It has been said that electric vehicles (EVs) are bound to be the future of mobility. But there are still other automakers that pursue an alternative solution for producing net-zero cars. One of these is Toyota, which recently held a test run of its hydrogen technology fitted in a GR Yaris.
Toyota GR Yaris H2
This is not the first time we’ve heard about a hydrogen-powered Toyota GR Yaris, dubbed GR Yaris H2, as it was unveiled in December last year. Now, the vehicle has gone on a spin outside of Japan for the first time which was driven by Toyota Motor Corporation’s President, Akio Toyota, a.k.a. “Morizo.”
Morizo drove the hydrogen-powered GR Yaris during the ninth round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Ypres. He was driving alongside co-driver Juha Kankkunen, a Finnish driver and four-time WRC champion who won a world title with Toyota. Here’s what the Toyota President had to say about his run:
“We also had a (Toyota) Mirai (fuel cell electric vehicle) at the venue demonstrating external power supply, and I believe that, together with driving using a hydrogen engine, we were able to highlight in Europe the potential of hydrogen as an option for achieving carbon neutrality.”
From left to right: Juha Kankkunen, Akio Toyoda
The GR Yaris H2 took on the rally course in Special Stage (SS) 11 on the second day of the August 19 to 21 Ypres Rally Belgium. Challenges such as narrow farm roads are part of the 15-km SS 11, making maneuvering more difficult. But thanks to the teamwork inside the hot hatch, the vehicle completed the course without incident.
No huge mechanical changes were made under the hood of the Toyota GR Yaris. It still has the same 1.6-liter 3-cylinder G16E-GTS engine but uses hydrogen as its fuel. As compared to gasoline products, hydrogen is the more eco-friendly alternative which can help the automaker get closer to achieving carbon neutrality.
The hot hatch showcased the capabilities of hydrogen fuel
Meanwhile, Kankkunen also commented on the test run, saying, “Akio’s driving was great. And the hydrogen engine put out solid torque, making it no different from a gasoline engine.”
He added, “Because they emit zero CO2, I believe engines will become one of the options for achieving carbon neutrality not only in the world of motorsports but also in the world of everyday cars.”
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Know more about Toyota GR Yaris 2024
The Toyota GR Yaris Philippines is a subcompact hatchback belonging to the hot hatch or sports compact category. It is offered in the Philippines with one variant only which is priced at Php 2,940,000. Powering this Japanese hot hatch is a 1.6-liter G16E-GTS turbocharged inline-3 gasoline engine that is capable of generating 257 horsepower and 360 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful commercially available three-cylinder engine to date. Only a 6-speed manual is the sole transmission option with an all-wheel-drive system.
Dimensions-wise, the GR Yaris comes with a length of 3,995 mm, a width of 1,805 mm, and a height of 1,455 mm, including ground clearance and wheelbase rated at 124 mm and 2,560 mm, respectively. Locally, Gazoo Racing's hot hatch is competing against the Honda Civic Type R.
Toyota GR Yaris Launch
The XP210 Yaris was initially introduced in 2019 via a simultaneous launch event in Japan and the Netherlands, eventually going on sale in Japan in 2020. The performance-oriented GR Yaris was then unveiled at the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon and has already been available in several markets including the UK. Recently, Toyota Motor Philippines announced that the GR Yaris will also be sold locally starting August 14, 2021.
Toyota GR Yaris Exterior
As a sporty model, the GR Yaris sports functional design elements. The large grille is meant to provide optimal cooling, and the car also gets a carbon fiber roof to ensure a lower center of gravity. It also comes standard with a set of 18-inch BBS forged alloy wheels, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. For visibility, it comes standard with a pair of 3-tier LED headlamps, LED taillights, and front foglamps.
Toyota GR Yaris Interior
On paper, the GR Yaris can fit up to five occupants. The front seats are clad in a combination of leather and suede, whereas the rear seats are covered in leather. As expected, the front seats of the car get a lot of bolstering.
To keep its occupants cool, the model also comes standard with an automatic climate control system. The driver also has access to a hand-operated parking brake, tilt-and-telescopic multi-function steering, and a leather-wrapped gear shift lever.
Technology & Safety Features
Dominating the dash is a touchscreen head unit with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In terms of safety, the model also comes with standard features you’d expect on many roadgoing cars. It has anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, six airbags, stability control, traction control, and hill-start assist, among others.
In addition, the GR Yaris also comes with the Toyota Safety Sense driver-assist suite. This kit includes automatic high beams, lane trace assist, and a pre-collision collision system.
Platform & Chassis
As mentioned, the GR Yaris is based on the XP210 series Yaris that’s available in other markets. To be more specific, however, this hot hatch uses a modified version of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. The front half of the car uses the TNGA GA-B, while the rear comprises the TNGA GA-C. This spliced TNGA chassis was decided upon by Toyota and Gazoo Racing, in order to accommodate the GR-Four 4WD system.
Suspension-wise, it also differs from the regular XP210 Yaris in that the GR Yaris has a beefier double wishbone suspension layout. The latter is also much lighter due to its aluminum hood, trunk lid, and door panels. And lastly, it also has a front and rear torsen limited-slip differential.
Toyota GR Yaris Engine
Under the hood of the GR Yaris is a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-3 DOHC gasoline engine, capable of up to 257 horsepower and 360 Nm of torque. It is paired with a six-speed intelligent manual transmission, which sends power to all of its wheels via the GR-Four 4WD system.
The only car that can be compared to the Toyota GR Yaris in the Philippines is the Honda Civic Type R. Toyota's hot hatch offers AWD, while Honda's model is designed with a front-wheel-drive system.
Available colors for the Toyota GR Yaris Philippines are Super White II, Emotional Red. and Precious Black.
Toyota GR Yaris Pros & Cons
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₱ 2,740,000
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