The Toyota GR Yaris is the new kid on the block when it comes to performance hatches. But, does it have the goods to take down one of the best known performance hatch/sedans, the Subaru Impreza WRX STI? Former World Rally Championship driver and CarExpert performance tester Chris Atkinston gets behind the wheel to find out which is quickest and best at the track.
This is a new format we're trying, so let us know what you think in the comments section!
Lap time leaderboard: https://www.carexpert.com.au/lap-times/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=review&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=other-video
More Subaru content: https://www.carexpert.com.au/subaru
More Subaru WRX content: https://www.carexpert.com.au/subaru/wrx
More Toyota content: https://www.carexpert.com.au/toyota
More Toyota GR Yaris content: https://www.carexpert.com.au/toyota/yaris
Skip Ahead:
Intro: 00:00
WRX STi Impressions: 00:29
WRX STi Hot lap: 03:19
GR Yaris Impressions 04:42
GR Yaris Hot lap: 08:04
Result and verdict: 09:15
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#subaru #toyota #review #wrx #wrxsti #yaris #gryaris
This is a new format we're trying, so let us know what you think in the comments section!
Lap time leaderboard: https://www.carexpert.com.au/lap-times/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=review&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=other-video
More Subaru content: https://www.carexpert.com.au/subaru
More Subaru WRX content: https://www.carexpert.com.au/subaru/wrx
More Toyota content: https://www.carexpert.com.au/toyota
More Toyota GR Yaris content: https://www.carexpert.com.au/toyota/yaris
Skip Ahead:
Intro: 00:00
WRX STi Impressions: 00:29
WRX STi Hot lap: 03:19
GR Yaris Impressions 04:42
GR Yaris Hot lap: 08:04
Result and verdict: 09:15
We review every new car on the market, bust car myths, cover the latest car tech and answer your burning questions.
Whether you need new car advice, purchase validation or simply love learning more about new cars and technology, we are your car experts.
Subscribe to Car Expert: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7DvMhvy3H7ntEgn9n3xQcQ?sub_confirmation=1
You'll find us dropping new video content three times a week. If you'd like to ask a question about one of our videos, simply leave us a comment. If you'd like to give us any feedback on our content, feel free to email us, or alternatively, hit us up on social media.
Finally, we want this channel to grow with your support and feedback. If there's anything you don't like or would like to see us change, we'd love to hear from you!
Follow us on social media to see what we're up to and to ask any questions!
CarExpert:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarExpertAus
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CarExpertAus
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carexpert.com.au
Paul Maric:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulMaric
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/PaulMaric
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PaulMaric
#subaru #toyota #review #wrx #wrxsti #yaris #gryaris
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MotorTranscript
00:00 Hey guys, Atko here.
00:01 Today we're back at Queensland Raceway.
00:03 On my right, I've got the Subaru WRX STI,
00:06 and on my left, the Toyota GR Yaris.
00:08 So both of these cars are born out of WRC rally tradition.
00:12 The WRX is the original king of the stages,
00:15 and the Yaris is the new kid on the block.
00:18 They're both all-wheel drive, six-speed manuals
00:20 with turbo engines,
00:21 and they're both absolute weapons on the road.
00:24 Today, we're gonna see how they go on the track
00:26 and find out which one's the fastest.
00:29 (car engine roaring)
00:32 All right, let's see how this STI feels.
00:35 She's pretty entertaining.
00:37 Still got it, the old girl.
00:40 (car engine roaring)
00:44 Bit of rally action off the road.
00:47 Go anywhere in this car.
00:48 All right, so initial impressions.
00:51 Seats not bad.
00:52 I still miss the old WRX STI seats from the early days,
00:56 but they're pretty good.
00:57 These Recaro seats.
00:59 I would like something maybe a little bit deeper.
01:02 Steering wheel, pretty good.
01:05 A little bit thicker than I ideally like,
01:07 but no real issue.
01:09 There we go, a bit of heel towing.
01:11 Pedal position seemed good.
01:12 A nice, firm pedal as well.
01:15 I'm able to rotate the car as I touch the brake.
01:18 Engine's performing well there.
01:20 It's nice and smooth.
01:23 It doesn't blow you away.
01:24 It's 221 kilowatts, like it's strong, but not crazy for sure.
01:28 (car engine roaring)
01:31 I like the support, the fact that I can lean on the car there
01:46 and handles the bumps well.
01:49 Little bit of push there, a little bit of understeer.
01:52 (car engine roaring)
01:54 How does it rotate?
01:55 Not bad.
01:57 I like the nose to be a little bit pointier,
02:00 but handling it pretty well.
02:02 So traction off those slow corners is excellent.
02:12 I've put the diff mode in lock.
02:14 I found that the best on this track.
02:16 Normally I'd run it a little bit more open on a track,
02:18 but on this circuit, 'cause it's tight and twisty
02:23 and I need good traction, it will understeer.
02:25 If you just go in too hot and you just ask too much,
02:27 it's gonna understeer there.
02:29 But if you drive it nice and smooth,
02:32 it hangs on there no problem at all.
02:37 And riding up at the curbs, it handles it really well.
02:42 I like that it's soft, but doesn't fall over.
02:46 So you've got traction basically and support.
02:49 I just like how natural feeling it is.
02:52 It just gives you feedback, gives you information.
