Toyota GR Yaris Drag Races Celica GT-Four, RAV4 Comes Out to Play

Question is, how is it going to stack up against one of Toyota's legendary sports cars: the Celica GT-4? It has been 20+ years since the GT-Four ST205 production came to a halt, whereas the GR Yaris hit the market less than 2 years ago. Both cars are AWD, turbocharged, and they are both using manual gearboxes. In stock form, these two have similar power levels, but you know that there's more to racing than that. The GR Yaris only weighs in at 2,821 lbs (1,280 kg), so that should make up for the fact that it's the only stock car lining up today.

Meanwhile, the GT-Four is rated for about 300 horsepower, thanks to an increase in boost levels via a boost controller. But it's also about 352 lbs (160 kg) heavier than the GR Yaris, not to mention that we're talking about a car that's almost 30 years old. Oddly enough, a third contender is joining in on the action. This is the kind of vehicle you wouldn't expect to see in a quarter-mile (402 meters) race. The owner of the GT-Four is quite passionate about Toyotas, so he built his RAV4 to a level where it can keep up with its sporty sibling.

Whereas a standard second-generation RAV4 would have less than 200 horsepower, this one is rated for about 300. This little SUV has received a Celica GT-Four ST185 engine swap and an array of other upgrades that give it a true sleeper status. Oddly enough, it's not the heaviest car here, so it might just pose a real threat to its opponents today. For the first test of the day, we'll see how fast these cars can hit 60 mph (96 mph). The Celica GT-Four manages to get the job done in 4.89 seconds, which is quite good for a car its age.

The GR Yaris is off to a solid start, and you have to admit that even in stock form, this thing is quite fast. It delivers an identical result as its first opponent, so it's all down to the RAV4. Even with a decent amount of wheelspin, it still manages to win this first test, with a time of 4.79 seconds. That's slightly faster than a brand new Volvo XC90 T8! Now, onto the individual quarter-mile runs. Now, this may not be a multi-million dollar drag race, but that doesn't mean it's not going to be exciting.

At the end of this second test, the GR Yaris comes out on top with a time of 13.26 seconds. And we're already getting a preview of how close the next battles are going to be. The RAV4 was only 0.11 seconds behind, while the Celica GT-Four came in third with a time of 13.72 seconds. The head-to-head race is up next, and all three drivers seem determined to win this challenge. A photo-finish between the Celica GT-Four and the RAV4 reveals that the SUV came in 2nd place, but it's all downhill for the iconic sports car from here on after.

The sleeper RAV4 wins the next two races, proving just how efficient an ST185 swap can be if done right. But we all know that for the rolling race, the GR Yaris has a lightweight advantage. It eventually boils down to the last run of the day, and it looks like the GR Yaris started going all-out sooner than it should have. So, for the last challenge of the day, the sporty hatchback wins 2 out of 3 races, with the Toyota RAV4 coming in second best.