Toyota has been selling the hatchback version of the Corolla in the UK as the Auris since 2007. Then, Toyota felt that its long-standing global name has become a bit dull for that important European market, and a new name would reinvigorate the family hatchback.
Fast forward 10 years and the Auris is in need of some change. That’s coming very soon in the shape of an all-new model, and it will be once again called the Toyota Corolla.
According to Autocar, the company hopes that the next-generation Corolla will turn around the falling sales of the Auris, which has the almighty Volkswagen Golf in its class, along with the Opel Astra, Peugeot 308 and Ford Focus. Toyota UK delivered 13,983 units in Jan-Nov 2017, compared with 16,528 units in 2016.
The current generation of the international Corolla has been around since 2013, and both sedan and five-door hatchback bodystyles of the upcoming full model change have been spotted testing. The UK mag says that a wagon replacement for today’s Auris Touring Sports is likely to be on the cards.
The report’s source adds that the new Corolla, which will sit on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, is likely to come with hybrid and regular petrol engines. The electrified option mentioned is an updated version of the 1.8L powertrain in the current Auris Hybrid, while the petrol is a 1.2 litre turbo unit.
It’s unlikely that there will be a diesel option for the new Corolla hatchback. Once the most popular choice in Europe, the continent has turned against oil burners for being NOx polluters, and Toyota UK hacked the Auris diesel at the end of 2017 having just sold 651 units all year.
The report adds that Toyota is also considering to discontinue the Avensis in the UK. Once again, it’s due to low sales – only 3,302 units of the Ford Mondeo-sized sedan – facelifted in 2015 – was sold from Jan-Nov 2017, down from 5,133 in 2016.
The Avensis issue is not just about it being old and/or dull, though – the Mondeo class has under attack from premium compact execs (BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class) and SUVs for some time now. This raises the possibility of Toyota bringing the Corolla sedan to the UK as well, to partly fill the boot-shaped gap left by the Avensis.
What’s in a name? Just over five decades of history and more than 40 million cars sold, in the Corolla’s case.
GALLERY: 2019 Toyota Corolla sedan spyshots
GALLERY: 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback spyshots
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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- Spy-Shots of Cars This image has been optimized for a calibrated screen with a Gamma of 2.2 and a colour temperature of 6500°K
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Toyota is still the best. Even in the UK it is so prestigious. So it is in Malaysia.
Mat Salleh regard Toyota same level as even BMW or Mercedes. I know cause I used to stay in UK for 20 years.
Used jepunis cars are hard to sell in UK. Europeans prefer conti cars much much much than sushi and never reach merc or bimmer level. Sad but true.
Sad but true. Becoz i used to own a persona in UK.
Bollocks i stayed in UK for 10years, Germany for 15, and Suisse for 5. Never had any of them got ur kinda delusions that any jepunis is on par with Big 3. Nearest one is only Infiniti and thats cuz its designed in EU
MY ready to go back retro Corolla, just like our colonial power.
Toyota should also introduce the Corolla sedan to the UK,as it’s very roomy and has a huge trunk.
Could make a good replacement for the Avensis.
Or even launch the all new Camry,as a flagship model…which is very Lexus like.