4.5 Expert Rating

Toyota GR Yaris RZ Expert Review

Extensively tested and reviewed by Team CarHub

EXPERT VERDICT
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Toyota GR Yaris RZ is a thrilling, compact AWD performance car, but its firm ride, tiny rear space and high ownership cost limit everyday practicality.
AT A GLANCE

Pros & Cons

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WHAT WE LIKE

Good Things

  • ✓
    Exceptional turbo performance
  • ✓
    Excellent AWD traction
  • ✓
    Sharp, agile handling
  • ✓
    Compact exterior dimensions
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WHAT COULD BE BETTER

Could Be Better

  • −
    Firm ride quality
  • −
    Limited rear space
  • −
    High fuel consumption
  • −
    Expensive performance tyres
Toyota GR Yaris RZ
— 31 Reviews
৳ 65.00 Lakh - 80.00 Lakh

Exterior

The GR Yaris looks as though someone took an ordinary Yaris, fed it an unreasonable amount of protein and then told it to prepare for a rally. The result is compact, wide and distinctly aggressive. Its 3,995mm length is deceptively small, but the 1,805mm width, swollen wheel arches and low roof give the car a planted stance. The short body and long-looking bonnet create a shape that immediately tells you this is not the sensible Yaris your aunt uses for supermarket duty. Toyota's designers were not merely decorating the car with spoilers and GR badges. The bodywork was shaped around aerodynamic performance, with a low roofline, wide stance, prominent lower grille and rear spoiler working together to improve high-speed stability. The three-door configuration also gives it a more serious performance-car identity. The LED lighting, aggressive front bumper and large 18-inch wheels complete the package. In Bangladesh, however, those beautiful wheels and low-profile tyres require some respect. Dhaka's potholes do not care about your rally aspirations. There is also a wonderfully unusual quality to the GR Yaris: it is small enough for city streets but visually dramatic enough to attract attention everywhere. This is not an understated Toyota. It looks like a car that has somewhere much more interesting to go.

Interior

Inside, the GR Yaris follows the same philosophy as the exterior: function first, entertainment second, nonsense somewhere near the bottom of the list. The driving position is one of its strongest points. The steering wheel, pedals, gear lever and driver-focused instruments create a cockpit that makes sense immediately. You sit low enough to feel connected with the chassis without feeling as though Toyota has thrown you into a bucket and forgotten you exist. The front seats provide strong support, which is exactly what you want when the road starts behaving like a roller coaster. Materials and trim can vary by specification, but leather-wrapped controls, digital instrumentation and sporty GR details give the cabin considerably more character than an ordinary Yaris. There is useful equipment too: automatic climate control, touchscreen infotainment, Bluetooth, USB connectivity, smartphone integration and folding rear seats. The newer cars can also bring considerably more technology depending on specification. Then we reach the back. There are only four seats, and rear access through three doors is hardly limousine territory. Adults can survive there, but they may begin questioning your friendship after a long journey. For Bangladesh, the cabin is excellent for two people and acceptable for four. It is not a family MPV disguised as a hot hatch. It is a driver's car that reluctantly carries passengers.

Features

The GR Yaris RZ is considerably better equipped than its motorsport-inspired appearance might suggest. Modern examples offer an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, while selected specifications can add navigation and JBL premium audio. That means the car does not force you to choose between serious performance and basic modern convenience. Automatic climate control, keyless entry, push-button starting, power windows, leather steering controls and a digital instrument display make daily driving reasonably civilised. The rear seats fold to improve cargo flexibility, although nobody should confuse the GR Yaris with a luggage van. Safety technology is another area where the newer cars are impressive. Toyota Safety Sense-related equipment can include adaptive cruise control, pre-collision warning and braking, lane-departure warning, lane-tracing assistance, traffic-sign recognition and automatic high-beam assistance. Current Japanese specifications also offer blind-spot monitoring and additional parking assistance depending on configuration. Some features, particularly navigation, JBL audio, parking sensors, BSM and connected services, vary according to year and market. This matters enormously in Bangladesh because a Japanese auction car may not have exactly the same equipment as an export-market brochure car. The cleverest feature, however, remains the AWD system. Toyota spent far more engineering effort making the car move properly than adding gimmicks.

