While Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR) models like the GR Supra and GR86 are staples of the brand’s U.S. lineup, 2025 marks the first time the North American market will be treated to one of Toyota’s GR Sport trims. From the subcompact Yaris and Corolla to the C-HR crossover and Hilux pickup, Americans have been missing out on some pretty exciting models that combine Toyota’s legacy of performance with modern, sporty styling without breaking the bank. The 2026 RAV4 crossover will be the first domestic Toyota model to receive the GR Sport treatment, and there’s every reason to think that a successful debut could lead to a steady expansion of GR Sport offerings here in the U.S. The RAV4 is easily Toyota’s best-selling model, which makes it an obvious test case for the GR Sport approach.
There’s another likely candidate that’s particularly well-suited for a performance-minded makeover. With over 300,000 units sold in 2024 alone, the Camry is easily one of Toyota’s most popular offerings. The sedan’s midsize construction and low-slung design already offer an engaging experience behind the wheel, but a GR Sport trim could help the Camry unlock its true potential. If you’re in the market for a Toyota Camry for sale but want to up the excitement factor, you could soon be in luck. While we await news on the prospects of a souped-up Camry, let’s dive into the world of Toyota’s GR Sport models, explore the RAV4 GR Sport, and try to predict what a Camry GR Sport might look like.
GR Sport History
Toyota has offered a number of unique sub-brands throughout its long history, with the brand’s GR models leaving the biggest impression on the auto industry. Designed from the ground up as race-inspired machines, models like the GR Supra and GR86 allow drivers to experience a true performance pedigree every time they step behind the wheel.
The GR brand traces its roots back to Toyota’s in-house racing team, established in the mid-2000s by former Toyota VP and eventual President Akio Toyoda. The GR team has racked up plenty of noteworthy wins in the years since, dominating the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race with five consecutive wins between 2018 and 2022. Toyota has also expanded the GR approach to some of its best-selling models in recent years with the GR Corolla and GR Yaris.
The GR Sport sub-brand upgrade existing Toyota vehicles with a sportier aesthetic and performance-focused components rather than crafting entirely new models. While both can offer a thrilling on-road experience, the GR Sport models tend to take a lighter touch when it comes to performance upgrades. That’s not to say GR Sport models are simply a typical Toyota graced with a snazzy appearance package. From upgraded suspensions and steering systems to bolstered seats, functional grilles, and spoilers designed to improve aerodynamics, the GR Sport trims offer plenty of pivotal improvements that make them worthy of a closer look.
RAV4 GR Sport
While Toyota certainly didn’t need to broaden the sixth-generation RAV4’s appeal with the debut of a new GR Sport trim, it’s a great example of the commitment to continual improvement that’s seen the compact crossover become the world’s best-selling model. The RAV4 GR Sport looks every bit the performance vehicle with its added spoilers, bolstered seats, 20-inch wheels, and two-tone paint scheme, but the aesthetics are just a small part of what makes the GR Sport so intriguing.
Toyota has provided the RAV4 GR Sport with a lowered, tuned suspension and steering system that lends the model a responsive and engaging ride. The trim’s body has also been stiffened to accomplish the same goal, while sticky summer tires improve grip and open the door to lightning-fast acceleration. The SUV’s exclusive GR Functional MATRIX grille might give the RAV4 a distinctive facade, but it also serves an important role when it comes to keeping everything nice and cool. The functional grille helps to cool the brakes and radiator, ensuring consistent performance even at higher speeds. The Functional MATRIX grille also ups the RAV4’s aerodynamic profile, allowing the SUV to cut through the air and leave the rest of the compact crossover segment in the dust.
Toyota hasn’t made any drastic changes to the RAV4’s performance credentials when designing the GR Sport trim, and there’s a good reason for that. The RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) already features one of the most potent powertrains in its class with a 2.5L I-4 engine paired with two electric motors and a high-capacity battery that allows the SUV to produce 320 hp. A compact crossover that exceeds the 300-hp mark is already something to write home about, but it’s the RAV4 GR Sport’s scintillating zero-to-60-mph time that truly illustrates its high-performance design. The PHEV model boasts an extra 18 hp over the fifth-generation model, which means that it should have no trouble besting the 5.4-second mark set by the outgoing model. To put that number into context, the new RAV4 PHEV is even quicker than one of Toyota’s most legendary models in the Supra 2.0L turbo I-4 when it comes to a flat-out sprint.
The RAV4 GR Sport’s interior also gains bolstered seats that will keep drivers from sliding around the cabin when unleashing the SUV on a particularly tight corner, which serves an important role in terms of comfort, performance, and safety. The GR Sport model also looks the part, giving the RAV4’s cabin a high-performance feel that’s only lacking a roll cage. Throw in the hybrid powertrain with its 50 miles of all-electric range, and it’s easy to see why drivers are buzzing about the forthcoming trim.
Camry GR Sport
The Camry represents the logical next step for Toyota’s GR Sport brand. While few models can match the impressive sales stats of the world’s best-selling RAV4, the Camry is a close second. The midsize sedan has been the country’s best-selling car for over 20 years with over 13 million units sold, and it doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. The Camry’s popularity can largely be attributed to its efficiency, reliability, and performance, which is why the prospect of a new GR Sport model is so enticing. Toyota has shown a willingness to experiment with a performance-oriented version of the popular sedan in recent years, unveiling the Camry TRD edition in 2020. While the trim retained the same 3.5L V6 as the regular model, Toyota did make a few key upgrades, including a stiffened, lowered suspension, upsized brakes, a stylish new body kit, and enhanced anti-roll bars.
The biggest indication that a GR Sport Camry could be on its way boils down to the sedan’s new powertrain. As of 2025, the Camry will embrace an all-hybrid approach with two designs available. Neither engine is bound to blow drivers away with between 225 and 232 hp, but it’s a step in the right direction, especially if Toyota were to give the Camry the PHEV treatment. While Toyota’s senior vice president of product Cooper Ericksen has suggested that the current Camry hybrid lacks the horsepower needed to accommodate the GR Sport badge, the powerful RAV4 PHEV provides an easy roadmap for success. While the standard RAV4 Hybrid tops out at 236 hp, the PHEV version can produce up to 320 hp without blinking an eye. Adding an extra 100 hp to the standard Camry Hybrid would certainly be a game-changer in terms of performance, and could easily set the stage for a GR Sport trim.
Only time will tell what a GR Sport Camry might look like, but it’s easy to imagine the upgrades that could make their way into the beloved sedan. A tuned and lowered suspension is a hallmark of the GR Sport brand, so it’s safe to say that the GR Sport Camry would receive a similar treatment. Other potential enhancements range from the GR Functional MATRIX grille and spoilers to a dual exhaust, diffuser, and a stiffer body as found on the new RAV4 GR Sport. Additional bodywork and styling details seem all but inevitable, and could go a long way towards setting the Camry GR Sport apart from the rest of the lineup while communicating its high-performance heritage. The 2026 RAV4 GR Sport sets the stage for some exciting things to come, and while there hasn’t been an official announcement of a Camry GR Sport, it’s hard to imagine Toyota passing on the opportunity to honor one of its most popular models with a performance-inspired makeover.
