Toyota’s most popular car, the Corolla, is reportedly set for its first comprehensive update since the current model launched in 2018.
The news comes via Toyota’s Australian arm. It’s confirmed to media that the Corolla, Yaris, Yaris Cross, C-HR, and Camry will all be inheriting updates in the second half of the year. It’s expected that these updates will also appear in New Zealand.
The current Corolla hybrid is motivated by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired to a hybrid system, producing a total power output of 90kW. Toyota Australia has confirmed that the updated Corolla hybrid will produce 98kW of power.
The Corolla will gain Toyota’s latest infotainment interface, a slew of USB-C charging ports, and Toyota Connected Services. The model’s also rumoured to be gaining a 10.5-inch touchscreen in some models, with speculation adding that an even larger 12.3-inch unit may be available.
The updated Corolla will also get a handful of “exterior styling tweaks”. New wheels and colours are expected. Japanese reports speculate the model could also borrow some styling changes from the GR Corolla, namely in the form of the go-faster variant’s headlights and taillights.
The Corolla’s updates come as the small car market gets a shot in the arm from the government’s Clean Car Discount scheme in April.
The first month of the scheme’s rebate system for hybrids triggered particularly strong registration figures for the likes of the Corolla, Suzuki Swift, and Honda Jazz; although it’s worth acknowledging that some of these figures stem from vehicles sold in March that had their registrations delayed to fit into the rebate period.
Full local pricing and specification for the updated Corolla, Yaris, Yaris Cross, C-HR, and Camry are expected to be confirmed by Toyota’s local arm closer to launch.
