Many automakers have been experimenting with smaller, more efficient engines. But two recent Toyota models were prime examples of this industry-wide trend: the I3 GR Corolla and V6 Tundra. Now, Toyota may be having second thoughts about both.

Toyota’s GR Corolla may swap I3 for I4

In 2023, Toyota introduced a new flagship hot hatch, the GR Corolla. With just 1.6 liters of displacement, its turbocharged engine made an impressive 300 horsepower. It was an incredible feat of engineering, but had its share of downsides.

At the Japan Mobility Show, Takashi Uehara, Toyota’s powertrain president, discussed the old GR Corolla. He admitted the engine had complexities—namely, the special dampers and other tech used to reduce vibration and harshness. He proudly unveiled a new 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 that he claims will make up to 400 horsepower. With an all-new Corolla generation coming, it looks like the next GR Corolla will get a more traditional engine.

The Toyota Tundra could get its V8 groove back

For the 2022 model year, Toyota made headlines with its third-generation Tundra. The company tossed the old truck’s traditional, bulletproof, naturally aspirated V8. Instead, every new Tundra came with a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6. Entry-level trucks had a detuned version. Most had a 389-horsepower, 479 lb-ft version. The top-trim hybrid powertrain made 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft.

There’s a long-running rumor that Toyota’s working on a desert-running F-150 Raptor R competitor (720-horsepower supercharged V8). So many wondered if it was developing an even more powerful V6 tune. Then Toyota recalled every V6 Tundra for main bearing failure.

At the Japan Mobility Show, Uehara also revealed a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8. It’s intended for Lexus and GR sports cars. In hybrid configuration, its top output is rumored to be 900 horsepower.

When asked if it might make its way into full-frame trucks and SUVs (such as the foreign-market Land Cruiser or the U.S. Tundra), Uehara said, “Yeah, it could be.”

So it’s possible that if Toyota wants a high-performance Tundra, the automaker will go back to a more traditional engine with this V8.