Look past the plebeian Corolla name: the 2024 Toyota GR Corolla is a car of an entirely different species. Apart from that name, the GR Corolla shares only its basic structure and some interior components with the brand’s famously mundane commuter car. Toyota has dropped in a fiery 300-hp turbocharged three-cylinder engine, a multi-mode all-wheel-drive system, and a sport-tuned suspension to create a track-conquering mini monster capable of keeping pace with automotive icons such as the Honda Civic Type R and the Volkswagen Golf R. A six-speed manual is the only available transmission, and it adds to the GR Corolla’s fun-to-drive nature. Like other GR-branded cars, this hot hatch represents the pinnacle of performance for the Toyota lineup, and although it’s expensive and a hassle to buy since it’s produced in limited numbers, we think it’s well worth it.