The new Toyota Corolla sedan has finally been unveiled, with the Japanese automaker interestingly revealing two distinct versions of its twelfth-generation sedan.
Like the hatchback, both ride on Toyota’s TNGA platform. The first is the so-called “Sporty” model, which will be offered in North America, China (as the “Levin”), Japan and other unspecified regions. The Prestige model, meanwhile, will be sold in China (as the “Corolla”), Europe and “other regions”. It’s not yet clear which one is destined for local shores.
The new Corolla sedan has grown some 10 mm in length to 4 640 mm and 5 mm in width to 1 780 mm. While the wheelbase is unchanged at 2 700 mm, Toyota says the vehicle’s height (1 435 mm) has been cut by as much as 45 mm.
While the two models are the same size, they are set apart by various design cues. The headlamps, for instance, as different, as are the front grilles and bonnet treatments.
Toyota promises the new platform allows its most popular nameplate to deliver a “joyful driving experience”. In fact, the North American branch of the brand describes the new model as a “highly nimble, engaging machine to drive”.
Sedan powertrain options are expected to mirror those of the hatchback, which in Europe is offered with just a single conventional engine (in the form of the 1,2-litre turbopetrol that debuted in the C-HR) plus a choice of 2,0-litre hybrid powertrains in various states of tune. A naturally aspirated 2,0-litre (125 kW/200 N.m) without the hybrid gubbins is also expected to be offered in some markets.
The cabin has also been thoroughly reworked, with the US-spec model offering either a seven- or an eight-inch touchscreen. The Corolla sedan will furthermore ship standard with a 4,2-inch TFT multi-information display, with a seven-inch version also offered.
In North American markets, the new Corolla sedan will come standard with eight airbags and various other safety features. An advanced suite of integrated active and pre-collision safety items (such as adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert and automatic high beams), meanwhile, will also be available.
