Low-miles hot hatch went for $34,500 at auction but only weeks earlier someone paid over $41k
Buying a new car really is the dumbest thing. I mean, we all like the idea of being the first person behind the wheel, and of buying something that’s done no miles so should be reliable, but the case of this GR Corolla from a recent Cars & Bids auction highlights how much smarter buying nearly-new is.
Also: Here’s The New Toyota GRMN Corolla Before You’re Supposed To See It
It’s a base-spec Core model, a MY25 registered only a few weeks ago in August. Back then, according to the window sticker, it cost $41,377, including destination and a few basic options. But this month, and still with only 750 miles (1,200 km) on the clock, it sold for just $34,500 on Cars&Bids.
Practically New Without the Price Tag
Apart from the paperwork, there’s nothing to suggest this is anything other than a brand new car. It looks pristine, not just on the top and inside, but underneath, too. We obviously don’t know the full circumstances behind the sale, why the original owner is getting rid so soon and exactly how much he paid the supplying dealer for the car. But it looks like he took a bath, and the new owner got themselves a bargain.
Sure, buying off an auction site means sorting your own finance out, and probably not being able to check the car out personally before pressing go. But dealers sell nearly new, often preregistered cars too. All with long warranties, low miles and delivering 97 percent of the new car experience for at lot less than 97 percent of the new MSRP.
Being a 2025 car, this GR has the updated version of the 1.6-liter, turbocharged triple that debuted for that model year. Power was unchanged at 300 hp (304 PS), but torque got a 22 lb-ft (30 Nm) boost to 295 lb-ft (400 Nm).
Front and rear Torsen LSDs are standard even on the base Core model these days and even though an eight-speed auto had been added to the options list by the time this one was ordered, the original owner stuck with the six-speed manual alternative.
Review: Toyota’s Rally-Bred GR Corolla Just Got Even Better For 2026
We just drove the 2026 version, and though it has some detail improvements like extra structural adhesive to stiffen up the body, a new duct to keep the engine cool and modified trailing arms for better grip, the gains aren’t big enough to outweigh the saving this car represented. The upcoming, even hotter GRMN Corolla, however might be. I wonder if the seller wanted out to make room for one of those?
Besides the near-$7k of depreciation the seller had to swallow, a couple of things stuck out, both related to the dealer-supplied options. Maybe it’s just us but $129 for an infotainment screen protector and $79 for four smartphone cables looks like daylight robbery. It’s not just us, you say? Didn’t think so.
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Chris is a seasoned automotive journalist with over two decades of experience. He has worked… Read full bio

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