Hyundai Motor, Toyota Korea wrap up joint gymkhana event

Hyundai Motor and Toyota Korea announced Tuesday that they held the "Hyundai N x Toyota GR Gymkhana Day" at Inje Speedium in Inje-gun, Gangwon Province on Friday. Toyota GR stands for GAZOO Racing, Toyota's high-performance brand.

The event came roughly two years after the two companies co-hosted the "Hyundai N x Toyota GR Festival" at Everland Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province in October 2024. About 80 people attended in total, including 20 owner-drivers each from Hyundai N and Toyota GR — 40 in all — who share a passion for high-performance cars.

The 40 owner-drivers took to the Inje Speedium circuit to compete in gymkhana races. Gymkhana is a motorsport discipline in which drivers use acceleration, braking and cornering techniques to navigate cone-marked obstacles and complete a set course in the shortest possible time.

The morning session featured individual time trials, while the afternoon session brought drivers together in mixed four-person teams — two Hyundai N drivers and two Toyota GR drivers per team — formed based on morning results. The focus was less on individual competition and more on drivers from both brands teaming up to enjoy motorsport together.

A cross-brand test-drive program was also on offer, with Hyundai N owner-drivers getting behind the wheel of Toyota GR vehicles and Toyota GR owner-drivers sampling Hyundai N models to experience the handling characteristics of each other's cars. Vehicles used in the program included the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the Ioniq 6 N, the Toyota GR86 and the GR Supra.

A taxi-driving experience also allowed participants to ride along with professional instructors performing gymkhana runs, giving those who did not drive themselves a feel for the dynamic performance of high-performance cars and the excitement of motorsport. After the event, awards were presented to top finishers in the team competition and others, in a ceremony marking friendship and unity between the two brands.

Toyota Korea Executive Vice President Lee Byung-jin said the gymkhana day was designed to let Hyundai N and Toyota GR owners share their common passion for cars and motorsport beyond brand boundaries. "We will continue to expand opportunities for customers to drive, connect and experience the joy of motorsport, and keep working together to broaden the grassroots motorsport culture in Korea," he said.

Park Jun-woo, head of Hyundai Motor's N Management Division, said he was pleased to create a space where Hyundai N and Toyota GR could go beyond rivalry and come together through a shared passion. "We will continue to build platforms where both brands and their customers can communicate and enjoy themselves together," he said.