Can a marketing team cause a vehicle’s downturn? We might already see this happening with the new 2023 Toyota GR Corolla.
When you make something new, fun, sporty, and exciting, you want to push it to the masses as fast as you can. The hot hatch market has several models that could give you the exciting drive you want on the road. One of the newest models to enter this arena is the GR Corolla. This hardcore hot hatch could be a lot of fun, but it might be killed off quickly because of some factors holding it back.
What’s standing in the way of the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla’s success?
Too few models in the United States
The hot hatch class isn’t nearly as popular in the United States as it is in other parts of the world. Only seven percent of the hatchbacks sold globally are sold in the U.S., while other markets, like Europe, bring in the sales in this class. Instead of flooding the market with the GR Corolla, the opposite will occur. This little Toyota hatchback will be a rarity in the United States, which drives up the value, cost, and current dealership prices.
If the prices are too high, will some drivers choose another model?
Some shoppers have reported seeing prices of nearly $50,000 for the Toyota GR Corolla. While it could be worth that much eventually, under its skin, it’s still a Corolla. For this same price, you might find yourself sitting in a Toyota Supra, which has a lot more power and performance. In fact, $45,000 could put you in the base model Supra with the 3.0-liter 6-cylinder version coming in at $53,000.
Why do we want to drive the GR Corolla?
The angry drive of this new small Toyota hot hatch comes from a powerful three-cylinder turbocharged engine. This engine was already put in the GR Yaris, but that car never made it to the United States. This GR Corolla delivers 300 horsepower sent through an impressive six-speed manual transmission. This makes the Toyota desirable, but is it enough to make us pay the high prices? For some, they won’t bat an eye and will take one of the few GR Corolla models home, but others might be a bit more discerning.
Couldn’t you get other hot hatches for less?
The hot hatch world has to walk a thin line of balancing value and power to give you everything you want in a vehicle. If the Toyota GR Corolla is going to be as much as a Supra, you can easily find other hot hatches for a lot less. For the same money, you can easily buy a Volkswagen Golf R, Ford Focus RS, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Hyundai Veloster N, or the venerable Honda Civic Type R. It’s pretty easy to figure out that this marketing strategy might not work for Toyota.
Toyota made this hot hatch to be comfortable
The interior and build quality of the new GR Corolla make it a competent daily drive. You’ll have the added benefits of climate controls, heated seats, excellent connectivity, and much more. This means you’ve got a sporty car that has all the performance you want while also being comfortable. This is something impressive, but is it worth the cost?
What about muscle cars?
Most shoppers looking at the Toyota GR Corolla might not think about turning to the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, or Dodge Challenger, but these are options. When the price tag reaches $50,000, shoppers don’t have to go for the base model of these cars. This means you could easily have a strong muscle car that’s made to show off and comes with a name that other drivers respect. This is just another reminder that the GR Corolla is still a Corolla and doesn’t have the driving reputation of the three American muscle cars.
Has the marketing team killed the GR Corolla before it started?
Whatever the allotment of Toyota GR Corolla models that make it to the United States, all of them will be sold and sold quickly. Most will likely sell for several thousand dollars above MSRP, which means more profits for dealers and Toyota. If this hot hatch sells out quickly, could we see a time when Toyota brings more of these cars to the United States? It’s certainly possible, but the current marketing strategy doesn’t allow for extensive availability of this new hot hatch.
Will you pay the higher prices and put one of the GR Corolla models in your driveway, or will you look for something else?
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