The Toyota GR Yaris is not a cheap car by any means, as it is priced from JPY 3.96 million (~RM 148k) to JPY 4.56 million (~RM 170k) in Japan.

For comparison, in Japan, the C-segment FK8 Honda Civic Type R (GR Yaris is a B-segment hatchback) costs JPY 4.5 million (~RM 167k), while the made-in-France Renault Megane RS is priced at JPY 4.48 million (~RM 174k).  

But there’s a good reason to as why the little GR Yaris costs so much, as shown in the video below.

One of the biggest reasons why the Toyota GR Yaris costs more than a Civic Type R is due to the fact that the little hot hatch is almost entirely hand built by Toyota’s takumis at the Motomachi plant – the very same plant that was responsible for the now-legendary Lexus LFA.

Needless to say, a lot of work went into developing the GR Yaris, as Toyota roped in Tommi Makinen and other racing drivers to help develop the hot hatch.

To recap, the Toyota GR Yaris features a 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine that does 272 PS and 370 Nm, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Drive is sent to all four wheels via the GR Sport 4WD system.

And yes, the Toyota GR Yaris is earmarked for Malaysia – roughly 100 units will be imported by UMW Toyota Motor in 2021. But don’t expect prices to be cheap, as the GR Yaris could be priced close to RM 300,000, or RM 1,000 for every PS the engine makes.