02:54 Just not afraid to tip it in at 120 there
02:57 and get your hands off the wheel,
02:59 hold it there in a slide, power out, awesome traction.
03:03 Super confidence inspiring this car.
03:06 It's got support, it's got traction,
03:07 it's got a strong engine.
03:10 It's a car that's just still offers a lot of fun
03:13 and it's gonna be tough for the Yaris to beat.
03:16 All right, time to get serious.
03:22 Enough fun and games and we're gonna try and do a hot lap
03:25 and see how quick it goes.
03:26 (car engine roaring)
03:30 (car engine roaring)
03:33 (car engine roaring)
03:37 (car engine roaring)
03:40 (car engine roaring)
03:48 (car engine roaring)
03:53 (car engine roaring)
04:00 (car engine roaring)
04:03 (car engine roaring)
04:15 (car engine roaring)
04:22 (car engine roaring)
04:28 (car engine roaring)
04:31 All right, let's see what this little Yaris is like.
04:45 All right, turn two.
04:47 Oh, there's a bit more movement in this thing.
04:50 Seems to be a lot more nervous than the STI.
04:55 Let's try the brakes.
04:57 (car engine roaring)
04:58 Stops pretty well, but same again,
05:00 just being a smaller car, you notice that difference.
05:03 Traction off the corner is actually pretty similar.
05:10 No issues, both all-wheel drive.
05:12 (car engine roaring)
05:14 Oh, a lot more reactive with the handbrake as well.
05:17 That's interesting.
05:20 So when I'm sliding like that,
05:22 I get some slip across the front and have understeer
05:24 and I didn't have that as much in the STI.
05:27 So it seems when I'm loaded
05:29 that I lose inside wheel traction.
05:32 Let's try it a bit smoother, see how that feels.
05:35 Good on the bumps.
05:36 Up on the curb, no issue at all.
05:38 I'd say their suspension feels really similar.
05:42 The way it moves enough
05:44 and then you're able to get support late in the corner,
05:48 so that's excellent.
05:50 Brake pedal feel is pretty similar as well.
05:53 Just the Yaris is a bit more twitchy and nervous.
05:55 And steering, it's actually unbelievable
05:59 how many things are similar.
06:00 The steering weight is similar, brake pedal feels similar.
06:04 I'd say the biggest thing is the movement in the Yaris.
06:07 You also feel like you just sit a little bit higher
06:10 and this seat's very similar to the STI's
06:12 but just could be a little bit deeper for track work.
06:16 The engines sound quite different as you'd imagine
06:20 a three cylinder versus a 2.5 boxer
06:24 but acceleration wise, pretty similar.
06:26 There we go.
06:41 You get away with a bit in this car.
06:44 That's what you can't do in the STI.
06:46 You can't rotate it just naturally.
06:48 You gotta force the rotation a bit more on the STI
06:50 where this, you can just sort of come in
06:52 and it will rotate, especially in the high speed corners.
06:55 Gearbox feels good, nice and sharp, quick gears.
06:58 The STI, also very good.
07:01 I just struggled on a couple of gear shifts in the STI.
07:04 Felt like I have a little bit more tyre grip
07:08 in the STI as well.
07:10 These tyres just seem to be going away
07:14 and I know on the Rally Edition coming out later in the year
07:18 they're gonna have definitely better rubber on that
07:21 and also the LSDs.
07:23 So if there is a bit of a time difference,
07:25 I reckon the Rally Edition's gonna make it up
07:27 with the LSD and the tyres.
07:29 Such a playful little car, so much fun.
07:36 That's the only thing I don't like there,
07:37 that little bit of slip across the axle
07:40 and it just washes a little bit of understeer.
07:42 I can't hold the slide like the STI.
07:44 The STI, I can throw it in, take the hands off the wheels
07:46 and just slide through the corner,
07:48 where the Yaris just struggled to do that.
07:51 And as soon as I asked for power,
07:52 I get that slip on the inside and understeer.
07:55 So whether that affects the lap time,
07:58 that would be interesting to see.
07:59 But then like I said, so many things are similar.
08:01 They're just a slightly different package.
08:04 All right, now the time that counts.
08:05 Can the Yaris match the STI?
08:08 Here comes the hot lap.
08:09 (car engine roaring)
08:12 Oh, oh, on it there.
08:24 (car engine roaring)
08:35 (car engine roaring)
08:38 (car engine roaring)
08:41 (car engine roaring)
08:45 (car engine roaring)
08:57 (car engine roaring)
09:01 (car engine roaring)
09:04 So there you go guys.
09:17 I did not expect that big of a gap.
09:19 0.8 of a second win to the Subaru on the lap time.
09:22 But so similar in so many areas,
09:25 the steering, the braking, the balance.
09:28 It's so close between these two cars
09:30 and it's a tough decision to call which one's better.
09:32 My heart still lies with the Subaru
09:34 and it's fastest out on track.
09:35 So I'm heading that way.
09:36 Yaris still has some work to do.
09:38 And I think when it comes with the diffs
09:40 and the better tyres in the Rally Edition,
09:42 it's going to be a match for the STI.
09:43 So I'm looking forward to that.
09:44 Hope you guys enjoyed the video
09:45 and the new format with the two car comparison.
09:48 If you did, give it a like
09:49 and don't forget to subscribe to the channel.
09:50 Let us know your feedback
09:52 and what else you'd like to see out in the track.
09:53 And we'll see you guys again soon.