5 Cars That Turned Toyota From “Boring” to a Performance Brand

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For anyone who told Toyoda to his face “Lexus is boring” many, many years ago, let’s just say that relatives of the world’s largest automaker take it very personally. But instead of sulking in a corner, he took the lead and proved that man — and the world — wrong.

He promised himself that Toyota would never make boring cars again, and looking at Toyota products today, Morizo ​​has lived up to that promise. Granted, they still make NPC cars, but who would have thought that Toyota has the sportiest lineup of any of its Japanese counterparts across all brands.

Here are five Toyota models that have been approved by Morizang.

Lexus LFA

For those who have always called Toyota’s luxury brand dull and featureless, the LFA is perhaps the ultimate passion project the brand has ever undertaken. It’s literally unlike anything else Lexus has made before or even since.

The definition of carbon tube GT has two points. The first is a Yamaha-tuned 4.8-liter V10 called 1LR-GUE. Built exclusively for the LFA, it puts out 553 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, and comes with a great soundtrack. Additionally, it carries a hefty price tag of about $375,000, but none of that price goes back into Toyota’s coffers because each car is sold at a loss. What a project, though.

Toyota GT 86

If the LFA demonstrated Toyota’s serious sports intentions, the GT 86 made it popular. Until then, Toyota’s last rear-wheel-drive sport compact was the Corolla GT-S, also known as the Corolla Levin or Sprinter Trueno. It embodies the spirit of the original AE86 with its relatively modest power output and playful chassis.

While not designed to speed up time outright, it is designed to make the details between them interesting. If you look at your local track day, you’ll almost certainly see a few of these in the paddock. Now in its second generation, the GR 86 is still a relatively affordable way to drive a sports car.

Toyota Yaris GRMN

Before the GR Yaris, there was the Yaris GRMN. GRMN stands for Gazoo Racing, tuned by the Nürburgring masters, but they don’t make badges that long, so GRMN is what it is. The car was based on the previous generation Japanese/European-market Yaris, which later became the basis for the subcompact rocket we know today.

Without the Yaris GRMN, the GR Yaris might not be able to get off the ground. This also contributed to the car’s success in rallying, and its victory paved the way for the new popular Yaris.

Toyota GR Supra

Yes, yes, we’ve heard all the BMW jokes, but the Supra is a very good sports car. German DNA helps it handle well, and Toyota has made the B58’s engine as strong and durable as possible. Although it will finish production next month, it can still be considered one of the brand’s best sports cars.

We don’t know if Toyota will produce a new generation, but the upcoming model still performs well. Over the next few years it gained more power and the suspension was tweaked to make it even sharper, and became a huge success in Japanese motorsport.

Toyota GR Corolla

America desperately needs the GR Yaris, but the car was never designed for the American and Canadian markets. But instead of saying “Sorry, not for you”, Toyota solved this problem by building the GR Corolla. In fact, the spicy Corolla is only available in North America, but we’re glad it’s now available in most of the world.

The birth of the GR Corolla also means that Toyota finally has a real competitor that can compete with the Honda Civic Type R and the Volkswagen Golf R. Hot Corolla-based hatchbacks of the past have always left something to be desired, but this one more than makes up for all past sins.

The future is full of hope

Although Toyoda’s tenure as CEO has ended, he remains the brand’s chairman, so he remains influential within the company. His “no more boring cars” directive remains in effect as Toyota prepares to launch more sporty cars. Let’s also not forget that he was instrumental in making drab cars better to drive, and he was key to making Lexus more exciting. Akio Toyoda was just inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame for his contributions to the automotive industry. We say it’s well deserved.

Considering Toyota’s generally conservative approach to car manufacturing, it’s surprising that all of these high-performance cars made it into production. Then again, it’s hard to say no to someone with a name on a building.

This article was originally published by Autoblog on February 14, 2026 and first appeared in the News section. Click here to add Autoblog as your preferred source.