When Toyota first went to build the GR Yaris, it's rumoured that confidence was low enough that they manufactured a run of standard three-door Yaris bodies under the RS nameplate just to top up the homologation numbers in case the proper car did not sell. The FIA required 25,000 road-going examples to approve the rally programme. They have since built over 32,000 and are still going.
This Gen 2 example is the top-spec RZ High Performance Pack, finished in black with just 2,251 miles on the clock. Sourced for a customer via our Personal Import Service.
What Makes This Toyota GR Yaris Special
The G16E-GTS 1.6-litre three-cylinder was the most powerful production triple in the world when the first GR Yaris launched. For the Gen 2, Toyota pushed it to 276bhp and 390Nm of torque after endurance testing in the Japan Rally Championship and the Super Taikyu series. The official 0 to 62mph figure is 5.2 seconds, which history suggests is conservative. Top Gear recorded 4.7 seconds in the original car and the Gen 2 automatic is quicker again, with the power delivery giving the car considerably more urgency than the numbers on paper would suggest.
The GR-FOUR all-wheel-drive system gains three selectable modes for the Gen 2. Normal runs a 60:40 split, Gravel shifts 47 per cent rearward for loose surfaces, and Track is now continuously variable between 40 and 70 per cent rear rather than a fixed ratio, adjusting in real time to find traction on circuit. Torsen limited-slip differentials at both axles, 225/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S on forged BBS 18-inch wheels, a 13 per cent increase in spot welds and 24 per cent more structural adhesive over the original car all come as part of the RZ High Performance Pack. This is the full mechanical picture of what the GR Yaris is built to do.
Inside the Cockpit
Toyota overhauled the cabin for the Gen 2. The driving position drops 25mm and the instrument panel top edge comes down by 50mm, which opens up the view forward and gives the car a noticeably more focused feel from behind the wheel. The new 12.3-inch digital display switches to a rally-style horizontal rev bar in Sport mode with live turbo boost pressure shown alongside it, while the drive mode selector adjusts throttle response, steering weight and gearbox behaviour to match.
This car has the cold weather pack bringing heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a heated windscreen, which on a car you are going to use properly through a British winter is a genuinely practical addition.
This One in Particular
This car arrived via the Torque GT personal import service with an auction grade of 5 and just 2,251 miles on the clock, putting it in essentially new condition with the physical state to back that grade up entirely. It is the automatic version, fitted with Toyota's eight-speed GRAT gearbox, and it is worth knowing what Toyota actually did with it before dismissing it in favour of the manual. Rather than mapping shifts to traditional inputs like deceleration G-force and vehicle speed, the GRAT reads the driver's own brake and throttle inputs to anticipate the next gear change, calibrated around how professional racing drivers operate. Toyota claims it is measurably faster than the manual on a circuit lap time.
Why You Should Buy One
Toyota UK allocated the Gen 2 via a ballot system, with existing owners and waiting list customers entered into a draw for the chance to purchase from the 2024 UK allocation. The manual started at £44,250 and the automatic at £45,750, and even at those prices getting hold of one was not straightforward. Used UK examples are rare and priced accordingly because the market knows exactly how few came here.
Importing a JDM equivalent changes that calculation entirely. The RZ High Performance Pack is the same full specification as the UK car and when you factor in the auction price alongside Torque GT's import costs through to UK registration, the all-in figure on a grade 5 example with under 2,500 miles can come out below what a comparable UK-supplied car is currently fetching. You get a better car, with a cleaner history and verifiable provenance, for less money than you would spend tracking down a UK one.
Want One Like This?
If this car is of interest, or you want something similar sourced to your own specification, get in touch directly. We run a personal import service that covers everything from Japanese auction sourcing through to UK registration and delivery, and we know exactly which cars to pursue and which to leave alone.
This is exactly what Torque GT does. We find cars like this. The ones with genuine character and real driving DNA. We handle everything from the Japanese auction right through to your driveway. No stress. No guesswork. Just your dream JDM import done properly.
