After revealing the next generation of the RAV4, and just before launching the new Hilux, Toyota isn’t slowing down and is starting the rollout of the next Corolla. The Chinese are watching closely, and anyone who wants to remain the world’s largest car manufacturer understands the need to keep up the pace.
Ahead of the Tokyo Mobility Show opening later this month—the updated name of Japan’s most important auto show—Toyota released the first images of the “Corolla Concept.”
The design is much rounder than the current generation, featuring the new front we saw on the RAV4, the Corolla Cross after its facelift, and the new electric C-HR+.
Speaking of electric, the Corolla Concept has a charging port on the left fender. Will Toyota, which has been very cautious in its move to electric, add a fully electric version to the new family sedan, or is this the first plug-in version, like those already available for the RAV4 and Prius?
Toyota has not released any technical details about the concept yet, but according to publications in Japan, the new model will use a new 1.5-liter engine, available both naturally aspirated (130 hp) and turbocharged (180 hp). A hybrid version, which has become the main—and sometimes only—option for the model in many markets, including Israel, is also expected. The upcoming plug-in version may rely on BYD’s battery and technology, with which Toyota has a partnership in China.
According to the same reports, Toyota will continue with three body styles: The classic sedan, hatchback, and station wagon, though not all may be available in every market.
The production model is expected to launch in 2026, eight years after the launch of the 12th and current generation Corolla, which has sold approximately 55 million units since 1966.