The car that would be king was launched yesterday on Queensland's Gold Coast. Assured of number one spot in the small car marketplace and now gunning for the title of Australia's overall top-selling car, the new Toyota Corolla arrives this month priced from $20,990 -- $1000 more than the model it replaces.
The new Corolla is the tenth generation of the iconic small car nameplate. While it will wear the Auris badge in Europe, there was never any doubt Toyota Australia would risk changing the identity of what is quite simply its foundation model Down Under.
Since introduced in Australia in 1966, Corolla has sold more than 975,000 units. With the new Corolla expected to easily eclipse its 2006 total of 46,256 units this year, the 1,000,000th example will be delivered to its Australian owner before the end of 2007.
In total, Toyota has built in excess of 32m Corollas worldwide. The car is sold in more than 140 countries and built in 16 at a current rate of one ever 23sec (or so)! Aussie Corollas will continue to be sourced from Japan.
There are two body styles and a total of seven models across the new Corolla range -- four hatches and three four-door sedans. The wagon has been dropped from the line-up.
The variants are better delineated than ever before, and though they share drivetrains and platforms, they were designed and developed by separate teams on different sides of the globe.
The hatch (which wearing the Auris badge must turn around the lacklustre performance of the model in Europe) was designed by the Toyota Europe Design Development team in France. The sedan (which boasts boot space just 10 per cent shy of the new VE Commodore, claims Toyota) was penned in Japan -- though designers included a four-month sabbatical in Italy as part of the rendering process (Nice work if you can get it!).
The new Corolla is bigger than its predecessor and all models feature ABS brakes with Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution as standard equipment for the first time. Other new features on all models include a tilt-and-telescopic steering column; slimmer front-seat design and longer front-rear-seat coupling distance plus a flat rear floor for more space; and MP3-compatible sound systems.
The two body shapes feature bespoke panels and markedly different interiors too. However, all are powered the same all-new 1.8-litre dual VVT-i engine which produces 100kW at 6000rpm and peak torque of 175Nm at 4400rpm. This is a slight increase on the outgoing model.
The powerplant features variable valve timing on both the inlet and exhaust camshafts and is essentially a long-stroke version of the new 1.6-litre engine used in the Auris in Europe.
The engine is matched to an all-new six-speed manual gearbox and a revised version of the Corolla's traditional four-speed auto. The latter gets a software upgrade for more 'intuitive' operation and a gated shift for semi-manual operation in the new model.
Despite the growth in dimensions and weight (between 50-190kg depending on model), Toyota is claiming fuel economy figures consistent with the outgoing model thanks to powertrain advances and careful attention to aerodynamics. The hatch boasts a drag co-efficient of 0.29 -- close to class leading.
ADR fuel stats are 7.4/7.7lt/100km for the manual and auto hatches, with the sedans a touch more frugal at 7.3/7.4lt/100km respectively.
The new Corolla range kicks off with the Ascent -- available in both hatch and sedan from $20,990 with six-speed manual (auto is $2000 more). The mid-level Conquest grade is also offered in four and five-door versions priced from $25,500 --again for the manual versions, $2K for auto.
Two sports-oriented hatches are offered under the Corolla Levin nameplate (though confusingly they also feature 'SECA' badging on the tailgate). The Levin SX is priced from $25,500 and the Levin ZR (pictured) is the top Corolla hatch from $29,500. Both are available in six-speed manual and (optional) auto versions.
The top-of-the-range Corolla is the 'mini-Lexus' Ultima (also pictured). Replete with leather upholstery, Lexus-style Optitronic gauges, keyless start and the like; it is priced from $31,990 and available in auto-only.
Toyota says all grades have benefited from "significant added value." Not insignificant is Toyota Advantage -- three years of fixed price servicing -- which is offered as part of the Corolla 'package'. At $120 per service, Toyota says this is around a 50 per cent discount on normal service costs.
The company says the new Corolla has already gained a five-star Euro NCAP rating (when equipped with all seven airbags). Down Under, twin front airbags are standard on the Ascent models; with the remaining models featuring a total of seven airbags including the first driver's knee airbag is this class of vehicle.
The full complement of airbags is available on the entry level models as an option. However, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Toyota's version of ESP, is not available on any models in the new Corolla range.
Toyota is looking to expand Corolla's customer base and hence is promoting the 'Euro' influence of the new model. It says the Corolla hatch was styled to appeal to "image-conscious younger buyers as well as Corolla's loyal customer base." Corolla sedan meantime was "designed to appeal to customers seeking a classic four-door car with a strong road presence."
Though company officials are being coy with their sales targets for the new car they say that just keeping pace with market growth will not satisfy their expectations. With the Australian small car market upwards of 13 per cent ahead of the same time last year it's estimated that Toyota is looking to sell in excess of 52,000 Corollas in 2007.
Many of the extra sales will come from increased demand for the sedan, they say.
The car that built Toyota's reputation Down Under displaced Holden's Commodore from the number one spot on occasions in 2006. Though the big Holden is performing well in new VE guise, there's little doubt in most pundits' minds that Corolla will grab the number one sooner rather than later.
Look for The Carsales Network's launch review of the new Corolla range soon.
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