Johannesburg - As if to celebrate the reopening of its plant in Prospecton, KZN, following April’s devastating floods, Toyota South Africa has revealed the local version of the Corolla Cross GR-Sport.
Although there are no power upgrades to speak of, Toyota has tinkered with the design and some dynamic aspects to make it stand out from regular Corolla Cross models. After all, this is a GR-S, not a full-fat GR like the Yaris, much like a VW R-Line is not an actual R model.
The Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S is priced at R453 200, and is powered by the non-hybrid version of Toyota’s 1.8-litre 2ZF-FE petrol engine, which produces 103kW and 172Nm. It is paired with a CVT gearbox with pre-programmed steps to simulate a close-ratio transmission in manual shifting mode.
Toyota has however revised the suspension and recalibrated the power steering system to give the vehicle a sharper feel in the bends.
The exterior package includes a unique black grille, with matching black mirror caps and roof treatment, as well as GR badging, 18-inch black alloy wheels and a few unique GR-themed interior accents.
The new Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S is sold with a six-service, 90 000km service plan and three-year/100 000km warranty, with service intervals pegged at 15 000km.
Toyota Corolla Cross Pricing (August 2022)
1.8 Xi - R360 400
1.8 XS - R401 800
1.8 Hybrid XS - R425 400
1.8 XR - R438 200
1.8i GR-S - R453 200
1.8 Hybrid XR - R461 700
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