Three-cylinder turbos are rightfully detested by car enthusiasts. These powerplants remind everyone and their dog of the industry's constant pursuit for cutting costs, as well as the increasingly draconic emission regulations (Euro 7 due in 2025), and gas mileage regulations (CAFE in the US). But still, Toyota really knocked it out of the park with the G16E-GTS engine.
A three-cylinder turbo with direct and port fuel injection, the 1.6-liter engine in the GR Corolla produces a respectable 300 horsepower at 6,500 revolutions per minute and 273 pound-feet (370 Nm) from 3,000 spinnies. It's even torquier in the Morizo Edition, albeit that one's a limited-run version that costs a cool $49,900 without the $1,095 destination charge.
Best defined as a corner-carving machine with the right amount of practicality for dailying, the GR Corolla is all the more special due to its GR-Four permanent all-wheel-drive system. It usually splits torque 60:40 front to back, whereas Sport Mode channels 70 percent to the rear axle for a far more engaging driving experience.
Lighter and more compact than a four-cylinder turbo such as the 2.0-liter unit in the Honda Civic Type R, the G16E-GTS is no slouch in a straight line enough. The good folks at The Fast Lane have recently drag raced the GR Corolla against two V8-engined icons, namely the fifth-generation Corvette and fifth-generation 'Stang.
The Chevy is a 1999 model with the LS1 engine, as in the LS that started it all back in 1997. Depending on the year, the C5-specific LS1 produces 345 to 350 horsepower and 350 to 375 pound-feet (475 to 508 Nm) of torque. As for the Mustang, that's a 2014 model – the final year for the S197 – with the Gen 1 Coyote V8.
Introduced in 2010 for 2011, the double-overhead-cam'd engine features the same firing order as the Flathead from the good ol' days. In this application, the Coyote belts out 420 horsepower and 390 pound-feet (529 Nm). In other words, the Mustang and Corvette are more powerful and torquier than the compact hatch.
They're also heavier, equipped with slow torque-converter automatic transmissions, and rear-wheel drive. With this information out of our way, does it come as a surprise the GR Corolla launches better from a standstill due to its trick all-wheel-drive system? It made easy work of the C5 from a dig and a roll, yet didn't stand a chance against the 2014 Mustang GT.
As opposed to 14.86 seconds for the V8-engined pony car, the GR Corolla ran 15.75 seconds, and the C5 ranked last with 15.91 seconds in the quarter mile. In terms of stopping power, the GR Corolla redeems itself due to its C5-like weight and performance brakes. TFL measured 72 feet compared to 85 for the Mustang and 105 for the 'Vette, which means 22, 26, and 32 meters in metric.
The question is, will that G16E-GTS be running in a decade's time? A three-pot mill this stressed isn't likely to be as reliable in the long run as the naturally-aspirated LS1 or the Coyote Gen 1 in the S197 Mustang GT.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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