(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) – Hard to believe that the great Toyota GR Yaris is already a good six years old. Although the three-cylinder rally derivative has already been updated several times, the development team continues to find ways to improve it. For 2026, the smallest member of the Gazoo Racing family will receive a new steering wheel designed to address the criticisms of the previous model.
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Toyota openly admits it: GR Yaris owners complained about not being able to grip the steering wheel optimally. The cause is the position of the buttons, which were previously too close to the steering wheel rim – drivers had to be careful not to accidentally operate them. The engineers have now solved the problem with a completely new steering wheel developed based on feedback from professional racing drivers.
Toyota sent the GR Yaris to the racetrack and initially tested the new steering wheel with clay-modeled prototypes before the design was finalized. The controls have been moved closer to the center and are now arranged around the airbag cover. As a result, they are further away from the driver’s hands. In addition, there is a larger grip zone. At the same time, the steering wheel diameter has been slightly reduced for faster steering inputs.
The experts among you will also have noticed that the Toyota emblem has given way to a GR logo. This is not surprising, as Gazoo Racing was recently established as an independent performance sub-brand. The new switches on both sides feature illuminated rings, and the heated steering wheel can now also be ordered together with the vertical handbrake.
The GR Yaris in the 2026 specification also brings changes elsewhere. Toyota is fitting stickier Bridgestone Potenza Race tires with a new rubber compound, modified tread, and a different internal construction. The tires are intended to reduce rolling noise during normal driving while providing more grip when the car is pushed hard in corners. A new damper setup is also intended to help here. In addition, not only the steering wheel but also the electric power steering has been revised.
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Motor1 says: Toyota’s latest round of updates for the GR Yaris shows that this generation will remain in the lineup for a few more years. It is gratifying to see such a commitment to an enthusiast car that is, by its nature, a niche product.
Hardly any manufacturer is currently as good to fans of driving pleasure as Toyota. Most recently, hints have already been given about a revival of the Celica. In addition, the Japanese are working on a completely new, turbocharged 2,0-liter four-cylinder that could eventually replace the three-cylinder currently used in the hot hatches – so the future for GR road models looks promising.
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