The gear change everyone knew was coming to Toyota’s baby rocket has given engineers excuse to alter so much more.

INCLUSION of an automatic transmission has given excuse for Gazoo Racing engineers to add numerous enhancements that improve the favour of their opus product.

Those who have driven the updated GR Yaris ahead of the official unveil, at Tokyo Auto Saloon, last Friday, say the auto that has long been signalled isn’t so bad. 

But what’s got them more revved up are all the other changes, many of which didn’t rate mention in the announcement.

Even though the metalwork is unaltered, this facelift three years into a production life that has spawned 32000 examples - a higher volume that Toyota Japan had predicted - is a big one.

More power and an incredible array of detail changes, including Toyota deciding to redesign the floor so the driver’s seat places lower. Yes, lanky friends, they really did listen complaint about the original’s chair being mounted just a touch too high. Now you sit ‘in’ the car, not ‘on’ it.

So, as much as the transmission - which is being reinforced as being an alternate to the six-speed manual it release with in 2021 and will keep - is headline-worthy, it’s not the only reason for taking fresh interest in this pocket rocket in its Evolved spec.

The web site for Britain’s Autocar magazine, on strength of having had a first taste drive of a still disguised version, reckons almost every alternation makes the upcoming ‘Evo’ refresh a better thing than the original, which in itself has been heralded as a special project.

Will we see it? Toyota New Zealand has so far had nothing to say about he car whatsover, it’s doubtful they’re asleep at the wheel. 

GR has built a big following here, it’s the glue that binds its racing activities and senior staff, not least local boss Neeraj Lala, are fans.

Since build doesn’t begin until April and deliveries for export don’t start until June and, if timing for our market chines with Australia, then we won’t get into it until late this year, if not early 2025. So, there’s plenty of time for Palmerston North headquarters to explain its strategy.

But, anyway, what’s so new? 

The engine and drivetrain get the most serious enhancements. Toyota Japan says changes to the 1.6-litre three- cylinder turbo petrol engine are mostly for durability.

Cooling has been increased, with modifications to the air intake and intercooler spray, too. The valvetrain is strengthened, the exhaust valves are of a new material and new, lighter pistons with more wear-resistant rings have been introduced. The fuelling and sparking software is also different, of course, giving increased injection pressure. 

Power has been raised to 224kW and 400Nm - up from the current NZ market model's 200kW/370Nm, the Japan-only GRMN Yaris edition's 200kW/390Nm, and the GR Corolla's 221kW/370Nm.

The six-speed manual gearbox has had its linkages strengthened and its shift action slightly improved as a result.

That auto? It’s an eight- speed with a torque-converter, rather than a dual-clutcher, but its lock-up plates are beefy and programmed to firm up quickly to reduce losses. The traditional advantages of a torque converter – the slushy smoothness – are a low priority, Autocar assures. 

It’s compact and weighs just 20kg more than the manual transmission. There is a launch control system, and Toyota says that not only is it quicker by 0.3s from 0-100kmh, but it’s also faster by more than a second a lap than the manual around Japan’s Fuji Speedway and durable enough for racing, where it will be faster and reduce driver fatigue.

Enough to sell it? Likely as not, those who like the manual now might be hard to shift into the two pedal. However, the latter will definitely broaden the car’s appeal. Says Autocar’s tester: "I prefer the manual, but the auto is good. It shifts intelligently in D, but take control yourself and shifts are quick and smooth enough, and if the 20kg changes the handling, I couldn’t feel it. 

“Brake feel is terrific with either transmission and the steering has a great weight build-up and road feel. This is the five-star car we know and, on this evidence, nothing but enhanced.”

The torque-sensing differentials are the same between the manual and automatic cars, but the power distribution is adjusted. 

Whereas the first gen car has Normal, Track and Sport modes, now there are Normal, Track and Gravel. In Normal, power distribution is 40 percent rear-biased. In Gravel, it’s 47 percent to the rear. Track has a variable power distribution, putting anything from 40 percent to 70 percent to the rear.

Spring rates have been increased. The Circuit Pack implemented as standard to NZ-spec in the current generation. For the update, the springs have gone from 36N/mm all round to 46N/mm at the front and 40N/mm at the rear. The front anti-roll bar is a little stiffer, but the rear is unchanged. It stays on 18inch wheels and retains the excellent 225/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber.

More? Oh yes. The front bumper is now made in three pieces, rather than one, so that it’s quicker to replace a corner if there’s damage. 

The centre section includes a larger cooling aperture, necessary for engine durability, and the grille is now made of metal, rather than plastic, so that debris doesn’t burst through it. 

At the rear, the low-level reversing light has been moved level with the other lights – hot exhausts could and have melted it – and the high-level brake light has been moved from the spoiler to the rear window, because it was upsetting tuners who fitted their own rear wings. 

There’s a 15 percent increase in the number of spot welds and a 15 percent increase in the adhesive used, to stiffen the shell. Weight is unchanged, at 1280kg. 

The front struts are now mounted by three bolts, rather than one large one. And there’s the floor change - this allows the driver’s seat be mounted 25mm lower. Toyota says one consistent bit of customer feedback was that it was set too high. 

The rear-view mirror has been raised by 25mm and the instrument binnacle, now digital, has been lowered by 50mm to improve forward visibility. Minor switchgear changes put more buttons in range of the driver’s sight and reach if they’re harnessed into competition seats.