The new GR Corolla is just about as desirable on paper as a modern hot hatch can get. Sure, it’s no Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2, but it’s got more power and comes with a warranty. What if you can’t find one without an insane markup?
We’ve reached out to a number of dealers and one proudly proclaimed their ability to secure a unit for the low low fee of just $10,000 over sticker. So we’re wondering just what might be a much better buy for that kind of cash. What would you buy instead of the GR Corolla if you had $45,000-$50,000 burning a hole in your pocket?
The new Toyota Supra is available at that kind of money and it’s available all over the place, possibly without a markup – though, you never know these days. Of course, the new Nissan Z is rumored to start under $45,000 and it’ll be more powerful than both Toyotas mentioned above.
Read: Greedy Toyota Dealer Commands $10,000 Markup Over MSRP For 2023 GR Corolla
Really, there’s no reason to stick with brand new cars either. It’s not hard to find a low-mileage example of the last wild American hot hatch, the Ford Focus RS, under our budget. You get all of the practicality, all of the power, and none of the dealer hassle.
Maybe a sedan like a used Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio would be the way to go since it’s a light-your-hair-on-fire driver’s car and space for your stuff in the back seat or the trunk. Of course, the maintenance would surely be more than on a Corolla.
You could even go hardcore old-school and get a Lancia Delta HF 8V. No, it won’t be as fast or funky as the Evo or the Evo 2 but it shares the same look and is sure to turn heads for decades beyond 2022. We’re not totally sure that the GR Corolla can say the same about its styling.
At the end of the day, the truth is that none of us should be dealing with dealers who won’t abide by the price set forth by their brand. So let this be a record of everything we’re going to go buy instead of a new GR Corolla unless Toyota holds dealers accountable.
