What type of engine is found in the Toyota GR Yaris?

The Toyota GR Yaris has a three-cylinder engine. Its high-performance versions use Toyota’s G16E-GTS, a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-three developed by Toyota Gazoo Racing.

That configuration is unusual for a performance car, especially one designed with rally competition in mind. Toyota developed the engine to deliver strong acceleration from a compact, lightweight package. The unit uses turbocharging, direct injection and three cylinders arranged in line, rather than a V6 or conventional four-cylinder layout.

The GR Yaris was introduced in 2020 as a homologation-inspired performance hatchback. Its engineering was influenced by Toyota’s World Rally Championship program, including the company’s interest in meeting rally-related technical requirements. The engine drives all four wheels through the GR Yaris’s performance-focused drivetrain.

People sometimes confuse the GR Yaris with ordinary Yaris versions. Standard Yaris models can use different engines, including naturally aspirated three-cylinder units, but the GR Yaris’s defining performance engine is the turbocharged 1.6-liter G16E-GTS. Later market updates have changed output and transmission availability, not the basic three-cylinder configuration.