Toyota Corolla. The world’s bestseller
Toyota Corolla is a ‘C’ class car from the Japanese automaker Toyota. It first appeared in 1966, and the Corolla entered the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling model in the world. Today Corolla is almost 55 years old and it has never changed its name, changing at the same time 12 generations, and more than 40 million Toyota Corolla cars have been sold worldwide.
The very first Corolla had back-wheel drive, longitudinal engine layout, and had distinctive feature - round headlights. And only starting in 1984, it received front-wheel drive, and then all-wheel drive versions appeared. Throughout its existence, Toyota Corolla has been produced in as many as six body solutions. There was sedan, coupe, station wagon, liftback, 3-door hatchback, and 5-door hatchback.
In 2020, the 12th generation Toyota Corolla, released in 2018, was available in the Israeli market in Sedan, Estate 5-doors, and Hatchback 5-doors, all in front-wheel drive design.
First generation
The first generation of Corolla came out in 1966 and was positioned as an unpretentious, practical, family car for a small price. The first Corolla was a small, only 3.85 m long, back-wheel drive two-door sedan. Then there was a modification with a four-door body, as well as a three-door station wagon. The car had a standard, at that time, back-wheel drive, independent front suspension with transverse springs, and a rear axle and, what is remarkable, it was supplied with an automatic transmission in addition to the manual transmission. Corolla 1 was produced until 1970 and was sold in Japan, USA, and Australia.
Second generation
The second generation of Corolla is often referred to as a restyling because the body has not changed. The second Corolla acquired more rounded body shapes and new engines. The car grew a little, and a five-door station wagon was added to the previous set of bodies. The second generation was divided into two models - Corolla and Sprinter, which differed in interior trim and body sheet metal material. Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno were presented as improved versions with a new version of the engine.
Third generation
The third generation Toyota Corolla came out in 1974 in a new body with an increased wheelbase. The body choice was a 2 or 4-door sedan and a 3 or 5-door station wagon, and an extended 3-door Corolla Liftback hatchback was also sold in the American market. The third Corolla was exported to Europe. And due to the fuel crisis and as a consequence of the increased interest in compact cars, it gained popularity in the United States, which significantly increased sales.
Fourth generation
The fourth generation Toyota Corolla, which was produced from 1979 to 1983, acquired simpler, even angular, body features, in order to improve safety, the design of the stiffeners was changed, while the length of the fourth Corolla for the first time conquered the 4-meter mark. The safety and reliability of the car did their job, success was not long in coming, and Toyota sold its millionth Corolla by 1983.
Fifth generation
The fifth generation Toyota Corolla, which was produced from 1983 to 1987, was built on a completely new platform, it was the fifth Corolla that became front-wheel drive. The station wagon body was replaced by a hatchback due to low demand. The production of the Corolla 5 was established in the USA, as a result, more than 3 million Corolla cars were sold there. Sports versions such as the Trueno/Levin, Corolla GT coupe, and Corolla GT-S appeared since the fifth generation.
Toyota Corolla has entered the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling model in the world. Now Corolla is almost 55 years old and it has never changed its name, changing at the same time 12 generations, and more than 40 million Toyota Corolla cars have been sold worldwide.
Sixth generation
The sixth generation Toyota Corolla, which was produced from 1987 to 1992, ceased to be called compact because its length at that time was already 4326 mm. The engineers supplemented the platform with all-wheel drive, finally getting rid of the back-wheel drive configurations. The station wagon body was returned to the sale. The sixth generation of Corolla finished its release at the level of 4.5 million units.
Seventh generation
The seventh generation Toyota Corolla, which was produced from 1991 to 1997, has increased in length again to 4369 mm, and the car has acquired new curves, following the fashion of smooth lines in the United States. The 7th generation of Toyota Corolla won the ADAC’s Most Reliable Car Award for the first time.
Eighth generation
The eighth generation Toyota Corolla, which was produced from 1997 to 2001, was restyled in 1999 and received only minor changes. But the eighth Corolla was revealed in a new incarnation for itself which is rally racing. The Toyota Corolla WRC coupe, built on the 3S-GTE turbo engine, took one award after another, including a prize-winning place at the Monte Carlo rally.
Ninth generation
The ninth generation Toyota Corolla, which was produced from 2000 to 2007 and was restyled in 2004, was built on the Vista platform. Options such as ABS, airbags, display, navigation, and climate control were added in the ninth Corolla. The powerful engines and sporty trim versions of the Corolla T-Sport have appeared. The design of the Corolla 9 was significantly different from the previous bodies because it was developed at the main design center in Brussels. The ninth generation of the Corolla was produced in 16 countries.
Tenth generation
The tenth generation Toyota Corolla, which was produced from 2006 to 2013, was restyled in 2010 and retained the same platform, but radically changed the design, which many buyers liked.
Eleventh generation
The eleventh generation Toyota Corolla, which was produced from 2012 to 2019, was restyled in 2016, and it is still on the market. The Corolla 11 has become longer and wider than its predecessor, and the drag coefficient has decreased to 0.28. The Eleventh Corolla is an elegant and practical car. The wheelbase of the new Corolla has increased to match that of the Toyota Avensis, which is a higher-end car. It allowed to achieve best-in-class levels of comfort for rear-row passengers. The interior has changed. The trim level has improved, a 6.1-inch multimedia touchscreen display and an automatic parking system have appeared.
Twelfth generation
The twelfth generation Toyota Corolla appeared at the very end of 2018. When creating the new Corolla, engineers set out to preserve the best and add something that will help win new fans of the model. Refined handling, higher-end interior, and premium options are added to the reliability, comfort, and modern design. This Toyota Corolla 2018/2019 model year is sold in the Israel market in 2020.
