- New Aqua GR Sport trim joins the facelifted lineup in Japan.
- The small hatchback benefits from styling and chassis upgrades.
- Updated Gazoo Racing model is priced at ¥3,238,400 ($20,000).
The Toyota Aqua is a Japan-only subcompact hatchback with a hybrid powertrain, closely related to the Yaris but a size up, and it wears a face borrowed from the latest Prius. Americans met the first generation under a different name, the Prius C. The second-gen car never crossed the Pacific, and after a mid-lifecycle update in 2025, Toyota has slotted a GR Sport trim into the freshened lineup.
What sets the Aqua GR Sport apart is a new bodykit that gives it a lower, more aggressive look. The front gets redesigned bumper intakes and aerodynamic extensions, while the profile picks up black side skirts and 17-inch alloy wheels wearing red calipers stamped with the GR logo.
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The rear bumper is very similar to the pre-facelifted Aqua GR Sport, with decorative honeycomb inlets around the diffuser. The facelift does add a black garnish mounted between the taillights. Despite the GR badge and an electrified ICE under the hood, the exhaust pipe stays hidden from view.
Toyota
The color palette for the GR Sport is limited to white, gray, black, and red. The optional GR Parts add extra fins on the fenders to reduce turbulence, window visors, branded discharge tape, carbon license plate holders, door stabilizers, and more, serving as an alternative to the Modellista upgrades.
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Inside, the sportiest trim of the small hatch gets new seats with heavier bolsters, upholstered in synthetic leather and Airnubuck. Toyota designers also added gunmetal accents, GR logos on the steering wheel and the smart key, plus a set of aluminum pedals. Anyone wanting GR branding on the floor mats and the luggage mat will have to visit the GR Parts catalog.
Toyota
Staying true to tradition, the GR Sport benefits from handling upgrades. Extra underfloor bracing improves rigidity, while the revised suspension and retuned steering sharpen the driving experience. There are no changes to the 114hp 1.5-liter self-charging hybrid setup. And while the Aqua is available in AWD (E-Four) form, the GR Sport can only be had with front-wheel drive.
Alongside the GR Sport’s return, Toyota rolled out a handful of updates for the regular Aqua. Every E-Four variant now comes with a heated steering wheel as standard, upgraded fabric seats, and a rear center armrest housing two cupholders.
Pricing for the 2026 Aqua in Japan runs from ¥2,857,800 ($17,600) to ¥3,072,300 ($18,900) for the standard car. The flagship GR Sport asks ¥3,238,400 ($20,000).
