2023 Toyota GR Corolla Cupholder Mega Test: Will the Nalgene bottle fit?

Hoo, boy! This Toyota GR Corolla is a hot little number. What it lacks in outright speed (it’s not that bad, really), it makes up for in pure hot hatch character. When this GR Corolla Morizo showed up in my driveway, I almost started drooling … which reminded me I was thirsty as heck. As such, I grabbed my trusty Nalgene water bottle, hydrated a little, and decided to see if there was a convenient place to stash it in the car.

I started with the front cupholders.

The cupholders are on the other side of the handbrake. I kind of love that. This car is all about the driving. Beverages are secondary, at best. I’m glad that the dial to change the AWD split serves as a buffer between any beverage and the shifter.

The Nalgene doesn’t fit. Just as well. Any bottle, really, will only make e-brake turns that much harder. Let’s try the door.

That doesn’t look good at all. That’s more suited to a Red Bull than a water bottle.

As expected, there’s no way this 32-ounce beefcake is fitting there. Guess you’re riding shotgun, buddy. Let’s check the back seat.

Oh right, no back seat in this bad boy. There’s an actual cupholder in the rear door armrest, though, for those who opt for a second row of seating. But you can probably guess how that’s going to work for the Nalgene.

One option would be to find a place in the cargo area for the bottle, and use it like a tanker to fill up a lesser container to keep up front. Under the cargo mat, the chunky foam insert has some space. You could also fit a couple in the wells alongside it the the cargo area.

Another option: Loop it through the random child seat tether on the bar in the back.

So yeah, the GR Corolla is about as kind to oversized water bottles as its owners will be to its clutch. Like the deletion of the rear seat, maybe it’s just a ploy to keep drivers from introducing unnecessary weight.