Toyota has unveiled the new Toyota Corolla Axio in Japan, which is a sign that it won’t be long now until the Toyota Corolla Altis receives a full model change as well, since the 5 year lifecycle that it typically runs on is about due now.
The Toyota Corolla Axio is one of the two Corolla models for the Japanese domestic market – it is sold alongside a wagon variant called the Corolla Fielder. You may wonder, what’s with all the different Corollas?
Two generations ago, the name Corolla Altis made its debut, because Toyota wanted to make its C-segment sedan contender appear larger and more luxurious for the world market, but a larger Corolla would not be suitable for sale in Japan as they have certain tax segment based limits for the exterior dimensions of a car, which made sense considering how limited space is in Japan.
So they sold a Corolla in Japan (and in some other countries like Singapore), while the rest of the world markets such as Malaysia got a Corolla Altis. When the time came for a full model change, the Japanese market Corolla got the Axio name tagged on when it was unveiled in October 2006 , and soon after, a corresponding Corolla Altis was launched and hit Malaysia in March 2008. These 2 models had different outlooks but they did share a very similar interior.
So while this latest generation Corolla Axio is not the Corolla that will replace our Malaysian Corolla Altis, we could assume that the next generation Corolla Altis could share an interior design derived from the new Corolla Axio.
The new interior design is quite a departure from the previous generation Corollas – the sleek vertical Volvo-like “waterfall” centre dash area that felt like very clearly split the passenger and driver areas has been replaced by a more horizontal oriented design that positions all controls higher up.
The area ahead of the gear shifter which used to have a sloping trim has been replaced by what looks like a storage area – variants that have wood trim in the interior now have it rather gaudily encasing the audio and air cond controls.
The instrumentation panel has been changed to a triple-gauge layout like the Camry’s, replacing the current twin gauge layout. Lower end models only have a single speedometer. Some variants have a bare steering wheel while others have a joy-pad like control on the left steering wheel spoke.
Two engines are available – the larger one is a 1NZ-FE 1.5 litre which should be very familiar to Malaysians as it’s the same engine in the Vios, but with some changes – the version with a CVT transmission has a higher compression ratio of 11.0:1. The smaller engine is a 1.3 litre Dual VVT-i 1NR-FE that makes 95 PS and 121Nm. The wagon Corolla Fields has larger engine options – instead of a 1.3 and 1.5, it’s offered as a 1.5 and a 1.8.
The Axio rides on a 2,600mm wheelbase, which is the same length as the previous two generations of Corolla. Wheelbase is not the ultimate indicator of interior space, but it’s worth noting that it’s one of the shortest in the segment – some C-segment cars have grown to have wheelbases of over 2,700mm. The Preve has a 2,650mm wheelbase. But despite sharing the same wheelbase length with its predecessor, Toyota claims the new Corolla Axio offers 40 mm roomier knee space in the backseat.
The Axio is also light – the heaviest 2WD model is 1,090kg – adding 4WD brings the heaviest version up to 1,200kg. As a comparison, the current generation Corolla Altis in Malaysia weighs from 1,250kg for the 1.6E up to 1,315kg for the 2.0V.
Although the Corolla is a very popular car, given that the market for a C-segment sedan continuously shrinks in Japan (non-hybrid Civic Sedan has been discontinued for Japan, for example). Toyota’s big seller in Japan is now the Prius – and 10,000 of these are targeted to shipped domestically every month, while combined monthly targets for the new Corolla Axio sedan and Corolla Fielder wagon only come up to 7,000, with more of these being Fielders (4,000 units) than Axios (3,000 units).
I think you can see some cost cutting efforts with the latest Corolla Axio, especially on the interior. Most of us will probably prefer the outgoing interior design to this latest one. But who knows, perhaps the new Corolla Altis will be an even further departure from the Corolla Axio and have a bespoke interior that is more upmarket. Look after the jump for a small photo gallery of the new Corolla Axio.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
kambing
on 
peter_pj
on 
Costwise
on 
ek9
on 
Cedyy
on 
i
on 
FT86
on 
BoXy
on 
William
on 
zachary gibson
on 
GT3
on 
Ryan
on 
CrabStick
on 
Boringxio
on 
Dude
on 
Orange
on 
Mire
on 
momo
on 
kimi's fan
on 
WhoKnows
on 
Jimmy
on 
mirror
on 
Holly
on 
CH
on 
Sunday
on 
cefir
on 
motoyt
on 
KuciKuci
on 
Tony Montana
on 
balloon
on 
OMG
on 
alldisc
on 
mrworldwide
on 
busybody
on 
waterman
on 
rustyrazor
on 
unnon
on 
NSX
on 
xibc
on 
gotodmc
on 
JeremyNg
on 
qce
on 
Kworld
on 
Zoomx2
on 
kington
on 
mu77
on 
VWsupporter
on 
Bean..Mr Bean
on 
trd
on 
Disney
on 
4G63T DSM
on 
_xXx_
on 
Unforgiven
on 
Anakata
on 
nighttrain
on 
thgh
on 
amoi
on 
Rulered
on 
Amingo
on 
catdog
on 
Merc=Real Euro
on 
Kelvin
on 
Zen
on 
Gokul
on 
bummer
on 
mickey
on 
Haha
on 
Sam Loo
on 
David D
on 
syntium5000
on 
3KS
on 
matt
on 
beatnik
on 
NoNo
on 
Name
on 
1BatangNaik
on 
momo
on 
meteoraniac
on 
cureorcurse
on 
seriousdude
on 
Anand
on 
shawal
on 
ss427
on 
Fukuoka
on 
Kimi Raikkonen
on 
shooter
on 
pauline
on 
blacky
on 
squall_shinoda
on 
shhh
on 
wajaowner
on 
oko028
on 
teor
on 
BW
on 
fraz006
on 
sleepergrey
on 
tuna
on 
Disappointed
on 
ToyotaPJ
on 
Steve Cardenas
on 
John Elevator
on 
vios7758
on 
fugly
on 
Wiseowl
on 
MAZpengDA
on 
RedBeanBun
on 
alitstar
on 
ah seng
on 
Jetlee
on 
AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments express strong disappointment and negative sentiments regarding the design of the 2012 Toyota Corolla Axio, describing it as ugly, outdated, and unappealing. Many users compare it unfavorably to previous models, other brands like Honda and Hyundai, and even to cheaper cars like Proton Preve. There is criticism over the conservative and "uncle" style, with some suggesting it is targeted at older buyers and implying it lacks modern appeal. Several comments highlight concerns about the car's weight, safety, and the use of outdated technology—specifically the torsion beam suspension. Overall, the consensus is that the Axio's design and features are a step backward for Toyota, with many advocating for improved aesthetics and better market competition.