Toyota Confirms Production of Only 6,600 GR Corollas in its First Year

Toyota made a dream announcement to many driving enthusiasts when it unveiled the 2023 GR Corolla, a 300-horsepower hatchback with all-wheel drive and a manual transmission. Now, we know how many buyers will experience that dream-turned-reality. The automaker confirmed to Edmunds.com that it will produce 6,600 units in the GR Corolla's first model year.

Is that a lot?

The GR Corolla will be a specialized, performance-driven variant of the standard Corolla hatchback. Both cars are built on Toyota's global platform, known as TNGA-C, for compact sedans. However, unlike the standard Corolla sold in North America, which is assembled at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Mississippi, the GR Corolla will be built in Motomachi, Japan, and then imported to U.S. dealers.

Demand for the GR Corolla will likely be intense. While 6,600 units may seem like a lot, it pales in comparison to the standard Corolla. According to Toyota, the automaker sold nearly 250,000 Corolla sedans and hatchbacks in the U.S. in 2021.

How many Circuit Editions?

Of those 6,600 units for the 2023 model year, Toyota will build 1,500 Circuit Editions. This is a low-production version of the GR Corolla and will be produced for the 2023 model year only. Other special editions will follow in the future. Highlights of the Circuit Edition include standard front and rear limited-slip differentials for improved high-speed grip, plus additional interior comforts and a gear shifter signed by the moniker — or "Morizo" — of Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda.

The other 5,100 vehicles will be the Core model. This is the base trim level of the GR Corolla. It retains the same power figures and most mechanical bits of the Circuit Edition, but lacks the limited-slip differentials and several interior features. Thankfully, buyers who weren't able to snag one of the limited Circuit Editions can still add many of its go-fast bits to the Core model via the Performance Package.

How much will the GR Corolla cost?

We don't know exact pricing for the GR Corolla yet. Toyota says it will be revealed closer to the vehicle's availability later this year. However we estimate that the GR Corolla will start around the $40,000 mark, with the upgraded Circuit Edition asking about $45,000.

Interested buyers may be wise to expect a significant dealer markup, though. Due to overall low inventory and supply chain issues as a result of the global pandemic, markups have become common on vehicles of all kinds. On a low-production vehicle like the GR Corolla, with an even more scarce Circuit Edition variant, the markup could potentially be a major hurdle.