the archived boards. They should be read only. If you want a thread resurrecting please message admin and we can move into the live section

How good is the Toyota GR Yaris?

GPH":3mh4aulb said:
Lankan":3mh4aulb said:
As regards the 'to or no-to-LSD' debate, I am not sure. I felt the Vee's Quaife ATB kick in during our last tour of the lake district. It was wet, and Phillv6 led us on some fantastic back roads with sharp, uphill switchbacks. [v6plaque]002[/v6plaque] would have struggled to put down enough traction on the inside wheel if it had an open diff

As i said, on a 2wd car an LSD is fantastic but the GR has 4wd drive and under 258hp which is equivalent to a 129 hp 2wd car and that would not need an LSD.
It's why Toyota call it a Circuit pack. It might be used to save half a second on the exit of a tight corner on a track but on the road they will likely never be used or at most twice a year
Of course, but that applies to a 2WD car as well since I haven't experienced the Quaife kick in except in conditions such as those experienced during the said tour or at Goodwood under heavy braking (at the end of lavant), but that was due to my mistake.

Did you watch the video in my post above? The wheels on that non-CP car with less (or no) traction were spinning away...

Then there are the forged wheels that are much lighter than the cast items fitted to the non-CP car, so less mass, all of which amounts to making the CP variant the better, focused car to me. Having said that, I don't think the GRY will be a particularly good track car, at least not compared to a Lotus Exige that is...
 
Lukeypoodle":dkt097bq said:
I think [highlight=yellow]W R Davies in Stafford[/highlight] must have slots too, they've been desperate to sell me one!
Interesting since they are not a GR Centre, but their Telford branch is.
 
Lankan":3fojuxm1 said:
Lukeypoodle":3fojuxm1 said:
I think [highlight=yellow]W R Davies in Stafford[/highlight] must have slots too, they've been desperate to sell me one!
Interesting since they are not a GR Centre, but their Telford branch is.

I'd imagine they probably share the demo car they were offering a drive of then, I used to commute that, 25 mins max maybe.
 
666":2a66tz8z said:
Hi Dulan,

I just rang them and still July/August for delivery. I will check my local dealer definitely has build slots.

Pete
That is a shame Pete. Maybe you could get in touch with Toyota direct and ask them whether there is a way they can inform you if there was a cancellation?

Dealers are not allowed to pass a cancellation directly over to another dealer, but they could inform you and you effectively purchase it and have the car registered in your name.

Further, In 15 and 25 years, if the whole world is not overrun with EV vehicles and petrol will still be available, I am sure many a GRY will head to Canada and the US respectively since Toyota decided that they will not release the GRY in US and Canada - they are absolutely clamouring for it, and even a petition has been raised to lobby Toyota to make them change their mind: Petition

Here is Road&Track's verdict - couldn't agree more, especially the penultimate paragraph:
The Toyota GR Yaris Is One of the Best Cars of 2020
 
c419019e4a9eef25de4b4df852cf7f7e.jpg


Will Top Gear be singing the virtues of GRY... certainly it’s in great company with this lot.
 
For your viewing pleasure:

[bbvideo=560,315]https://www.instagram.com/p/CIYLKQJqZcl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/bbvideo]
 
I’ve got my viewing / test-drive arranged for Wed 23rd Dec.

All said, this whole GRY ‘from new’ looks like too good an opportunity to miss. I was contemplating ‘poverty spec’ solid white but the red is grower...
 
Kett":69wc3n2m said:
I’ve got my viewing / test-drive arranged for Wed 23rd Dec.

All said, this whole GRY ‘from new’ looks like too good an opportunity to miss. I was contemplating ‘poverty spec’ solid white but the red is grower...
Excellent, well done Kett.

Look forward to your feedback once you are back. Are you test driving a Circuit Pack car or a non-CP? If it is the latter I look forward to some detailed feedback, especially with regards to the steering, and then try to get a drive in a CP car. Nobody appears to have done a back-to-back comparison as yet, which I find quite intriguing.
 
10":161cxhuf said:
For your viewing pleasure:

[bbvideo=560,315]https://www.instagram.com/p/CIYLKQJqZcl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/bbvideo]
Thanks for that Oli. Have you had a go in a GRY, and if not, are you tempted?

I have now given up the idea of getting a GT4. The Vee, GRY and Exige S RGB will keep me happy for quite a while...

