Toyota now has a GR Sport-version of their Corolla. This particular Corolla is a regular 2.0-litre Hybrid, producing 184 horsepower.
It has a slightly different trim, but it's not a special edition or anything. Despite all that, we're putting it up against the Kia Proceed GT.
A real GT-version, and not a GT-line, that produces 204 horsepower.
The Toyota Corolla Touring Sports already has some impressing looks, but the GR Sport adds a little bit more.
The front bumper is even more impressive with a different mesh grille and sharper angles.
You can also recognize the GR Sport by the 18-inch wheels, the black strip on the side and the logo at the back.
On the inside, Toyota hasn't really done anything special for the GR Sport. It has some nice sports seats, which are a little narrow for my taste.
Despite that, they offer enough support. On the sills, there's a small logo saying GR. That stands for Gazoo Racing, of course.
Other than that, we've said and written a lot about the very nice Corolla-interior. We've had this Corolla TS with this engine as our longterm.
Not a GR Sport, but the same base car. And we really like the seating position in it. Again, we've written a lot about the interior.
One of the biggest weak points in the interior used to be the multimedia system, of which we weren't very convinced. However, nowadays Apple...
CarPlay and Android Auto are available. That's a big improvement. It even looks better, so yeah. Toyota fixed that problem neatly.
The biggest improvement compared to its predecessor however, was the great chassis. It was first used by the C-HR,
and the Corolla became much more dynamic than before. Sure, it's not a thoroughbred sports car now, but it's a very nice mix of dynamics and comfort.
It's a great chassis, the car positions itself pretty quickly for a corner, but the steering isn't incredibly direct. The Kia has a more direct steering.
As a whole however, the chassis very good and it fits nicely with this car. However, this particular car has Falken-tires, which make quite...
a lot of rolling noise. That's the only real drawback of the otherwise very good drive of this car.
The 2.0-litre Hybrid produces enough power. Toyota states power outputs of 190 Nm of torque for both the combustion engine and the electric motor,
but they won't tell us the combined amount of torque. But you get a very distinct diesel-feeling actually.
It's feisty in the lower revs so it produces its power without too much effort. The automatic gearbox, which works like a CVT with a planetary gear,
doesn't have to rev a lot. That generates the diesel-feeling. So, it's quick but it doesn't feel quick.
The 2.0-litre Hybrid has 184 horsepower combined power and it'll do 0-100 km/h in 8,1 seconds.
That's decent, with a limited top speed of 180 km/h. A rapid car, but not a racing monster.
Of course, the Hybrid is mostly meant to drive on electric power. If you're driving in the city, you'll notice it will switch to electric power a lot.
On average, you'll do 17 kilometres per litre. So yeah, it's a little less efficient than the 1.8 Hybrid, but in return you get a lot more power.
Usually, you buy a wagon for its interior space. However, if you prefer design over practicality, Kia has put the Proceed next to the Ceed SW.
The Proceed has a sloped roof, and my 1.81 m. tall self almost touches the ceiling. For the body shape, it's not that bad at all,
but I do have less legroom than in the Corolla. Again, if you want space, you should get the Ceed SW. However, that's not available as GT. Only as GT-line.
And when we're talking petrol engines, that means you can only have 140 horsepower. As opposed to this 1.6 T-GDI-engine, which produces 204 horses.
The drivetrain of the Kia Proceed GT is incredibly enthusiastic. It has a nice buzz to the turbo-engine and the double clutch 7-speed...
automatic gearbox knows exactly when to change gear. They work together incredibly well.
You can also get the Proceed with a manual gearbox, but I wouldn't know why somebody would take that.
I do actually like the buzz of the little engine. When you press Sport, it gets a tad louder as well.
Not bad at all. Also, when you push the Sport-button, the instrument cluster changes as well.
Another big step forward. Just like in the regular Ceed, the Proceed has a bigger infotainment screen with a very pleasant system.
Just like in the Toyota, it's able to use Apple CarPlay and Android Aut as well, but the system itself is better than the Corolla's.
The Proceed feels a tad sharper than the Corolla as well, and you can clearly notice that Kia has tried to make it a truly different car.
There's quite a big difference between a GT or a GT-line. The GT-line only has additional looks, whilst the 'true' GT has...
a different chassis and a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, producing 204 horsepower. The steering is a more direct than the Corolla as well,
and it's just clear this is a separate car instead of a trim level.
It shouldn't come as a surprise to you that with 204 horsepower, it's quicker than the Corolla on paper.
This is supposed to do 0-100 km/h in 7,8 seconds, whilst the Corolla does it in 8,1 seconds. And the Proceed does so with ease.
It immediately feels quicker when you set off and the gearbox is very quick. It's a much more enthusiastic car which positions itself...
in the corner, which is very pleasant. I didn't think I'd like this car this much.
The Proceed GT is clearly the top-of-the-range-version, and it shows in the trim level.
It has very nice seats, which are a tad bigger than in the Corolla. They even offer more support as well.
In the interior, there are some GT-elements. In the upholstery, in the seats, so that's good as well. Also, it has heated seats just like the Corolla.
It even comes with a heated steering wheel. And when it comes to active driving aids, both cars are very close to each other.
I do have to say that the adaptive cruise control in the Corolla has better reactions when someone joins your lane.
This Kia is a tad more nervous, with more abrupt braking. Anyway, both cars have good safety systems and they work properly as well.
Also, the Corolla can turn off adaptive cruise control and turn into a regular cruise control. Something not possible on the Proceed.
This test makes clear that there's a big difference between a trim level and a special version. GR Sport is nothing more than a trim level for the Corolla,
unlike the Yaris GR Sport, which is a truly different version. Something you can clearly feel.
This is just a Corolla with some nice bumpers and good looking wheels. The Kia Proceed GT however is a very different car than a Proceed GT-line.
Mostly, that's because of the drivetrain, but it has something to do with the chassis as well.
You can feel Kia has put a lot more work in the car in the way the chassis is set.
And that brings us to the price. The Corolla we're driving today will set you back €41.840.
You won't get a Proceed GT for that money. Those start at €43.295, and that's with the manual.
If you want the automatic gearbox, that's another €2.000 please. And I can imagine that's a difference a car enthusiast is willing to pay.
With the Kia Proceed, you get a car which is much more focused. A car which has distinctive handling, and not just a GT-line.
Also, it looks very good. It's smaller though. Because of the shape, you have to compromise on interior space a little.
Despite that, I think it's worth it. If you're an enthusiast, that is.