The car entered its testing and development phase in March 2014,[8] ahead of its début in the 2017 season.[9] Development and operation of the cars would be overseen by four-time World Drivers' Champion Tommi Mäkinen,[10] and entered under the banner of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT. The car made its first public appearance in May 2016 during testing in Palokka-Puuppola, with Mäkinen and Juho Hänninen driving.[11] The Toyota Gazoo Racing three car team of Toyota Yaris WRCs won the 2018 manufacturers' championship, followed in 2019 by the team's Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja winning the 2019 drivers' and co-drivers' championships, the 2020 drivers' (Ogier) and co-drivers' (Julien Ingrassia) championships, and a sweep of the 2021 manufacturers', drivers' (Ogier) and co-drivers' (Ingrassia) championships.
A successor known as the Toyota GR Yaris WRC, based on the 2020 GR Yaris road car, was due to be introduced in 2021[12] but was later decided against in favour of sticking with the existing rally car.[13] The Yaris WRC's true successor, the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, would not be racing until the year after.