Toyota will bring the Corolla saloon back to the UK in 2019.
The four-door car will go on sale alongside the hatchback and estate variants, unveiled at the Geneva and Paris shows earlier this year, and will replace the Auris – which itself succeeded the previous Corolla in 2006.
Toyota says that the saloon is aimed squarely at ‘young professionals’. It has similar styling to its stablemates but with some design tweaks to distinguish it. Up front, there’s a simpler bumper design, while the rear takes on a bespoke look.
The car is based on the same TNGA GA-C framework as the other Corolla variants, and is equal in length to the recently revealed Touring Sports estate, with a 2.7m wheelbase.
Petrol and hybrid power
Two powertrains will be available globally, although it has yet to be confirmed if both will come to the UK. The 1.6-litre petrol engine develops 130hp through either a six-speed manual gearbox or CVT. Toyota says this can achieve 46.3mpg on the WLTP combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 131g/km.
There is also a 1.8-litre petrol-electric hybrid unit, developing 120hp and supplied only with a CVT transmission. It can reportedly return 65.7mpg on the WLTP combined cycle while emitting CO2 emissions of 77g/km.
Highlights on the equipment list include adaptive cruise control and a new Lane Tracing Assist that can keep the Corolla dead-centre in its lane. There’s also an eight-inch infotainment system, wireless phone charging and ten-inch head-up display.
The saloon will be built in Turkey, while the hatchback and Touring Sports estate variants are to be produced in the UK at Toyota’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire. Full pricing and specifications for each model will be released closer to when they go on sale during the first quarter of 2019.
While the Corolla badge has not been seen in the UK since 2005 when it was replaced with the Auris it has been available around the globe, with international market Corollas mechanically-similar to the Auris.
