It seems like eons since controversial British Top Gear TV host Jeremy Clarkson likened the Toyota Corolla’s unexciting looks to that of white refrigerator in a tongue and cheek skit from his 1990’s show. That in fact was the perfect metaphor for a series of vehicles that is well-known as the best-selling car on the planet—having sold over 50 million units since 1966—but has never won any design competitions due to its ho-hum, reserved, lowest common denominator styling. Toyota is about to change all that however, with the radically new looking 13th generation Corolla.
Totally redesigned Corolla follows in footsteps of new Prius
Like we have seen recently with the new rather good-looking Prius and Crown lineups, which are both now on sale in the U.S., Toyota’s design department have thrown out the old generic designs, picked up a blank sheet of paper and totally reimagined the brand’s bread-and-butter car with pizzazz and design flair by incorporating a more aerodynamic ‘coupe-crossover’ style look. Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda’s mantra of “No more boring designs” is strong with this latest model. With its wedge shape and sharp edges, the new Corolla concept looks more like a sports car than the uninspiring sedan or wagon that we’ve seen over the last 60 years. Dare I say, and yes, styling is a subjective thing, but I like this new exterior and yes, I can see design inspiration from Volvo around the front end and Lamborghini across the rear end. And no, I never thought I’d ever say that about a Toyota.
The new design is sharper with far better aerodynamics
Launched at the recent Japan Mobility Show, the new model’s sexy silhouette had pundits questioning whether it really was a Corolla. The hood is sharply sloped forward for improved aerodynamics, fuel efficiency and range. And as you’d expect from Toyota—who is following a multi-pathway (multi-powertrain) strategy—we know that the powertrains are going to be diverse on the new Corolla—with it offering buyers a choice of either gasoline hybrid, PHEV or battery electric powertrain with all powerplants being downsized and taking up less space which enables shorter overhangs. This allows for previously impossible design traits like a much larger windscreen which stretches from almost the middle of the hood all the way to the B-pillar, given unprecedented visibility.
As the windscreen is sloped at such a sharp angle to blend with the hood, designers have done something they’ve never done before—they’ve sloped the front door windows forward, giving the Corolla a totally different look while maximizing visibility. Now, at first glance, to be honest, the strangely odd-looking disruption of the hitherto single belt line from the hood through the A-pillar to the rear deck—a styling trait we’ve seen on just about every Corolla so far, will take some getting used to.
This new design also means that the front doors are far bigger than normal compact sedans, enabling easy access for front seat occupants as well as far roomier footwells. And because the new design and compact powertrains have enabled designers to maximize interior space, the rear seats are roomier than any pervious Corolla too. According to a stylist, the rear design, which also employs sexier proportions than we’ve ever seen on any Corolla before, can be applied to either body design—the sedan or the lift back.
Two other things that stand out are the narrowness of the A pillars and the small digital screens that sit halfway down the the front doors where the A-pillar interests with the hood. These screens, which first appeared two years ago, show data and information like the battery’s state of charge. Inside, it’s all about space and simple luxury as the plush seats employ contoured headrests with built-in speakers and in the back, you can expect a bench seat for 3 occupants rather than the two bucket seats there now.
Just playing the devil’s advocate here, but I feel Toyota had to go this far—to create a totally new eye-catching design—to be able to compete with the Chinese and Koreans, who are both launching many sharp-looking new PHEVs and EVs into international markets. Whether the new Corolla will land in showrooms wearing this exact body is highly unlikely as Toyota must first gauge feedback on the market’s acceptance of this design first. Even if the vast majority of pundits give the thumbs up, we can expect several strategic design features to be ‘toned down’ before the car’s release in 2027.