Corolla Concept Promises a Radical Makeover for Toyota’s Plain Vanilla Sedan

Change, as they say, is in the works. A near-production-ready concept Corolla making its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show reveals a radical makeover is coming.

Affordable and reliable. For millions of Toyota Corolla buyers, that’s been the right formula, one generation after another. But in a market where sedans continue to lose momentum, Toyota appears ready to rethink that formula, adding “stylish” to the equation.

At least, that’s the conclusion one can’t avoid making after getting a look at the Corolla Concept making its debut at the Japan Mobility Show this week. While Toyota isn’t ready to reveal its plans yet, company officials did little to disguise the fact that this is a thinly disguised version of the next-generation compact sedan.

And what’s set to follow will get more than just a new look. Under the skin, the Corolla Concept — and production model to follow — migrates to an entirely new platform designed to accommodate Toyota’s “multi-pathway” powertrain strategy. While not all are expected to be available at launch, the 13th-generation Corolla will be offered with a variety of different options, from gas to hybrid, plug-in to all-electric.

What’s New

The Corolla Concept is the star of the show for Toyota, generating plenty of headlines from the journalists gathered at Tokyo’s Big Sight convention center — while members of the competition have rushed to the automaker’s stand to take notes.

Without the “Corolla” badge, even loyal Corolla fans might not know what they’re looking at. Where the current sedan, first rolled out in 2018, is square and stodgy, the concept model is sleek and sophisticated. One might be tempted to call it sexy.

“Corolla is a car for the majority, but that doesn’t mean they necessarily want the same answer” as before, Lance Scott, Toyota’s European head of design, said during a media background briefing.

Corolla Concept Design

Corolla Concept features an unusually low cowl, with a narrow lightbar floating above a solid front fascia, rather than the typical grille. Air ducts above the front bumper should be able to feed enough air, whatever the powertrain, one Toyota engineer explained.

The coupe-like roofline flows into an integrated ducktail-style spoiler, a narrow rear lightbar matching the one up front. Unlike some recent Toyota attempts to deliver a more aerodynamic design, the overall look is clean and cohesive, with no awkward angles or conflicting curves.

The sci-fi elements of the design carry over into the cabin, which Toyota officials suggest is larger than the current sedan in every dimension that matters. The two-tone steering wheel appears to float above the clean and uncomplicated instrument panel. The electronic shifter is backlit and mounted atop a pedestal-style center console. A widescreen digital display is positioned directly in the line of sight of the front passenger.

Multi-Pathway Platform

“The Corolla is a global car, so it has to meet different powertrain requirements in different regions,” Chief Engineer Toru Fukushima said at a media briefing. So, coming up with a flexible-enough platform means it is still a work in progress.

A rendering that briefly popped up on screen during one of several background sessions showed how the current layout could allow Toyota to fit the next Corolla with all manner of different drivetrain options.

Toyota is readying several new internal combustion engines that could be used for the next-gen Corolla, including a 1.5L gas model that will be offered in both naturally aspirated and turbo forms. There will also be a 2.0L option, depending upon the market.

In some markets, such as the U.S., there’s a good chance the automaker will solely offer electrified packages, whether conventional or plug-in hybrid, and perhaps a pure electric alternative.

Significantly, there’s a charging port on the right front fender of the concept model, and a slim, vertical display between the front passenger door and fender provides an easy way to check on a battery pack’s state of charge.

New Corolla Timing

Toyota has a history of bringing out all-new versions of its key product lines every 5 to 6 years. By that standard, the current Corolla is quite long in the tooth and due for a changeover. But company officials were not ready to discuss the timing for a replacement.

That’s likely for good reason considering the need to get things right. Since Corolla was introduced in 1966, the automaker claims it has sold more than 55 million vehicles. The reality is that demand has been on the decline — as is the case for virtually all sedans these days. But there are plenty of challenges that will have to be addressed, and not just the need to expand Corolla’s powertrain options.

Today’s Corolla is offered in a variety of configurations, including a hatchback, the sporty GR line, and a more crossover-like Corolla Cross. Whatever Toyota does with the sedan will then impact what it does with the rest of the family. And that means we could have a bit more of a wait before we see how close the final production model is to the concept on display in Tokyo. But to listen to what the Toyota team is saying, the 13th-generation Corolla won’t stray very far.