Happy 50th birthday Toyota Corolla! That’s right, one of the world’s best-selling (and most produced) nameplate celebrates its half centenary after the first-generation model was introduced way back in 1966. Marketed to nearly every market in the world, let’s take a look back at the history of the Corolla.
The first-generation Corolla (E10) was launched in Japan in November 1966, where it would compete against the Datsun 1000. Depending on markets, the E10 Corolla came with an inline four-cylinder engine in 1.1 or 1.2 litre capacities, mated to either a four-speed manual or two-speed automatic, driving the rear wheels.
By the year 1970, the Corolla had become the second best-selling import car in the US. In May 1970, the second-generation (E20) Corolla was launched, which had a longer wheelbase (2,335 mm compared to the first-gen’s 2,286 mm), and two new 1.4 and 1.6 litre engines. That same year, the Corolla became the second best-selling car in the world.
By the time the third-generation Corolla (E30, E40, E50, E60) was introduced in 1974, the world was recovering from the 1973 oil crisis. With big V8s being out of fashion and smaller capacity engines being favoured, the third-gen Corolla marked Toyota’s greatest growth in the United States
Malaysians will be well familiar with the fourth-generation (E70) Corolla, which was released in Japan in March 1979. Offered as a four-door sedan and equipped with the 1.3 litre 4K engine, the KE70, as it is known, is famous among collectors and tuners alike.
Initial D fans will instantly relate the fifth-generation (E80) Corolla to the AE85/AE86 (Levin and Sprinter Trueno) models. While Takumi’s (panda AE86) tofu delivery car was of the rear-wheel drive variety, the four-door sedan versions instead came as a front-wheel drive, the first-ever for a Corolla. The same year it was introduced in 1983, Toyota had produced its 10 millionth Corolla.
With the sixth-generation (E90) Corolla, the boxy look of old has been replaced with something a little more contemporary. This generation of the Corolla also marked the end of rear-wheel drive, and the adoption of all-wheel drive for the model.
The seventh-generation Corolla (E100) came around in 1991, and by 1997, the Corolla had already become the world’s best-selling nameplate. This was followed by the eighth-generation (E110) model, another model Malaysians are well acquainted with, which was powered by a 1.6-liter 4A-FE engine.
The ninth-generation (E120) Corolla was a locally produced model in Malaysia at the company’s Shah Alam plant, where it was sold as the Corolla Altis. Under the hood, a 1ZZ-FE 1.8 litre VVT-i engine produced 134 hp. In 2005, the 30 millionth Corolla had been produced.
The tenth-generation (E140) Corolla came around in 2006, with Malaysian introduction (still called the Corolla Altis) taking place in March 2008. Initially offered with 1.6 and 1.8 litre ZZ engines, the facelifted Corolla Altis came with the new ZR engine family, ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 litre configuration.
Malaysians never got the eleventh-generation Corolla (E160), which was sold in Japan and Hong Kong since 2012. Instead, the current Corolla Altis sold here is the E170. Here, the sedan drops the 1.6 litre offering, and instead comes in either a 1.8 or 2.0 litre engine offerings. The model also came with a more aggressive styling as well.
Though a twelfth-generation Corolla isn’t due to be introduced just yet, the current eleventh-gen 2017 Corolla has received a facelift in both Australia and the United States. The former would most likely be what Malaysians will receive once it is introduced here. In September 2015, over 40 million Corollas have been sold.
What are you fondest memories of the Toyota Corolla through the ages? Which generation would you say was the best and more interesting of them all? Let us know in the comments section below. And yes, that is current CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation, Akio Toyoda’s personal Toyota Corolla.
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- 2002 Toyota Corolla LE.
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I always adore Toyota cars. It brought many of first new things in its category, whether in Japan (JDM spec) or malaysia (against competitors civic, 323, sentra, laser.
Malaysia’s Corolla (Altis) the best. 2011 Altis got VSC but 2013 Altis, VSC taken out.
In car manufacturing, we all go upwards. We all progress. We never downgrade. That is the mechanics of progress. Toyota in Malaysia is the only car company in the world that downgrades over the years. No logic at all. One day Altis got VSC and another day, VSC is taken out from Altis.
We don’t know why. This is a mystery. You think it is saving cost, but VSC at most cost RM500. So, I do’t think it is saving cost. All the more when cost is at the detriment of human life.
So, it is a big mystery to many Malaysians why the Malaysian Corolla has gone backwards in time.
You won’t go wrong with sushi cars. Got quality and RV.
22 year old Proton Wira still handsome and worshipped too.
I always adore Proton cars… if you need to know
vsc never comes as standard feature + cut throat price
So as Saga
Toyota was the first Japanese brand to include ESP (VSC for Toyota) in Malaysia market, in the corolla altis 1.8G spec between 2000 and 2006. That was 15 years ago when Honda civic selling only in 1.7 spec. ABS was introduced in 1996 in corolla AE111 while twin airbags fitted as standard in the facelift model 1999. The only Japanese car beating Toyota was Ford Laser Lynx, also with airbags and ABS
Correct, and Proton is still selling cars without ESP @ cut throat price at that time
Since there so many version of Corolla in Japan, why not name Vios as Corolla Vios?
To justify rm30k difference. When upgrading to the Altis, gullible asian buyers FEEL the upgrade and want to FEEL they have entered the higher echelons of society.
Vios predecessor is actually Soluna, a smaller budget version of Corolla as steep appreciation of Japanese Yen against ASEAN currencies during mid-1990 era that makes Corolla as well as the other bread and butter model Japanese cars (Civic and Sentra) become much more expensive. Hence, an affordable budget cars such as Toyota Soluna and Honda City were needed in order to retain their market share especially ASEAN countries.
But then JDM Corolla just as small as our Vios. Due to their Japanese regulation of small car, it running on 1500cc engine and less than 1700mm width.
Why din’t produce Corolla coupe nowadays?
My Ke20 still rock solid. Turns 41 this year.
50th years Anni should give 50% discount la wei…..
toyota should revert back to the rear wheel drive configuration for the next-gen corolla.
toyota corolla glorious days in malaysia is now gone. easily replaced by the civic.
I’m an after-sales manager for a german marque based in kinrara and I must comment that the Corolla is one of the best cars ever produced. So reliable and comfortable, to a certain extend it’s better than most german cars of the same category.
You compare corolla with what German car?
VW year 1970 ar?
Nope. Compared to the current W205 and the previous W204. Believe me when I mentioned that the Corolla is more reliable than these two models.
albert there’s some loose wires inside your head or have you been really free behind your office desk, having time to crack up some jokes for the mass??
I used to drive Corolla Altis from 2002 – 2008.. Ownership was hassle and trouble free except for tear & wear stuff. As a matter of fact, all Toyota models are good.. Sometimes why they (Toyota) take such a long time to change is that they want to use tried & tested product on their car rather than jumping into new technology like VW (such as the dry type DSG)…
And in Malaysia, it’s UMW that shortchanged us by offering tin kosong to us without speccing the car properly and sell to us at high price…
i think E100 and E110 still holds a very special place in my heart. just think the look is rather timeless and classy, and they are really reliable.