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vs GR Corolla

Jabberwocker

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I use it all the time in my Focus, but Taiwan is traffic hell. The kids love the rear armrest, that's a major negative, but I'm guessing I can find something to put back there, like an armrest that mounts to the center seat - they sell one for older Civics.
Everyone, myself included, was hoping the GRC would be the more raucous car, a modern STI or EVO, with a better sounding engine - some 3 cylinders can sound cool. But based on reviews it doesn't seem to be much more fun than the Type R, unless maybe it's offroad or on snow. And the engine maybe sounds a little better but not enough to make up for the impracticality.

The hatch body style is a big bonus for me, and I love the 2024 in blue with Morizo wheels.
So I can give you some insight since we were both coming from 2020 SIs on the 10th gen forum as I just picked up a circuit GRC recently. The engine sounds great at 3000rpm plus for a 3cyl, lower rpm is a more quiet mode for highway driving. I haven't missed the armrest, I was wondering how that was going to be without it as I used it on the Si all the time. Maybe its because the shifter is higher with the GRC than the Civics.

The awd vs fwd is so different that I really think these cars have been compared so often really because we dont have many options anymore at this price point. I went with the GRC over the CTR because I wanted something that can play on the backroads on any type of surface condition or weather type. I was actually driving around on the backroads this morning in the pouring rain and the car was completely unphased it just hooked up everywhere when pushing it. Just like all the reviews have said the CTR is going to shine in better road conditions. Plus I can say even coming from my 10th gen Si then inputs on the Civics are crisper, not that the GRC is bad, Honda has this all sorted a bit better.

The GRC is a bit smaller than the 11th gen civic. So unless you can live with a smaller car and this is your daily the GRC may not be the most practical choice. I have another vehicle, so the smaller size of GRC was a bit more desirable in my case. I know why they didn't, but only if Honda had made a shorter 11th gen CTR coupe...
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1971Camaro

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So I can give you some insight since we were both coming from 2020 SIs on the 10th gen forum as I just picked up a circuit GRC recently. The engine sounds great at 3000rpm plus for a 3cyl, lower rpm is a more quiet mode for highway driving. I haven't missed the armrest, I was wondering how that was going to be without it as I used it on the Si all the time. Maybe its because the shifter is higher with the GRC than the Civics.

The awd vs fwd is so different that I really think these cars have been compared so often really because we dont have many options anymore at this price point. I went with the GRC over the CTR because I wanted something that can play on the backroads on any type of surface condition or weather type. I was actually driving around on the backroads this morning in the pouring rain and the car was completely unphased it just hooked up everywhere when pushing it. Just like all the reviews have said the CTR is going to shine in better road conditions. Plus I can say even coming from my 10th gen Si then inputs on the Civics are crisper, not that the GRC is bad, Honda has this all sorted a bit better.

The GRC is a bit smaller than the 11th gen civic. So unless you can live with a smaller car and this is your daily the GRC may not be the most practical choice. I have another vehicle, so the smaller size of GRC was a bit more desirable in my case. I know why they didn't, but only if Honda had made a shorter 11th gen CTR coupe...

When buying the FL5, i debated the GR vs. the FL5. Trouble was, neither car was available at a dealership at the time, and very few people had driven them. The pros for the GR were the 4WD, the manual brake, and the legacy of the Yaris... but with 3 different models coming out, i wasn't even sure how to compare it with the CTR.

Three things pushed me into the CTR...
1) the cargo and passenger room -- BIG reason
2) the internal cabin with the red seats looked SO much nicer
3) A Core model GR came into a local dealer while i was waiting... and it was a bit disappointing in appearance...yet, there were no test drives allowed, so i had to go with my emotional reaction

Then... it didn't hurt that i was 1st on the list for a CTR at 7k over (with accessories i wanted)...while the toyota dealer was asking 15k over on the GR. :(

I recently finally got to see a Circuit Edition of the GR... and i can tell you it Blew me away!! For anyone considering the GR, you MUST see the Circuit Edition before you buy! There is NO comparison between the Core and Circuit. No matter how loaded the Core version may be, the look and feel of the Circuit Edition is totally worth the extra...and then you have the bonus of it being a limited edition. Seeing it got me very curious again to actually drive one.

I still would love to test-drive a GR for comparison. For now, loving every second of my FL5 :drive:
 

hammeredsole

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When buying the FL5, i debated the GR vs. the FL5. Trouble was, neither car was available at a dealership at the time, and very few people had driven them. The pros for the GR were the 4WD, the manual brake, and the legacy of the Yaris... but with 3 different models coming out, i wasn't even sure how to compare it with the CTR.

