According to the reviews so far, the Toyota GR Yaris is a hot hatch gem while the MINI Cooper John Cooper Works GP is a bit of an unruly beast to drive. However, which is quicker in a straight line?
CarWow recently lined up the two for a series of performance tests. First up is a drag race from a standing start. The race was held in slightly damp conditions, so it’s no surprise that the Toyota got a significant jump off the line and accelerated into a big lead. However, as the speeds started to increase, the MINI stormed past the Toyota to win by roughly two feet, although both hatches crossed the quarter-mile in 13.6 seconds.
Watch Also: Toyota GR Yaris Wipes The Floor With New Honda Civic Type R
A look at the spec sheet reveals that this result shouldn’t come as a shock. Found beneath the hood of the Toyota is a 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with 257 hp and 266 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque in European specification. The MINI, on the other hand, has a significant power advantage thanks to its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s rated at 301 hp and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm).
The second test involves a rolling drag where the drivers change down from fifth into third gear. As the MINI has an automatic transmission, it shifted down quicker than the reviewer could manage in the manual gearbox-equipped Toyota, allowing it to accelerate down the road and claim another victory.
The final performance test aimed to show which of the two has the best brakes. We won’t spoil the results of this test and recommend watching on to see if the Toyota can finally one-up the MINI.