It has already done so with the Yaris, Prius, Fortuner, Hilux and even the MPVs it offers in Japan.
The latest addition to the growing list of Gazoo Racing model is the Corolla Cross SUV.
The performance variant of the Corolla Cross, known as Corolla Cross GR Sport, has just gone on sale in Taiwan. It's the second GR Sport model for Taiwan, with the Corolla Altis GR Sport already on sale since its debut there in 2020.
Toyota offers three levels of performance in the GR class. It starts with the base GR Sport, then the GR, followed by the GRMN for the most extreme cars.
Most of the changes to the standard Corolla Cross are purely cosmetic with minimal hardware upgrades. Toyota did say the steering and suspension have been sharpened for a slightly sportier feel. The chassis is also made more rigid with a reinforcement bracket from Toyota Gazoo Racing.
Front bumper and grille are revised, complemented by larger air intakes with built-in fog lights and skid plate. Sides have silver sill add-ons. The rear is embellished with a more prominent skid plate and a GR badge.
The 9-inch infotainment touchscreen in the cabin is refreshed with new graphics, and GR touches are found on the start/stop button and on the seats. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 and seven airbags are standard safety kit.
The Corolla Cross GR Sport is sold in Taiwan in two versions: with a 1.8-litre NA petrol (138hp/172Nm) and as a hybrid that uses a 1.8-litre petrol mill paired with an electric motor (122hp).
Both versions are front-wheel drive and power is relayed to the front axle via CVT that are calibrated differently for each.
The NA and hybrid are selling in Taiwan for around US$31,600 (RM132,000) and US$34,100 (RM142,000) respectively.
Toyota will introduce the GR Sport variant to other countries in stages, with Malaysia possibly being one of them. But UMW Toyota is keeping mum for now. If it does make its way to Malaysia, it will keep the Vios GR Sport company.
It took a while for the standard Corolla Cross to arrive in Japan but it finally did so in a launch on Tuesday, with petrol and hybrid variants introduced. The hybrid is also offered in 4-wheel drive form in its home market. The Japan-spec Corolla Cross has a different face from those sold internationally.
The Corolla Cross made its world premiere in July 2020 in Thailand.