Check this out: GRY CP on track at Brands Hatch (very greasy) - its a project car testing out exhaust options. The driving action begins around the 7:50 mark.
 
Lankan":220jzs67 said:
Excellent, well done Kett.

Look forward to your feedback once you are back. Are you test driving a Circuit Pack car or a non-CP? If it is the latter I look forward to some detailed feedback, especially with regards to the steering, and then try to get a drive in a CP car.


I’m wholly drawn to it’s design brief and concept of the CP variant.

Intriguingly, signing on the dotted-line isn’t a forgone conclusion because my manual Golf R also packs a reasonable punch with a generous measure of refinement.

Bizarrely, the test drive may need to be kiboshed if not conducted in a Covid sensitive way. As I have elderly in-laws visiting for Christmas; I will not be entering the Toyota showroom and nor will I be taking the opportunity to test drive if the salesperson expects to ride shotgun.

However, if I find myself on the list, I’ll be quite happy to play the waiting game. I like to learn from other people’s experiences with regards aftermarket fettling.
 
Kett":nnbt8sf8 said:
I’m wholly drawn to it’s design brief and concept of the CP variant.

Intriguingly, signing on the dotted-line isn’t a forgone conclusion because my manual Golf R also packs a reasonable punch with a generous measure of refinement.

Bizarrely, the test drive may need to be kiboshed if not conducted in a Covid sensitive way. As I have elderly in-laws visiting for Christmas; I will not be entering the Toyota showroom and nor will I be taking the opportunity to test drive if the salesperson expects to ride shotgun.

However, if I find myself on the list, I’ll be quite happy to play the waiting game. I like to learn from other people’s experiences with regards aftermarket fettling.
Got you, and yes, the ethos of the GRY's origins, its design and engineering are what got me hooked as well, and that it drives fantastically well is a bonus. In fact, one could say that it is a bit too competent, but given that it is not a mega-horsepower monster, one has the opportunity to exploit some of that on public roads.

Test drives should be COVID-safe. On both occasions I test drove it, I was given a fully sanitised car, and the key was enclosed in a plastic wrapping that was still wet with sanitiser. The drives were unaccompanied; the first lasted 45 mins and the second was 2 hours. However, I agree, if you feel there is any sense of vulnerability then best is to put it off until it is safe to do so. However, if you are really keen, then it wouldn't stop you placing a fully refundable deposit and locking in a build slot.

This new virtual tour of the Motomachi plant is reminiscent of the Vees' manufacturing process, albeit, due to its purpose-built nature, there is no hacking away at fenders and strengthening of the shell. Interesting nevertheless, and it would be interesting to see how much Toyota actually makes on each GRY produced, including the mundane JDM-only RS version with the 1.5litre engine, CVT box and FWD: GR FACTORY Virtual TOUR Nets Toyota Wakayama (English subtitles are available Settings -> Subtitles -> Japanese (auto-translate), followed by Subtitles -> Auto-translate -> English)

The difference in the number of weld-spots and glue are detailed in te following:
7eeefcb7e28b56a455bb7338e3a27cbc.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Lankan":33dy5yku said:
Thanks for that Oli. Have you had a go in a GRY, and if not, are you tempted?

I have now given up the idea of getting a GT4. The Vee, GRY and Exige S RGB will keep me happy for quite a while...

Check this out: GRY CP on track at Brands Hatch (very greasy) - its a project car testing out exhaust options. The driving action begins around the 7:50 mark.

I haven't had a go, I briefly attempted to see if it was possible to book a test by browsing the website but that was before the release - I should have another look.

I'm a bit conflicted about the car to be honest, for all the reasons I love the V6, I worry that I won't like the GRY! Or maybe I'm hesitant to drive something that is so objectively good it highlights the complexities of the V6 in a negative way. Most likely, I'm over thinking it!

That's a really great trio; you're right there isn't an obvious place for a GT4 to sit among those.

I've never done a track day at Brands but that looks seriously congested, it looks like you could legitimately have cars going into each other! GRY clearly goes well, perhaps time to see where my closest dealer is!
 
10":2rqhtsrz said:
I'm a bit conflicted about the car to be honest, for all the reasons I love the V6, I worry that I won't like the GRY! Or maybe I'm hesitant to drive something that is so objectively good it highlights the complexities of the V6 in a negative way. Most likely, I'm over thinking it!