Three things pushed me into the CTR...
1) the cargo and passenger room -- BIG reason
2) the internal cabin with the red seats looked SO much nicer
3) A Core model GR came into a local dealer while i was waiting... and it was a bit disappointing in appearance...yet, there were no test drives allowed, so i had to go with my emotional reaction

Then... it didn't hurt that i was 1st on the list for a CTR at 7k over (with accessories i wanted)...while the toyota dealer was asking 15k over on the GR. :(

I recently finally got to see a Circuit Edition of the GR... and i can tell you it Blew me away!! For anyone considering the GR, you MUST see the Circuit Edition before you buy! There is NO comparison between the Core and Circuit. No matter how loaded the Core version may be, the look and feel of the Circuit Edition is totally worth the extra...and then you have the bonus of it being a limited edition. Seeing it got me very curious again to actually drive one.

I still would love to test-drive a GR for comparison. For now, loving every second of my FL5 :drive:
I owned a GRC loaded core for 2 months, and I grew to loath the car. I had it for just over 3,000 miles, never used it as a daily. All miles, aside from a 600 mile highway trip when new, were on North GA backroads, really hashing it out.

Engine: Impressive output for the displacement, but it heat soaks fast with noticable power loss and this was in mean 75F ambient temps. Peaks around 6k rpm, no power down low off boost. Raspy exhaust note is cute at first, but eventually the gimmick gets old.

Transmission (where it really falls apart): OK at best shift quality, clutch is horrible in my opinion. Dual mass flywheel/clutch assembly weighs 47lbs and has around 1" of rotational play in the dual-mass assembly, making smooth normal driving shifts audibly clunky and jerky. Everyone who drove the car thought something was broken. I installed powerflex yellow engine/trans mount inserts because I thought it was motor slop. These helped, but only highlighted the freeplay in the flywheel. The sheer mass of the assembly when revving in neutral made for a long wind-up in revs and then a slow wind-down. This enormous rotational inertia made for a lack of snappiness in power delivery in low-gears; it's very noticeable once you understand what is happening. This dual-mass is necessary to dampen power impulse of the 3-cyl engine. ***Additionally: the transmission an Aisin BG6, has a factory max torque rating which is not that much higher than bone stock motor puts out. Find me a GRY that is making good power on an OEM transmission. Most of them have expensive straight-cut dogboxes and sequential transmissions; because the BG6 has a tendency to catastrophically fail synchro assemblies.

Chassis: OK, also. Had lots of giggle inducing grip, fairly neutral character; but buzzy, tinny, and small. Between all the drivetrain going on and lack of sound deadening, there were multiple rolling sound resonance issues at 70 mph and above, all occurring at their own unique engine speed/road speed combos. Very race-car of this thing, which is not capable of race-car performance. Toyota very obviously made zero effort at weight reduction of the GRC, aside from using the cheapest parts bin stuff they could throw at it. All panels are steel, 46lb H6 battery in the trunk, all suspension is steel, etc.

Huge gripe: Toyota marketed the GRC as a "slidey" type of car. It will not swing the rear out on tarmac unless it is the most extreme exaggerated turn with massive power application. Even then, it's very breifly that the back comes out. I even Beta'd and help develop the programming for the SYVECS AWD unit, and with all duty cycles cranked to absolute maximum to the Toyota Highlander parts bin rear PTU, getting the rear end out was either a miracle or parking lot e-brake induced antics. (It will zero spin, but really how often are you going to do that? Party trick: Check).

Suspension: I mean... OK. Toyota knew what combo of spring rate, fixed rate dampers and sway bar diameter to include to eek out the grip from the PS4s. Acceptable, but nothing ground breaking, and herein lies the details...
Whereas the CTR has interestingly engineered front suspension to deal with FWD tendencies (dual axis, etc..) the GRC uses standard knuckle design, and offloads with a parts bin RAV4 PTU for "ALL WHEEL DRIVE". The SYVECS AWD unit has an interesting feature which allows you to turn off the rear PTU while driving. Well, guess what? Massive and wildly unpredictable torque steer... Sure, Toyota didn't need to engineer a fix for what wasn't technically a problem, but the problem still exists and just isn't typically felt. There were a couple times on a backroad of my regular driving route where the car darted dangerously to the side of the road under power over a weird undulation, and I always attributed it to the suspension. After experimenting with the SYVECS, and driving back through that route a bunch more, the darting was very predictable and traced back to power delivery through the front wheels on not-very-smooth surface, and felt exactly like horrible torque steer.

Lastly, the absolutely poor quality of the interior, which all the youtuber's make excuses for, gets really old pretty fast. The seats were uncomfortable, under-supportive, and the headrest juts forward so you can never really rest your head. The hard plastic door cards scratch easy, the stereo system is underpowered and hollow, back seats have zero leg-room, piano black everywhere, poor storage, just a dumb rental car experience overall.

