
Absa, NADA sign formal partnership agreement
Absa has taken another step towards becoming the bank of the auto industry by signing a formal collaboration agreement with the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA).
- Industry News
- 4 July 2025
The hot hatch market will soon receive more heat when Toyota introduces its GR Corolla to the local market.
The GR Corolla will be the fourth Gazoo Racing (GR) model in South Africa, joining the GR Supra, GR Yaris and GR86.
"We can safely say Toyota’s philosophy of building fun-to-drive cars is clear to see. With the GR brand’s motorsport DNA, the new GR Corolla promises to deliver on just what driving enthusiasts really want – high performance turbocharged power, agile and dynamic handling and, of course, the looks to match,” says Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing at TSAM.
What is different?
For starters the secret is under the bonnet where a 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo-charged engine with a whopping 221 kW nests. Mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission, the GR Corolla employs the GR-Four all-wheel-drive system developed through Toyota’s involvement in the World Rally Championship.
This engine is also the one found in the smaller GR Yaris, but with a tweak it delivers 221 kW against the 198 kW of the Yaris.
The GR Corolla is built on Toyota’s GA-C platform with enhanced frame reinforcements developed specifically for the GR Corolla at the Motomachi plant in Japan. The Motomachi facility is the birthplace of legends such as the Lexus LFA and Supra A80 and is now home to the first GR production line, where the GR Corolla and GR Yaris are assembled.
Pricing, specs and launch:
Pricing, detailed specification and model line-up for the GR Corolla will be confirmed closer to the launch date in the second quarter of this year.
TSAM also confirms that this model will be offered in limited quantities and that distribution will only be via GR-focused dealerships.
Kia has refreshed its Sorento with some new design elements, advanced technology and outdoor-ready capability. Although the car was initially launched in 2002, the latest facelift has transformed the Sorento into a more desirable vehicle.
Following the November 2024 reveal of the Tiggo Cross, Chery South Africa is expanding its line-up with a hybrid variant that offers not only strong performance but superb fuel efficiency and driving range, says the manufacturer.
Chery South Africa is expanding its local line-up with the launch of the Tiggo 7 CSH, a new PHEV derivative of the Tiggo 7.