- The Corolla sedan will be revealed in China.
- Will join the hatchback and estate as the third body type.
- Is expected to arrive in India sometime in 2019.
The Toyota Corolla is widely regarded as one of the best-selling cars in the world. It has been around since 1966 and is sold in every corner of the globe, and even became the best-selling nameplate in the world in 1997. The twelfth-generation of the Corolla arrived earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show albeit in the hatchback guise. Later it was joined by the TS (estate version). Now, Toyota has revealed that the new-gen Corolla sedan will make its debut on 16 November at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition in China.
This will be the Chinese-spec model and will share most of its styling with the handsome looking hatchback. Based on the TNGA platform, the Corolla will also house a similar powertrain. The aggressive fascia of the sedan will carry sharp headlamps with LED strips, gaping grille and stylish looking lip-spoiler. The tail will get wraparound LED tail lights with the same shape as seen on the hatchback. The nicely sculpted rear bumper will also make the tail sporty and good looking.
The dimension of the sedan will be bigger as compared to the outgoing generation. Even the cabin will take its upmarket cues from Toyota’s luxury brand – Lexus. The centre stacked floating screen will dominate the dashboard, enjoined by a large digital instrument cluster sitting behind the large multifunction steering wheel. The rear will be roomier and the entire cabin will be laden with quality material and a long list of features.
Internationally, the Corolla will be powered by a 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre gasoline engine. Meanwhile, the diesel engine is expected to be the 1.5-litre unit that is found under the hood of the Indian-spec model. Transmission would be the same CVT automatic with a manual for petrol while the diesel will only get a manual gearbox.
Following its global reveal, the European-spec Corolla sedan will be introduced early next year. After that, we expect to see these ASEAN-spec models hitting the international markets by mid-2019. We can expect the new-gen Corolla sedan to arrive in India only after that.
