New Toyota GR Yaris costs from £44,250 – ‘Special Edition’ models from £60k

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs from £44,250 in the UK, with GR Yaris Ogier Edition and GR Yaris Rovanperä Edition models from £60k.

It’s four years since the original Toyota GR Yaris arrived and set new benchmarks in the sector and became one of the most sought-after models Toyota has ever built.

Having more customers than product with the GR Yaris always meant there’d be a second album, and it was revealed back in January as Toyota revealed their upgrades for the latest GR Yaris.

Now, the new GR Yaris goes on sale in the UK in limited numbers – although Toyota isn’t saying how many are heading to the UK – and my, oh my, have prices gone up.

If you want the regular GR Yaris it’s going to cost you £44,250 – remember, the original GR Yaris arrived at £29,995 – and if you want one of the special edition models – GR Yaris Rovanperä Edition and GR Yaris Ogier Edition – you’ll need to find a whopping £60,000.

To be fair to Toyota the price isn’t just about cashing in on the GR Yaris’ success, they have found lots of ways to improve the GR Yaris, with its 1.6-litre three-pot turbo petrol now producing 275bhp and 287lb/ft of torque, an optional eight-speed auto ‘box (which costs an extra £1,500), revised spring rates and stronger front shocks and an improved driving position.

Also on offer are the GR Yaris Rovanperä Edition and GR Yaris Ogier Edition, with the Rovanperä model getting a ‘Donut’ mode for drifting and ‘Kalle’ mode which adds an extra rear diff, and the Ogier model gets ‘Morizo’ mode for improved traction and ‘Seb’ mode for extra power to the rear wheels.

Toyota says owners of the current GR Yaris and those left on the old waiting list will have the chance to enter a ballot in May to grab the new GR Yaris first.