2023 Honda Civic Type R vs. 2023 Toyota GR Corolla: Hot Hatch Battle

The mid- to late 1990s was a golden age for JDM sports cars. That decade saw the rise of legends like the Toyota Supra, Mitsubishi 3000GT, Nissan 300ZX, and Mazda RX-7, but eventually ballooning prices and a weakening economy killed them off. Now, thirty years later, we're starting to see the resurgence of the JDM turbo wars of the past. The Supra has returned, as well as a turbocharged Z from Nissan. Even hot hatches have made a comeback as well with the arrival of the 2023 Civic Type R, which is now in its second generation in the United States.

However a new challenger has entered the arena: the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla. Like the 2023 Honda Civic Type R, the GR Corolla is armed with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive in a hatchback form factor. We've had the opportunity to do a deep dive into both cars and we've extracted quite a bit of data. So, why lot lay out some of the numbers and see which hot hatch comes out on top? Turn up the Eurobeat and unbox that squash Air Spencer that's been sitting in your glovebox, we're doing a JDM hot hatch spec comparison.

As a note we're comparing the 2023 Honda Civic Type R to the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Circuit edition, since that trim of the GR Corolla lines up the closest with the Civic Type R's recently announced price tag.

Boost vs. Boost

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When it comes to power units, the 2023 Honda Civic Type R and the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla have a few similarities as well as one big difference. Both vehicles rely on forced induction for power and both vehicles land in the 300 horsepower area. The big difference however, is the fact that the Toyota GR Corolla has one less cylinder than the 2.0-liter I-4 in the Civic Type R. It's an unusual choice, but the I-3 doesn't seem to hold back the GR Corolla in any significant way.

At 315 horses, the Civic Type R has more power than the GR Corolla—but only just. The Corolla still manages to squeeze 300 horsepower from its tiny 1.6-liter engine. With a difference that small, it can hardly be said that the Type R's extra piston is what gives it the power advantage. Though, it could mean that the Civic Type R has more headroom for potential power upgrades down the line, but we're going to leave aftermarket potential out of this battle.

The Civic Type R comes out ahead on torque as well, making 310 lb-ft starting at 2,600 rpm. The GR Corolla pushes a not-insignificant 273 lb-ft at 3,250 rpm but that is still quite a gap from the Type R's torque. The higher-priced Morizo trim of the GR Corolla has higher boost pressure which keeps peak power the same but increases torque to 295 lb-ft, which narrows the torque gap.

Transmission: Tale of the Tape

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Remember how we said there was one big difference between the Civic Type R and the GR Corolla? Well we lied; there is another major difference and it comes down to the drivetrain. Both the Type R and the GR Corolla come with manual six-speed gearboxes and both cars have their own respective rev-matching system. The difference is where each car's respective transmission sends the power.

Like every version that came before it, the 2023 Honda Civic Type R is front-wheel-drive. The GR Corolla on the other hand, sends its power to all four wheels. We found the gearbox in the previous Civic Type R to be "insanely good" and the 2023 model comes with a lighter flywheel and "more precise" shifter, so we expect to love it even more.

Our own Alex Stoklosa felt that the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla shifter has "just-right" throws and it "practically begs you to row it through the gates." He also had great things to say about Toyota's "Intelligent Manual Transmission" (iMT) rev-matching system, stating that it was a struggle to catch it in the act—it was that smooth. However, it can be turned off for those who would rather do the heel-toe dance themselves.

Chassis Clash

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All too often the lions share of the focus is on power and torque. Make no mistake, those things are definitely important in this match-up, but we would argue that for a well-rounded sports car the chassis is where it all comes together. Both the Honda Civic Type R and Toyota GR Corolla have MacPherson struts up front but the Honda does something different. The Civic Type R utilizes a "dual axis" setup which is claimed to reduce torque steer. With the Toyota GR Corolla being AWD, torque steer isn't much of a concern so it sticks with a traditional MacPherson strut assembly. Another suspension advantage Honda granted the Civic Type R is an active dampening system which allows the user to dial in three driving modes: Comfort, Sport, and +R if ya nasty.

The GR Corolla does have its own selectable driving modes as well, but instead of adjusting the suspension dampening, it changes the torque split between the front and rear axles. In "Normal" mode the GR Corolla's brain sends 60 percent of the torque to the front and in "Track" mode the torque is split 50/50. However, we preferred the 30/70 split with the 70 percent going to the rear.

Despite the Toyota GR Corolla being physically smaller in length, width, and wheelbase, the mighty hatchback is 96 pounds heavier than the Honda Civic Type R. The extra weight is likely comes from the extra differential and shafts for its AWD set up. Though, as you'll see later on, the weight doesn't seem to be much of a hinderance to the Toyota. While the GR Corolla is heavier, its 58/42 weight balance is a bit better than the 62/38 balance of the Civic Type R.

Track Battle

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This is the part we're sure many of you have been waiting for. How do these cars stack up against each other once you put them on some well groomed asphalt? How much of an advantage does the GR Corolla's AWD system give it over the Type R? Some of the results may surprise you. When it comes to acceleration, the general belief is that an AWD car will always have the edge over a FWD or RWD. However, that is not always the case, as demonstrated in this match up. The Civic Type R gets from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds which is a hairfasterthan the GR Corolla which came in at 5.4 seconds.

There could be many reasons for this outcome. Both cars run similar tires, with the GR Corolla Circuit wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires and the Civic Type R running Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. However, the GR Corolla's tires are narrower with a 235/40 R18 fitment versus the Type R's 265/30 R19 tire size. There is also the fact that the GR Corolla is heavier than the Type R, which might be a minor factor.

The GR Corolla gets its revenge with a 13.7 quarter-mile time versus a 13.9 time slip for the Civic Type R. It isn't a vast difference but as Dominic Toretto said, "it doesn't matter if it's by an inch or a mile, winning's winning!" Despite coming up just behind the GR Corolla in the quarter-mile, the Civic Type R punches back in our figure-eight test with a time of 24.5 seconds, with the Toyota trailing behind at 24.9 seconds. A minor difference is still a difference. The Honda wins out again in our 60-to-0 mph braking test, stopping in 104 feet versus 108 feet for the Toyota.

Conclusion

It appears that under ideal conditions on track, the 2023 Honda Civic Type R and the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla are about evenly matched. Both cars come in with advantages and disadvantages. The Type R has slightly more horsepower with less weight, but isn't AWD. The GR Corolla is AWD but is down a cylinder and a little heavier. We can't say that this is simply a result of the factors canceling each other out as there is also the driving experience, and driving potential to think about. Remember, both cars draw inspiration from different motorsport disciplines.

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Regardless, we wouldn't think it would be wrong to say that anyone who has an affinity for hot hatchbacks—especially those that are turbocharged—will find a ton of enjoyment with either of these thoroughbreds.