Description
Toyota introduced the tenth generation of the Corolla in 2006 in Japan, while U.S. customers could see it in the flesh in the following year at the 2007 SEMA auto show in Las Vegas in October.
The Corolla was already a worldwide bestseller, and customers loved it for its reliability and low maintenance costs. Its biggest downturn was the dull aspect both on the exterior and interior. But Toyota tried to change that, and the tenth generation of this moniker saw a different approach in terms of design. In addition, the cabins were greatly improved and featured modern systems, while the engines got a little bit punchier. Not enough to call the car a sports sedan, but at least it didn’t struggle on entry ramps anymore to catch up with highway speeds.
This generation wore the Axia name in Japan, while in most other countries, Toyota sold it as the Corolla. Unlike other generations of it, it shared the same exterior design around the world, with slight adjustments according to local regulations. The new design language mixed arched lines with a few sharp angles. At the front, the bumper featured an upper chromed grille and a lower one flanked with side scoops. In sedan shape, the Corolla featured an ascending beltline that started from the swept-back headlights and continued all the way to the back, on the taillights. The four-door sedan featured flush door handles and, depending on the trim level, chromed trims around the windows and black B-pillars. The rear fascia showed wide taillights that crossed from the quarter panels to the trunk’s lid above the rear bumper.
The cabin didn’t look like an upscale model, but it wasn’t dull anymore. Toyota installed stain-resistant upholsteries on the seats and light-gray trims on the center console, center stack, steering wheel, and door cards. True, it was made from hard plastic, but it looked better than in the Corolla’s ninth generation. Furthermore, the big dials for the speedometer and tachometer inside the instrument cluster featured integrated LCDs that displayed various information from the car’s onboard computer. Between them, the automaker installed two arrows for up-shifts and downshifts, which helped the driver achieve better fuel efficiency. The front seats were slightly raised on the sides and were designed mostly for comfort, with a knee-height center console. In addition, depending on the trim level, Toyota also offered the car with a center armrest between the front occupants. On the rear bench seat, the automaker installed two ISOFIX systems to fix child seats and a center fold-down armrest for situations when just two passengers sat there.
Another essential upgrade was for the platform, which featured new McPherson struts up front and torsion beam suspension at the back. As a result, the car boasted increased road handling over its predecessor. For selected markets, the car came fitted as standard with various safety systems, including Vehicle Stability Control (VSA), Brake Assist (BAS), and Traction Control (TC). Under the hood, the automaker installed a wide choice of diesel and gasoline engines, depending on the market, paired with either manual or automatic transmissions.
Press Release
The all-new Toyota Corolla is the 10th generation of the worldwide best-seller that has become a symbol of Toyota's core values of superior quality, style, driving pleasure and innovation.
Built on a new platform, the latest Corolla is designed to appeal to European customers seeking a classic sedan configuration with dynamic styling and excellent driving pleasure. At the heart of new Corolla is the concept of offering customers a superior quality sedan which is "a class above" in comfort, space and quality.
Soichiro Okudaira, Executive chief engineer for the new Corolla explains: "All drivers, regardless of age, are sensitive to dynamic, high quality styling that provides a sense of luxury. Our new and strong design, combined with excellent driving dynamics, should sweep away the stereotype of Corolla as a good car that lacks driver appeal.I am confident that we have developed a car that will stir great excitement the moment you see it."
New Toyota Corolla looks distinctive and different with a strong road presence; even when viewed from a distance. The car has been designed from the outset as a sedan and achieves a oneform style by moving the base of the A-pillar forward and integrating the trunk space within the slope of the rear pillars.
It is clear this is not a hatchback with a trunk added as an afterthought - indeed the sleek, dynamic look is further enhanced by the increased overall length, low roof profile and slim pillars.
Maximum interior space and a premium quality passenger environment are key features of the new Corolla. The promise of "a class above" is clear from the moment one opens the door of an interior that portrays a sense of spaciousness beyond actual space.
New Toyota Corolla presents a natural and comfortable environment for both driver and passengers. Space around the driver and passengers has been increased with more head and leg room, leading to a couple distance between the front and rear seat of 900 mm.
Rear passengers benefit from the flat floor to increase comfort while the hip points of the driver and front seat passenger have been raised to ensure a more natural seating position and better visibility.
The width and depth of the luggage compartment have been increased and the overall capacity maximised by reducing unused gaps between the lining and the body surface.
All new platform
There has been a new focus on driver involvement with improved stability, responsive handling and precise steering control based on the car's all-new platform.
The newly developed, compact and highly rigid front suspension is an L-arm MacPherson strut which reduces noise and vibration while ensuring superior straight line stability and excellent steering response. At the rear, the new torsion beam suspension accommodates the vehicle packaging while also contributing to handling, stability and ride comfort.
New Toyota Corolla has an all-new braking system to complement the new platform and suspension and offer effective active safety in all driving conditions. Braking control under all road conditions is provided by the standard Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake assist (BA). The Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with traction control (TRC) is available either standard or optional depending on market.
New Toyota Corolla is quiet and smooth on the road as it delivers on its promise of 'a class above'. Exceptionally low levels of Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) lift the new Corolla well above current C-segment sedan norms and will give occupants a clear sense of being in a car from an upper segment.
It is anticipated the new Corolla will be awarded top level ratings in Euro-NCAP crash tests and passive safety features have been carefully designed to offer maximum protection in a wide range of collision scenarios. The new Corolla is available with up-to nine airbags including a driver's knee airbag.
Considerable work has gone into re-engineering the bonnet and frontal areas of Corolla to reduce the effect of pedestrian impact. The rear edge of the bonnet (where an adult head might land) now features a crushable structure and, on the front edge of the bonnet, the bonnet catch moved down and away from the design surface.
Innovative engine line-up
Two new innovative engines, one petrol and one diesel, will be available in the new Toyota Corolla line-up.
The 1.6-litre petrol is an all-new dual VVT-i engine developing excellent performance and low fuel consumption. The new, dual VVT-i technology continually adjusts both the intake and exhaust valve timing of the engine to ensure maximum efficiency under all operating conditions.
This results in significantly increased torque at low and medium engine speeds with increased power output at higher speeds. At the same time, it enhances fuel consumption and reduces emissions.
A new diesel engine to the Corolla range is the latest generation 2.0 D-4D 125. This engine will be available with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) which not only purifies hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) like conventional catalysts but also enable simultaneous reduction of particulate matter. The DPF is 'self-cleaning' and requires no long-term maintenance.
For maximum economy, the 1.4-litre D-4D from the current model is carried over to the new Corolla range. To complement the 1.6-litre petrol, the 1.4-litre VVT-i from the current Corolla range will also be carried over.
New Toyota Corolla offers a choice of transmissions, each carefully selected to suit the characteristics of the engine output. A conventional five-speed manual gearbox is available with both petrol engines and the 1.4-litre D-4D while the high performance D-4D 125 is available with a six speed manual.
Drivers wanting a more relaxed driving style can choose the MultiMode transmission with paddle shift which is available with either the 1.6-litre VVT-i or the 1.4-litre D-4D engines.
Chief engineer, Toshi Ezaki, concludes: "I am confident the driving pleasure and excellent performance of the new Corolla can be enjoyed in town, on high speed roads and out on the open highway."
