If you prefer special editions that aren’t too flashy, then the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition is perfect for you. During our time with the car, many people assumed it was a Circuit Edition because of the forged carbon roof and hood ducts that both versions share.
The only clear indicator of the Morizo Edition would normally be the matte gray paint, but our tester car is painted in the only other available color for the Morizo: Windchill Pearl. This white paint can also be found on the non-Morizo models, making it a discreet choice.
Another way to identify the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition is by looking at the wheel and tire package. All Morizos come with matte black BBS forged wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires that are 10 mm wider than the standard tires. If you’re close enough to read the tire model name, you’ll also notice that the rear seats are missing.
When Less Equals More:
Toyota removed the rear bench to save weight, although they strangely kept the rear floor mats. Additionally, the engineers removed the rear window regulators, rear door speakers, and rear wiper blade/motor. Overall, Toyota claims to have reduced the car’s weight by just under 100 pounds compared to the Circuit Edition, resulting in a curb weight of only 3,186 pounds.
Removing these parts may limit the GR Corolla’s practicality as a daily driver. I drove it on a rainy evening and the immovable water on the rear window made everything behind me blurry, especially with the glare from headlights. Not being able to roll down the rear windows isn’t a dealbreaker, but the GR plastic pieces placed on top of the would-be switches are comical.
The audio system also suffers from the lack of speakers. The loud engine, exhaust, tire, and road noises make it difficult to hear a podcast or radio talk show without cranking up the volume. However, the Morizo is capable of providing plenty of on-road entertainment itself.
Small Tweeks with Benefits:
Everything else about this special Corolla is exciting. The 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine has been retuned for additional torque, producing 295 pound-feet instead of the usual 273. Horsepower remains the same at 300, but thanks to the extra torque, weight loss, and closer-ratio six-speed manual transmission, the Morizo feels a bit more sprightly than the Circuit Edition.
The peak torque comes on later and tapers off sooner compared to the standard GR Corolla, but the engine’s character remains intact. To fully experience the turbo, you need to rev it out and get the engine’s RPM up. Below 3,000 rpm, the GR Corolla is relatively tame apart from the booming exhaust. However, once you build up the boost, the engine will happily spin up to its 6,500 rpm redline and sound great while doing it.
During a comparison test with the Type R, we found that the Morizo Edition and the Civic Type R were evenly matched in straight-line acceleration. Even in its extra-hot Morizo trim, this hot hatch is a perfect rival to the Civic Type R.
Firm but Forgiving Ride:
The Morizo Edition surprises with its suspension tuning and ride quality. Toyota uses unique monotube passive dampers that have been tuned “for a precision driving feel fit for racing.” It also features a pair of structural support braces where the rear seats used to be, adding further rigidity to a car that is already considerably stiff compared to the regular hatchback it’s based on.
We expected an unforgivingly stiff ride and a chassis with minimal body roll, especially since Toyota didn’t allow anyone to drive it on city streets during the track-only first drive. However, contrary to expectations, the Morizo’s suspension doesn’t punish you with stiffness. It provides a playful and whimsical feel as you navigate corners, which is not what you would typically expect from a car so serious that it no longer has rear seats.
Don’t mistake its comfortable ride for lackluster handling, though. The way it transitions from corner to corner is excellent, predictable, and makes you want to keep going left-right-left-right-left… and so on. Turning the steering wheel is a joy thanks to its suede-like cloth cover and perfect width. You can confidently accelerate through corners, and the AWD system evenly pulls you through without any torque steer. The Sport Cup 2 tires offer so much grip that the dual limited-slip differentials hardly need to do any work. On colder pavement with cold tires, the GR Corolla is eager to go sideways.
Plenty of Grip:
However, it becomes challenging to achieve any kind of slip angle when the tires are hot, but if you were to replace the tires with Prius tires like they did with the GR86, you would have a car that loves to drift.
Shifting through the gears is always entertaining with the GR Corolla’s medium-length throws, allowing you to enthusiastically maneuver the notchy shifter. The shifter perfectly complements the car’s personality. It would be nice to have an armrest to provide a more natural position for your elbow and forearm, but then we wouldn’t have the proper handbrake that Toyota added to the GR. The minimalist and affordable Corolla vibes continue in the cabin. Small touches of red accents subtly enhance the aesthetics, but there’s no denying that Toyota prioritized performance extras over cabin amenities.
The large bezels surrounding the small touchscreen and the miles of boring black plastic across the dashboard are hard to ignore. However, the digital gauge cluster and Morizo plaque visible when you open the door make up for it. The additional charge for the Morizo Edition brings the price up to $51,420 for the white paint or $52,640 for the matte gray, which is $7,000 more than the already expensive Circuit Edition. Finding a Morizo Edition for the original $50,000+ price tag is highly unlikely, as the cheapest ones listed on Autotrader are around $76,000.
Limited Numbers Available:
Toyota is only producing 200 of them, and as expected, the prices have skyrocketed well above the already high MSRP. It’s a shame that there are such limited quantities considering the amount of effort put into improving the Morizo Edition compared to the already superb Circuit Edition.
There’s no doubt that the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition is already considered a classic and is possibly the most serious GR Corolla Toyota will ever produce. However, paying more than its sticker price for the driving experience it offers seems excessive. Just like the low-volume Civic Type R Limited Edition, the Morizo Edition is a special car that enthusiasts will appreciate, but the inflated prices may deter some potential buyers.