I was extremely hyped to get a GRC. The GRC was even revealed in the Toyota "market study" commercial at the now defunct mall where I spent a good portion of my youth. After putting 3,000 miles on it and really exploring it's potential and function, I got rid of it without a second thought. The brief ownership of the GRC has reminded me to temper my expectations, but has also enlightened me to the nature of YouTube/Social media car "reviewers." They either aren't really driving these things long or hard enough, are simply shills for the company, or both. A good friend who has an overlanding YouTube channel told me that companies give scripts or bullet-points for reviewers. Seems to be pretty accurate.

I just got word that my FL5 is nearing the dealer, and it may only be a week out. Being a lifelong Honda fan, let's hope it's not a rinse-repeat of the GRC, although I don't think it's going to be.
 
Last edited:

VarmintCong

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I owned a GRC loaded core for 2 months, and I grew to loath the car. I had it for just over 3,000 miles, never used it as a daily. All miles, aside from a 600 mile highway trip when new, were on North GA backroads, really hashing it out.

Engine: Impressive output for the displacement, but it heat soaks fast with noticable power loss and this was in mean 75F ambient temps. Peaks around 6k rpm, no power down low off boost. Raspy exhaust note is cute at first, but eventually the gimmick gets old.

Transmission (where it really falls apart): OK at best shift quality, clutch is horrible in my opinion. Dual mass flywheel/clutch assembly weighs 47lbs and has around 1" of rotational play in the dual-mass assembly, making smooth normal driving shifts audibly clunky and jerky. Everyone who drove the car thought something was broken. I installed powerflex yellow engine/trans mount inserts because I thought it was motor slop. These helped, but only highlighted the freeplay in the flywheel. The sheer mass of the assembly when revving in neutral made for a long wind-up in revs and then a slow wind-down. This enormous rotational inertia made for a lack of snappiness in power delivery in low-gears; it's very noticeable once you understand what is happening. This dual-mass is necessary to dampen power impulse of the 3-cyl engine. ***Additionally: the transmission an Aisin BG6, has a factory max torque rating which is not that much higher than bone stock motor puts out. Find me a GRY that is making good power on an OEM transmission. Most of them have expensive straight-cut dogboxes and sequential transmissions; because the BG6 has a tendency to catastrophically fail synchro assemblies.

Chassis: OK, also. Had lots of giggle inducing grip, fairly neutral character; but buzzy, tinny, and small. Between all the drivetrain going on and lack of sound deadening, there were multiple rolling sound resonance issues at 70 mph and above, all occurring at their own unique engine speed/road speed combos. Very race-car of this thing, which is not capable of race-car performance. Toyota very obviously made zero effort at weight reduction of the GRC, aside from using the cheapest parts bin crap they could throw at it. All panels are steel, 46lb H6 battery in the trunk, all suspension is steel, etc.

Huge gripe: Toyota marketed the GRC as a "slidey" type of car. It will not swing the rear out on tarmac unless it is the most extreme exaggerated turn with massive power application. Even then, it's very breifly that the back comes out. I even Beta'd and help develop the programming for the SYVECS AWD unit, and with all duty cycles cranked to absolute maximum to the Toyota Highlander parts bin rear PTU, getting the rear end out was either a miracle or parking lot e-brake induced antics. (It will zero spin, but really how often are you going to do that? Party trick: Check).

Suspension: I mean... OK. Toyota knew what combo of spring rate, fixed rate dampers and sway bar diameter to include to eek out the grip from the PS4s. Acceptable, but nothing ground breaking, and herein lies the details...
Whereas the CTR has interestingly engineered front suspension to deal with FWD tendencies (dual axis, etc..) the GRC uses standard knuckle design, and offloads with a parts bin RAV4 PTU for "ALL WHEEL DRIVE". The SYVECS AWD unit has an interesting feature which allows you to turn off the rear PTU while driving. Well, guess what? Massive and wildly unpredictable torque steer... Sure, Toyota didn't need to engineer a fix for what wasn't technically a problem, but the problem still exists and just isn't typically felt. There were a couple times on a backroad of my regular driving route where the car darted dangerously to the side of the road under power over a weird undulation, and I always attributed it to the suspension. After experimenting with the SYVECS, and driving back through that route a bunch more, the darting was very predictable and traced back to power delivery through the front wheels on not-very-smooth surface, and felt exactly like horrible torque steer.