I did the same for years! Driving mud-pluggers as my daily driver to make the Vee performance seem special. The reality is that 2000-2005 is long behind us and the game has moved on.

The beauty of Vee vs GRY is that they have different motorsport takes: Vee is a Group B impersonator, whereas the GRY is a bona fide Group A proposition.

I reckon it would much harder to adopt a GRY whilst co-owning a Scooby/Evo/Cossie/Integrale etc.
 
Kett":17hx9ill said:
10":17hx9ill said:
I'm a bit conflicted about the car to be honest, for all the reasons I love the V6, I worry that I won't like the GRY! Or maybe I'm hesitant to drive something that is so objectively good it highlights the complexities of the V6 in a negative way. Most likely, I'm over thinking it!

I did the same for years! Driving mud-pluggers as my daily driver to make the Vee performance seem special. The reality is that 2000-2005 is long behind us and the game has moved on.

The beauty of Vee vs GRY is that they have different motorsport takes: Vee is a Group B impersonator, whereas the GRY is a bona fide Group A proposition.

I reckon it would much harder to adopt a GRY whilst co-owning a Scooby/Evo/Cossie/Integrale etc.
I think one needs to look at each car objectively, and what they were built for. Having wanted to get back into Porsche for the last 5 years, my rationale for ruling out the GT4 was that it couldn't offer what the Vee, GRY and RGB collectively would offer. Further, each of these cars is different enough to offer something special each time you drive it.

Top Gear's 'Homologation Special' should show where the GRY stands amongst the other rally greats, so let's see how it fares in that group test. I have no doubt it will be faster, but will it give the same (raw) feel as, say, the Evo TME or the Quattros of yesteryear? Can't wait to find out how the GRY matches up to the old school rally stalwarts. I never owned one but did consider acquiring a Lancia Delta Integrale Evo not too long ago but stories of unreliability and parts availability made me change my mind. Since the bodyshell has been homologated and its engine conforms to WRC2 rules, I am sure we will see the GRY compete in WRC2, so a few years down the line the GRY will be a bona fide member of this group, if it is not one already.

From my perspective, the Exige S RGB is the raw (I call it the 'bucking bronco') experience that brings back memories of the 964RS, which I miss so much. The GRY is the ultra-competent, all-weather experience, with a touch of old-school feel. The Vee is bang in the middle.

With the GRY, it was the whole concept, design and engineering that was the clarion call for me. It is exactly the type of car that switches me on, and the fact that it drives so superbly, albeit it not as raw as either the 964RS or the Lotus, or have its steering feel, or is not dynamically challenged as the Vee (the reason that makes the Vee such a draw), is just a mega bonus. Unbelievably, some criticise the GRY's interior, the fact that it has no rear wiper etc. and I cannot help that they have missed the point about what the GRY really is and what it stands for.

All cars that I consider 'great' are compromised in one way or another, so one needs to get into one knowing what those are. In the case of the GRY, its the steering feel, which probably is because it is electrically assisted, and has a dead spot at 12 o'clock. This is something I noticed with the Alfas Quadrifoglio as well (it was more pronounced in that). The other is that the driver's seat is too high (a hatchback thing - same with the Vee and 182 Trophy, but this is a rally car and rally drivers apparently sit higher than their navigator). The space between the brake and accelerator pedal is too wide for comfortable H&T. However, opinion is split on this as some don't find it a problem, but I will need to find a solution for it. The exhaust noise is non-existent, but that would be an easy fix and some are even starting to like the sound piped into the cabin, which can be turned off via the OBDII port. :approve: If one needs the GRY to be a bit 'loose' then, in a CP car, changing to less grippy tyres will sort that out. IMO the GRY's mix of gearing, damping, power, ride and handling are just perfect.

The Vee is full of character, and one can get it to drive and sound well with some fettling (suspension, TTV, LSD, exhaust, induction etc), or just leave it as is and enjoy it. Based on my relatively short exposure (of 3 hours) to the GRY, and the Lotus, which I have recently acquired, the GRY needs to be driven relatively hard to be enjoyed. I felt the same with the 182 Trophy, which was absolutely awful on a motorway but really came alive on a B road. The GRY is far less compromised on a motorway than the 182 Trophy was, but it is hugely more competent on a B-roads. On a circuit, it wouldn't have the feeling that the Lotus has, but, as can be seen, will be plenty fast, especially in wet or greasy conditions.
 
Back
Top