Toyota GR Yaris M Concept revealed with mid-mounted 2.0L turbo

The 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon is in full swing and Toyota is present to show some of their unique creations. For this year, Toyota decided to bring several GR Yaris vehicles and one particular model immediately stood out from the rest.

This is the GR Yaris M Concept with M standing for Morizo, and while it may look like just a regular hot hatchback with a cool camouflage livery, it has something special inside. Instead of having the 1.6L G16E-GTS three-cylinder turbo, this concept comes with a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine dubbed the G20E that's currently being developed by Toyota.

What's even crazier is the fact that Toyota did not put the new 2.0L under the hood. Instead, the engine is mid-ship mounted and is placed inside the cabin. According to the automaker, this was done to further explore the potential of the GR Yaris. In fact, the automaker mentioned they plan to compete in the Super Taikyu Series with the GR Yaris M Concept.

No exact output figures were revealed by Toyota although it will apparently crank out up to 400 PS. Based on a report we did back in June 2024, the all-new Celica will reportedly produce up to 400 PS. We also cannot help but think that Toyota could have created this concept to serve as a test bed for a possible MR2 revival. That's because last year, Toyota hinted at possibly bringing back the Celica and the MR2.

A Toyota executive has supposedly confirmed that the Celica is coming back although there are no reports yet of the MR2 making its return. But with Toyota coming up with the GR Yaris M Concept, it's hard not to think about Toyota already laying the foundations for its eventual comeback.

Do you think the Yaris M Concept is a taste of things to come? Let us know in the comments.