Lastly, the absolute shit quality of the interior, which all the youtuber's make excuses for, gets really f'ing old pretty fast. The seats were uncomfortable, under-supportive, and the headrest juts forward so you can never really rest your head. The hard plastic door cards scratch easy, the stereo system sucks, back seats have zero leg-room, piano black everywhere, poor storage, just a dumb rental car experience overall.

I was extremely hyped to get a GRC. The stupid thing was even revealed in the Toyota marketing study at the now defunct mall where I spent a good portion of my youth, worked at the attached theater, and met my now wife of 16 years. After putting 3,000 miles on it and really exploring it's potential and function, I got rid of it without a second thought. It was like flushing a big fat dump down the toilet. I traded it for an F150 Tremor that is just badass and fulfills lots of family/utility needs. The brief ownership of the GRC has reminded me to temper my expectations, but has also enlightened me to the nature of YouTube/Social media car "reviewers." They either aren't really driving these thigns long/hard enough, are simply shills for the company, or both. A good friend who has an overlanding YouTube channel told me that companies give scripts or bullet-points for reviewers. Seems to be pretty accurate.

I just got word that my FL5 is nearing the dealer, and it may only be a week out. Being a lifelong Honda fan, let's hope it's not a rinse-repeat of the GRC, although I don't think it's going to be.
thanks for the detailed review, sorry you had such a disappointing experience. I’d guess positive gushing YouTube videos get a lot more hits than one like your review.
 

fredzy

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Transmission (where it really falls apart): OK at best shift quality, clutch is horrible in my opinion. Dual mass flywheel/clutch assembly weighs 47lbs and has around 1" of rotational play in the dual-mass assembly, making smooth normal driving shifts audibly clunky and jerky. Everyone who drove the car thought something was broken.
I recall you chiming in on the GRC forums about your disappointment, you really did seem all-in on this car. This part here, regarding the DMF is the only thing that I don't follow. The GRC has been easy for me to drive smoothly, quite enjoyable. I'm thinking I know what you mean, it just never stuck out like a sore thumb like that.

The throttle response and engine character are big bright spots for me in this car. I never use iMT because I can't get blips and heel-toe wrong with how dialed the gas pedal is. And the little bit of lag and peaky-boosty nature of the engine are endearing, I love it. I'm certain I will prefer the GRC to the CTR in that department. You wrote off the engine note too, I think if the car hadn't disgusted you in so many other ways you'd feel more like me about that. I am positive I will miss the hell out of that if I get a CTR. I can't bear the noise CTR makes and I know it will be undrivably quiet without it 😣

The rest of your gripes I understand. I have wavered quite a bit on how I feel about the car since I got mine in Jan, 5200 miles. By mid summer, I also felt more resentment than the car was able to make up for with smiles per gallon. After a few long trips though, I've come back around to mostly appreciating it. It's not a scalpel like I'm sure the CTR is, but it's still pretty damn sharp on the B-roads and above all does not wear me down to drive fast at all, unlike any other car I've pushed. I'm very happy with how it rides and handles rough road.

The interior quality was and is a pain point for me as well - I'm mostly indifferent about it now. My biggest issue now is the rear passenger access & room, and cargo area. My kids are just the right size now for it to work but it will only get worse from here. That's where the wife has given the nod of approval to jump to CTR if the $ is right.

Rewind to last year, I had deposits with 2 dealers for CTR @ $5k over. GRC I thought was cool, and I was high on a list at an MSRP dealer as a byproduct of my GR86 hunt but that was a second thought. When CTR's MSRP was announced I was ready to tap out on replacing the WRX all together but I hung in there in case markups dropped by the time my turn came for FL5. Then in Dec the Toyota dealer told me I had their first Core at MSRP if I wanted it and I said screw it. Like $10k less and on paper it suited me better. And I sure loved how it sounded in videos.

Last week one of my Honda dealers called me out of the blue. They had a CW FL5 coming in and were willing to do $3k markup. He called me on it because I was the guy he had in mind as he'd been petitioning his managers to drop ADMs on CTR. (My main issue with ADM is principle, I know the CTR is "worth it" at $5k over for various reasons.) So I went for it - ready to dump the GRC at drop of a hat, turns out. Unfortunately they low-balled my trade (must have read hammeredsole's review!) so no deal. But I will be keeping an eye peeled now. I need GRC as DD in winter so could only trade it. Come spring I could sell it private and would have my 86 to cover the gap. Not sure if I can turn back now.
 


Cornercarver

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I have no regrets owning an FK8 vs a GR Corolla. But I would jump at the chance to take one for a drive.
Doubt any dealers are offering that. Not if they are marking them up over MSRP.
 

TDC50

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Savageese video on YouTube is documenting GRC enhancements. Overall it’s seems a poor fit for track work.
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