The development of the next-generation Toyota Corolla has recently been a subject of great speculation, but with the announcement of the Auris going on sale in Japan today, the popular family duo’s future suddenly looks a lot less hazy.
The development of the next-generation Toyota Corolla has recently been a subject of great speculation, but with the announcement of the Auris going on sale in Japan today, the popular family duo’s future suddenly looks a lot less hazy.
More of the same, is what Toyota detractors are bound to say, since the new car doesn’t look remarkably different from the one it succeeds. Designing the evolutionary Auris became the task of the manufacturer’s European design studio, and while the production form retains very strong elements of the Auris Space Concept seen at the recent Paris Motor Show, this hatchback is clearly an evolution of the existing RunX/Corolla mould.
Built on an all-new platform, the Auris hatchback retains the high waistline and short overhangs combination seen on the current RunX.
The interior has been redesigned to be more “innovative” in its design, with one of its key features being a bridged centre console and the elevated MPV-like gear lever.
Details relevant to the local market will be made available closer to the time of the new arrival’s launch next year. European versions will be powered by a choice of two petrol (1,4- and 1,6-litre with VVT-I) and three turbodiesel (1,4-, 2,0- and 2,2-litre) engines. Transmissions include five- and six-speed manual gearboxes with the option of Toyota’s MultiMode automatic gearbox.
Auris will be unveiled at the Bologna Motor Show in December, so chances of catching a first glimpse of what one executive considered a “step-change. in terms of the brand image of Toyota” at next week’s Auto Africa show are slim.
However, the Nasrec Toyota stand will likely showcase the compact Aygo city car and the Avanza seven-seater MPV
