- The GR Yaris gets a fully redesigned and smaller steering wheel.
- Toyota’s hot hatch now comes with stickier tires.
- Suspension and power steering tweaks are included.
It’s hard to believe the GR Yaris was launched nearly six years ago. Although much time has passed since Toyota rolled out the three-cylinder hot hatch, the development team is still finding ways to improve the pocket rocket. For 2026, the smallest member of the Gazoo Racing lineup gets a new steering wheel designed to address the annoyances of the old one.
Toyota candidly admits that GR Yaris owners complained about being unable to grip the steering wheel perfectly. The issue stemmed from the buttons’ placement, which was too close to the rim, forcing drivers to be careful not to press them accidentally. Engineers have now fixed the problem with a completely new steering wheel, developed based on feedback from professional race car drivers.
Toyota took the GR Yaris to the track and tested the new steering wheel with clay-molded prototypes before finalizing the design. The controls have been pushed toward the center by surrounding the airbag cap, so they sit further from the driver’s hands. There’s also a larger grip area, while the steering wheel’s diameter has slightly decreased for quicker inputs.
Photos by: Toyota
Eagle-eyed readers will also notice that the Toyota badge has given way to a GR logo. That’s not surprising, considering Gazoo Racing was recently spun off into a standalone performance sub-brand. The new switches on both sides feature illuminated rings, while the heated steering wheel can now be ordered together with the vertical handbrake.
The 2026-spec GR Yaris brings changes in other areas as well. Toyota fits stickier Bridgestone Potenza Race tires with a new rubber compound, tread pattern, and even a different internal construction. The tires are said to reduce road noise in normal driving conditions while providing better grip when the car is pushed hard through corners. That benefit is further enhanced by new damper settings at all four corners. Additionally, the electric power steering has been revised for 2026.
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Source: Toyota
Motor1’s Take: Toyota’s latest round of updates for the GR Yaris suggests this generation will stick around for at least a couple more years. It’s refreshing to see such commitment to an enthusiast car that, by its very nature, is a niche product. If only the company had brought the feisty hatch to the United States…
Then again, Americans do get the bigger GR Corolla, and Toyota has been dropping hints about reviving the Celica. The company is also working on a completely new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that could eventually replace the three-pot currently used in its hot hatches, so the future looks bright for GR road cars.
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