We know the Toyota GR Corolla is a high-performance sedan, but we haven’t had many chances to see it tear up a drag strip. Of course, this new Accelerator chamber the video is not running on an appropriate tape. But with an open tarmac in a controlled environment, there’s plenty of room to let the little three-cylinder engine sing.
It’s also an opportunity for a three-way drag race against other overperforming compact runabouts. Facing the GR Corolla is a Hyundai Elantra N, pumping out 276 horsepower from its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The other contender is a Honda Civic Type R, but sadly it’s not the latest model to debut recently. It’s a little too new for this showdown, but the previous-generation hot hatch with 306 hp is certainly up to the challenge. All three vehicles shift gears the old-fashioned way with a manual transmission.
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Obviously, one vehicle here is different from the other two. While Honda and Hyundai have boosted 2.0-liter engines, the GR Corolla uses a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder. It’s also all-wheel drive, whereas the competition only spins the front wheels. With 300 hp in the Corolla, it surely has the advantage here, right?
Launching on an unprepared surface, the all-legged GR Corolla absolutely jumps to an immediate lead. However, we’ve seen the Elantra N take some surprising victories and this time around… yes, it’s not happening. The Type R with a little more power can’t even chase the Corolla before the finish line, although to the credit of the two front-wheel-drive competitors, the Toyota’s only real advantage is at launch.
This is brought to light in a second drag race, this time with a flying start. All three cars pull away evenly, with the Elantra backing up ever so slightly. At first, anyway – the turbocharged sedan sticks with the Toyota for the rest of the race, but none can match the Civic Type R. It slowly takes the lead, crossing the line two car lengths ahead of the GR Corolla.
How will the new Civic Type R handle the Toyota? It’s a matchup we can’t wait to see.
