The European version of the 2014 Toyota Corolla, which ASEAN will also get from Thailand at a later date (not to be confused with the sportier US-market Corolla) has started production at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT). The new Corolla sedan joins the new Verso on the production line at TMMT, which exports to more than 50 countries.
With the new Corolla, next year will see total production at TMMT reach 150,000 units, its full capacity. Over 85% of output will be exported to European markets, Russia, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asian countries. For this project, Toyota invested 150 million euros and hired 900 new people.
Toyota’s Turkish plant has been making Corollas since 1994 with the seventh generation model, right until the end of 2006. The Verso joined the production line in 2004. From 2007 to 2012, TMMT produced the Toyota Auris hatchback in place of the Corolla sedan.
In line with Toyota’s pan-European optimisation and localisation strategy of C-segment production in Europe, Auris production was consolidated at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK at the end of 2012, making room for the reintroduction of the Corolla sedan at TMMT. This move allows both plants to operate at full capacity.
This Corolla differs from the US version in both front and rear treatments – headlamps, grille, front and rear bumper and tail lamps – but otherwise, it’s pretty much the same car, with an identical side profile and dimensions, including the 2.7 metre-long wheelbase. Here, the bigger front grille’s triple bars intrude into the headlamps, which are wider and stretch further back into the front fenders.
There are also very minor variations to the interior. The dashboard layout is largely similar to that on the US car, with the same increased space and legroom, although the digital clock position has been moved to the right from dead centre. We also observed some minor differences in trim and the dial face design. Small things, but there nonetheless.
The European line-up offers a choice of a 1.4 litre D-4D turbodiesel (90 hp/205 Nm) and four petrol engines; a 1.33 litre Dual VVT-i unit (99 hp/128 Nm), a 1.6 litre engine available with Dual VVT-i (122 hp/154 Nm) and Valvematic (132 hp/160 Nm) systems, and a new 140 hp/173 Nm 1.8 litre Dual VVT-i.
The latter is paired to a new Multidrive S transmission (CVT with seven-speed mode), which is an option on the 1.6. All other engines come with a six-speed manual as standard, but the 1.4 D-4D can also be had with Toyota’s MultiMode automated manual transmission (AMT).
So far, we’ve seen the “rest of the world” Corolla in rather “cold” settings. The gallery below is a new batch of pics with sunlight and gorgeous scenery as background. Nice? It has to be to take on the new Mazda 3 sedan, Kia Cerato and Honda Civic, among others.
