The Toyota GR Corolla is one of my favorite cars on sale right now. Widebody arches and a big, snarly grille give the car classic hot-hatch vibes, while a punchy turbocharged three-cylinder, an available manual transmission, and all-wheel drive unlock tons of usable performance. Because of the GR’s unorthodox engine and exhaust setup, it sounds pretty cool, too.
That’s why I’m confused by an announcement from Toyota’s global press office today detailing some updates to the Japan-market GR Corolla. There are more reinforcements in the body structure, which is always nice, but there’s also a new system called Active Sound Control (ASC), which is just a fancy name for fake engine noises.
Having driven several GR Corollas and greatly enjoyed the sounds they made, this caught me off guard. Personally, I think all fake engine noises are silly—I’ve never been in any vehicle I thought could benefit from them. But having them in the Corolla seems extra silly, since it’s not like every other 2.0-liter inline-four. It already makes a lot of fun, unique sounds.
Here, just listen to the sounds from this Winding Road Magazine onboard footage published just yesterday:
Yes, there’s a lot of wind and tire noise, but the engine shines through. Even at idle, that 1.6-liter G16E-GTS three-cylinder has an attitude about it, thanks in part to its quirky tri-exit exhaust, which features two tips on either side, and one larger tip in the middle of the bumper. It’s a fun time!
Toyota’s Active Sound Control will come standard for buyers in Japan who opt for the JBL Premium Sound System. The company says the fake engine noise was inspired by “motorsports.” From the release:
[ASC is] a system that emits sporty sounds through the vehicle’s speakers that match changes in vehicle acceleration / deceleration and driving force due to accelerator and shift lever operation, enabling the driver to intuitively grasp vehicle condition.
Furthermore, when the accelerator is released, the system generates the signature motorsports sound of burbling (resulting from explosions triggered by the activation of anti-lag control during the exhaust process to reduce turbo lag). This allows safe enjoyment during everyday driving of a sound experience akin to that of driving a racing car.
If that sounds annoying to you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. While most systems like this can’t be turned off by the driver through normal settings (looking at you BRZ/GR86 twins), Toyota understands not everyone will want to have burbles coming from their speakers whenever they see a red light ahead. There are three volume choices available, as well as a mode that turns the system completely off. That’s good.
Car and Driver seems to think this tech is coming to U.S.-bound cars soon, so I reached out to Toyota to confirm. A spokesperson declined to comment, though I’d be surprised if a relatively small piece of software like fake engine noises would be excluded from our market.
I’m far more into the other upgrades made to the GR Corolla. Toyota says teachings from racing the car in Japan’s Super Taikyu series led it to add 45.6 feet of additional structural adhesive to the unibody, on top of the 61.6 feet already present. Most of the extra glue is found around the engine bay, the floor, and the lower area of the trunk space.
While there is a small weight penalty (Toyota doesn’t specify how much), the company says it’ll improve performance on circuits typically found outside Japan, which, according to the automaker, “typically generate more intense vertical and lateral g-forces.” There’s also a new piece for the intake. From Toyota:
To maintain stable high engine output even when the engine compartment temperature rises during prolonged full-throttle driving, a high-engine-speed-activated cool air duct has been added to the secondary intake duct (located below the air cleaner). The cool air duct draws in outside air directly from the front grille, significantly reducing the intake-air temperature. This stabilizes engine output even under high-temperature conditions such as continuous high-load driving.
This stuff should mean the GR Corolla will be even more fun to drive. And because you can turn off the fake noises, it means I can still recommend it to people. Thank goodness.
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For my focus RS I unplugged the FENG (Fake Engine Noise Generator) on the first week of ownership. Ford in their genius essentially has a whole amp and audio processor tied into the sound system. Hate to think of how much it costs bust so happy to think I can just unplug the damn cable.
Hate to break it to you Brian, but if you’ve driven a ’25 in the US, you’ve already experienced fake engine noise. The 2025 got active noise cancelling (ANC) and engine sound enhancement (ESE). They can only be turned off using Carista or a similar OBD programmer. The new feature that is being announced just adds user control to those systems that already exist. Here’s a link to a GR forum post discussing the parameters that can be turned on and off:
https://www.grcorollaforum.com/threads/do-my23-24-have-anc.5790/
All fake exhaust sound systems are stupid. Also they should all have the option of being turned off, permanently.
They do. Sometimes it is easy as finding a button on the touch screen and then successfully stabbing it. Sometimes you gotta unplug something or re code another thing,.
It should be a button or a menu item in the infotainment. Unplugging or recoding to get rid of fake exhaust sounds shouldn’t be necessary.
Didn’t read the article, but can report that the GR has an obnoxious start up noise. It is doing something to warm the cats on startup where it sounds like a tractor on meth for about 45 seconds then quiets down.
Probably retarding the ignition timing, and adjusting the valve timing to dump some unburned fuel in the exhaust. Maybe even shutting the exhaust vanes on the turbo – I’m assuming it has a variable geometry turbo.
My 6th gen Camaro also sounded quite different on a cold start, settled down after 30-45 seconds. I think part of it was just programmed in to get the startup bark though.
Vastly different vehicle, but if I let my 2.8l duramax idle long enough it sweeps the turbo exhaust vanes a few times, and when they close it sounds even more like a tractor.
I think the common thread is they either have an exhaust valve allowing them to bypass the muffler which is usually open on startup, or no muffler at all (diesel).
But I could also be completely wrong.
I think you are correct, the issue is a 3-cylinder running this way sounds different to a V6/8 or a diesel. To my ear it is not the best noise.
