I come from the world of muscle cars and rear-wheel drive. My first car was a Ford Mustang that only came in one setup: rear-wheel drive. The idea that a car can automatically split torque between the front and rear wheels is an astounding achievement to me, mostly because of how well it actually works.
Recently, I tested the 2026 Toyota GR Corolla and had to learn a few new terms to understand exactly what was happening under the hood. I’m glad I took the time to educate myself.
The first term I learned was “selectable torque distribution,” which is a fancy way of saying the car can automatically adjust torque when you switch driving modes. Actually, there are three main modes impacted by torque distribution:
- Normal Mode (60:40): This mode distributes torque between the front and rear for everyday driving, and it’s the one I used most often.
- Gravel Mode (50:50): Who knew the GR could drive on gravel? I didn’t until I looked it up. On a farm road near my house, I clicked into this mode and felt the car stay centered and composed while the road itself felt anything but.
- Track Mode (Adaptive 60:40 to 30:70): This mode is built for the spirited driving trips I took. The car automatically adjusts the split as you drive, which is pretty cool. It knows how to adjust based on steering angle, throttle input, and vehicle speed, sending up to 70% of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels to let you rotate the back end coming out of corners.
I had a blast with Track Mode and ended up using it far more times than I planned to, even with a passenger along for the ride.
When you drive a vehicle like the GR Corolla, there are a lot of unexpected pleasures. A curve in the road feels tighter and sharper than you thought, which is really fun. On a straightaway, you step on it at full speed and expect the tires to struggle for traction, but they just grip. In my experience, Track Mode is like having the car constantly figure out how to give you the most fun possible.
The other feeling I had was like being on a spindle—even around tight corners, the car maintains total control over power distribution. You don’t sense individual tires searching for grip so much as you feel the entire vehicle staying completely stable, rocketing along like it’s no big deal.
That “no big deal” feeling is what impressed me most. Hey, I used to own a standard Corolla until we sold it to my son-in-law. In that car, everything was a big deal. I loved how easily the GR handles every road without giving me any surprises or sudden slips. I’m even a sudden fan of roundabouts now—partly because they’re a great way to test torque distribution, but also because they’re much safer than two-way or four-way stops.
I had fun learning the terminology, but I had even more fun seeing if Track Mode was as stable as advertised. I can tell you without a doubt that it definitely is.