Safety

Safety is one of the areas where the newer GR Yaris is considerably more sophisticated than its outrageous appearance suggests. The basic hardware is reassuring: ABS, Brake Assist, electronic stability control, traction control, EBD, multiple airbags, seatbelt reminders, ISOFIX mounting points and TPMS. The car also benefits from a sophisticated AWD system that can improve traction when accelerating on wet or imperfect surfaces. Toyota Safety Sense adds another layer. Depending on year and specification, the GR Yaris can provide forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-tracing assistance, traffic-sign recognition and automatic high-beam assistance. Current Japanese RZ models can also have blind-spot monitoring and related rear-cross-traffic assistance. That is particularly useful in Bangladesh, where motorcycles, CNGs, rickshaws, buses and pedestrians have a fascinating habit of appearing from places that engineers never considered. But electronic safety does not make the car invincible. Its low ground clearance, wide performance tyres and firm suspension mean drivers still need to understand Dhaka roads and rural roads alike. The GR Yaris has excellent mechanical grip, but physics remains stubbornly employed. Most importantly, imported cars must be inspected properly. Airbag deployment, structural repairs and accident history should be verified through auction documentation rather than trusting a shiny exterior. A clean GR Yaris is a very safe enthusiast car. A poorly repaired one is an entirely different story.

Driving Experience

This is where the GR Yaris stops being a small Toyota and starts behaving like something that escaped from a rally stage. The 1,618cc G16E-GTS is an extraordinary little engine. A three-cylinder engine producing as much as 304 hp and 400 Nm sounds like something an engineer wrote on a whiteboard after drinking too much coffee, yet Toyota actually built it. Power arrives aggressively, while the GR-FOUR AWD system gives the car remarkable traction. Instead of simply spinning the front tyres and making a dramatic noise, the car digs into the road and fires itself forward. The steering is quick, the chassis feels eager and the compact dimensions make the car wonderfully responsive. On a good road, it feels much more like a miniature rally weapon than a conventional hatchback. Bangladesh does provide one small problem: our roads occasionally resemble unfinished geological experiments. The firm suspension and low-profile tyres transmit bumps directly into the cabin. Broken Dhaka roads, aggressive speed breakers and poorly surfaced rural routes require caution. Long highway drives are enjoyable when the surface is good, but the ride is never going to be confused with a Toyota Premio. Fuel economy is also enthusiast-dependent. Gentle driving can produce respectable numbers, but boost pressure and an enthusiastic right foot have a complicated relationship with fuel bills. For someone who genuinely loves driving, however, the compromise is entirely understandable. This is not merely transportation. It is an event.
EXPLORE THE RANGE

Variants

The GR Yaris range has evolved significantly, so Bangladesh buyers should understand the grades rather than treating every GR Yaris as identical.

The RZ is the core high-performance model. It uses the 1.6L G16E-GTS turbocharged engine, GR-FOUR AWD and performance-focused chassis. For a buyer who wants the real GR Yaris experience without necessarily chasing every expensive performance upgrade, this is the sensible starting point.

The RZ High Performance adds more serious hardware and equipment, with performance-focused suspension and, depending on generation, Torsen limited-slip differentials, higher-spec wheels and performance tyres. It is the enthusiast's choice.

The RC is more competition-oriented, stripping away some equipment to provide a better foundation for modification or motorsport use.

There are also special editions such as the Sébastien Ogier Edition and Kalle Rovanperä Edition, which are far rarer and more collectible rather than sensible mainstream Bangladesh purchases. Toyota's Japanese range has also introduced the 8-speed GR-DAT automatic alongside the six-speed manual on newer cars.

For Bangladesh, I would prioritise a clean RZ or RZ High Performance with verified auction history over chasing a fancy badge. Condition, accident history, mileage and mechanical health matter more than a brochure's most exotic equipment list.

The GR Yaris RZ is ultimately a specialist car. Buy it because you enjoy driving, not because you expect it to behave like an Allion.
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FAQ

Toyota GR Yaris RZ Questions & Answers

The current price for a reconditioned Toyota GR Yaris RZ in Bangladesh is around Tk 65–80 lakh. Prices vary according to model year, auction grade, mileage, specification, import cost and condition.

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Estimate your monthly payment for Toyota GR Yaris RZ

৳ 30,00,000
৳5L ৳1Cr
৳ 5,00,000
৳0 ৳30L
9%
5% 18%
5 Years
1 Year 7 Years
Your Monthly EMI ৳ 64,250 Estimated payment per month
Principal Amount ৳ 30,00,000
Total Interest ৳ 7,68,000
Total Payment ৳ 37,68,000