I see your GR Corolla cold start and submit my ’23 WRX.
Another reason why the Elantra N is the better buy.
Yes, it fake sounds, but you can shut them off and actually hear the stock exhaust.
Current GR-C owner & forum/Facebook group member. We are also not interested in the fake noises. The other stuff sounds interesting.
I don’t want to say they’ve lost the plot, cause that’s harsh, but one of the things that set this car in a unique space was the analog sounds from the engine and exhaust.
it’s a small thing to get upset over, yet they spent the time and money to invent some noises to play over the radio.
My Ford LTD has this, people tell me it’s a bad amplifier ground, but now I know it’s really Active Sound Control
Fake noises? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
3-cyl? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Hot hatch…Corolla? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
I have never in my entire 46 years of driving thought what I needed to improve my driving experience was the sound of a refrigerator compressor turning on and running.
Okay correct me if I am wrong but how is this a good thing? If you want that have a dorm fridge accessory that not only gives you the sound of an ICE Corolla but also a place to store some cold beers once you have safely arrived at your destination.
Damned kids obsessed with video game experiences over real life! (Making fist at clouds)
A much simpler solution would be to pump the exhaust directly into the cabin. Problem solved.
Let me say this for the folks in the back, that have their heads so far in the sand their feet can’t be seen.
NEW TOYOTA IS TOTAL TRASH DO NOT BUY IT.
Cool story bro. But actually having extensive wheel time in one of these (friend bought one)….. It’s awesome….just like what the author thinks, and most anyone else that has actually driven one. clearly you have no first hand knowledge of this car, but lemme guess…..you’re going to tell us they “catch on fire”? Lol. Right….the 2-3 confirmed incidents huh? Now let’s say roughly 10k have been produced thus far (to be very conservative)……what’s that work out to? A 0.03% chance a customer will be affected? Lol. Wow…..you keep yelling to the folks in the back.
Umm no. That’s not what I was going to say. I said what I was going to say, New Toyota sucks. They don’t stand behind their products, and their products fail more than they ever have. They can’t retain senior employees and turn over in their important departments has skyrocketed. I am a former Toyota Fan boy and have owned 6 of them, currently drive one I plan to keep my entire life. You’re comment is really something else and super off-base. It’s good to know your car DOES catch on fire though, pretty cool!
So again, because you’re being weirdly defensive, like you are the guy who took over and ruined the brand. NEW TOYOTA SUCKS. DO NOT BUY IT.
1 year into my GR-C and still look forward to driving it.
Maybe it has something to do with Japanese law about noise? because i remember Ducati had to fit silencer for 1199 Panigale that was sold in Japan
Lots of places have strict noise regulations. No fun allowed!
I believe the noise regulations would be better applied to people speaking rather than car sounds. Of course the Harley Davidson look at me motor should be silenced
Toyota, maybe you could make your hybrid safety noise not audible through the walls of my house while you’re at it? I hear that fake spacey sound and know there’s a Toyota hybrid operating at low speed somewhere in a 1-block radius.
Great.
Fartzoic noises inside the car.
Follow the idiot, Toyota.
I knew it was all over when Porsche, of all automakers, started offering this. And it’s still borderline annoying to me that when it switched to water cooled engines, it felt the need to tune them to sound like the old air cooled ones.
I would rather have someone enjoying fake engine noise inside their car than be subjected to their performance exhaust against my will.
Absolutely. While many people consider this a bad thing, I enjoy loud, uncouth engines (i.e. many 4 cylinders) that sound that way only from the inside – I get my visceral machine fix without annoying anyone else. I mean except passengers. “Why would you want something like this?!”
Drive a Miata in traffic for a while.
You may join the ‘loud pipes save lives’ camp.
I am for engine sounds of the engine operating but enough of the fake noise. Especially old boomers adjusting their 205 HP Engine for a slow car that can be beat by any modern 4 cylinder. Hey buddy if your old muscle car can be smoked by a modern Toyota 4 cylinder it’s a POS. Calling attention to the car that can’t do anything well is just sad.
Yep this is the case all too often. I have a Focus ST, and many owners hate the fake-ish sounds piped into the cabin, but it’s really just intake noise rather than completely artificial. If it sounds better in the cabin without being annoying outside I have no problem with that.
Agreed, more than a little bit tired of dipshits with burble tunes in BMWs. It’s a fake engine noise that everyone gets to enjoy.
Since they included and off switch it’s whatever, thank goodness for that.
I doubt they’d spend money on a physical switch, it’s probably a setting buried deep in the infotainment.
We can only hope that it saves your setting, and you don’t need to turn it off every time you start up.
Fingers crossed
I drove many hours of 3cyl life. The top speed of 18mph was kinda scary though.
I’d hope while just a 3cyl it sounds better. Like 1/4 a v12.
I don’t want my car to do fake things, no fake engine noises, shifts, whatever. Just sound like it sounds when it’s doing it’s thing. Question though: If you have fake engine noise engaged, do you hear it if the engine is having issues? Like, are there fake sounds that mimic the sounds an engine might make if it’s acting up in some way?
I want mine to channel the late Mel Blanc making 1923 Maxwell noises.
Select the “Rod Through Block” effect and find out.
Absolutely not.
The UI engineers have never driven a car, and would not understand the concept.
Just line up at the trough and eat your allotted bandwidth of performance noise.
Maybe a famous scene from “When Harry Met Sally,” can enlighten you about the power of fake noises.
(GR Corolla pretending having an orgasm in a garage)
Sally Carrera, in the garage next to it: “I’ll have what she’s having.”
I’ll drive what they’re driving.