Toyota takes new Corolla upmarket
TOYOTA will be moving its new Corolla upmarket when the car arrives in the UK next year in hatchback, estate and saloon formats. The 18-model hatch and estate line up will also come with the choice of two hybrid powertrains with the introduction of a new 2.0litre petrol/electric set up which has been engineered for a more sporty drive and develops 178bhp.
To be built at Toyota’s UK factory in Burnaston at Derby, the Corolla replaces the Auris and sees the return of the world’s most popular nameplate to the British market.
As well as the new 2.0-litre powertrain it will also be available with a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine and a revamped version of the current 1.8-litre hybrid system.
Prices for the 1.2-litre models will start from £21,300 with the hybrid coming in from £23,750. Estate models, or Touring Sports as Toyota calls them, will cost £1,270 more.
The 2.0-litre hybrid will be available only in higher grade Design and Excel trims and will cost from £27,550 for a hatch.
All models will feature Toyota’s latest generation of safety systems which now includes a pre-collision set up that can detect pedestrians day and night.
The Corolla will also come with Toyota’s Touch 2 multimedia system with its eight-inch display screen
Sat nav and a seven inch TFT instrument panel display are part of a Tech upgrade and add £1,050 to the price.
Range topping Excel versions of the Corolla hatch will sit on 18-inch alloys and will also feature keyless entry, sport front seats with part leather upholstery and have the option of an opening panoramic sunroof, a bi-tone paint finish and on the 2.0-litre models, an uprated JBL sound system.
The new Corolla is due for release early next year and will be joined by a saloon variant later in 2019.
Prices for the saloon are still to be announced.