title: "Toyota GR Yaris Type 26: Pro-Driver Steering Wheel and Race Tires" slug: gr-yaris-type-26-steering-update date: 2026-03-13 category: facelift tags: [toyota, gr-yaris, hot-hatch, manual, japan] source_url: "https://www.carscoops.com/2026/03/pro-drivers-redesigned-the-gr-yaris-steering-wheel-from-scratch/"
Toyota's 2026 GR Yaris Type 26 update focuses on what the driver touches most: the steering wheel. Developed with professional racing drivers, the new wheel has a smaller diameter and reshaped grips that allow freer hand movement during tight maneuvers. Control buttons are repositioned and individually illuminated.
The changes extend past the wheel itself. Toyota revised the electric power steering calibration and adjusted torsion-bar rigidity to work more effectively with high-grip tires. It's the kind of iterative tuning that doesn't show up in a spec sheet comparison but changes how the car communicates through your palms.
Bridgestone Potenza Race Option
The RZ high-performance variants now offer Bridgestone Potenza Race tires on 18-inch BBS forged aluminum wheels. The compound was developed through extended field testing to maintain grip during prolonged hard driving. That's a meaningful distinction: track tires that fade after three hot laps are impressive in qualifying. Tires that stay consistent through a full session are useful.
What Didn't Change
The turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder still produces 300 hp (224 kW) and 400 Nm. Transmission choices remain the six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The GR-Four all-wheel-drive system with electronic multi-plate clutch and Torsen differentials carries over unchanged.
Heated seats and a heated steering wheel can now be paired with the vertical parking brake in Navigation and Comfort packages, which is the kind of practical improvement that matters on daily-driven hot hatches.
Pricing
Japanese pricing spans from 3,617,200 yen ($22,700) for the entry RC to 5,882,200 yen ($36,900) for the RZ High Performance with Aero Package. A limited-edition Morizo RR with carbon fiber components is expected later in 2026.
