PERHAPS BECAUSE IT IS FACING TOUGHER competition, Toyota has updated its popular Corolla hatch and sedan ranges with a raft of upgrades, introducing Toyota Connected Services functionality, a new multimedia system and the latest-generation hybrid powertrain.
Arriving in local showrooms this month, the refreshed Corolla range is priced from $28,130 (plus on-road costs) for the petrol Ascent Sport as both hatch and sedan.
Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley said the latest upgrades would be welcomed by customers.
“With greater safety and convenience features and improved performance for hybrid models, the new Corolla range will give our customers greater peace of mind,” Mr Hanley said.
“Corolla has long been one of Australia’s most popular passenger cars and these upgrades are set to make it even more appealing,” he said.
With the introduction of the upgraded fifth-generation hybrid powertrain, performance has been further improved, with 13kW increase in peak power to maximum combined output of 103kW for hybrid variants.
The upgraded hybrid system teams a 1.8-litre petrol engine with a newly developed high-output motor generator, power control unit and downsized hybrid transaxle, offering improved performance.
The front axle-mounted drive motor has been enhanced by doubling the number of magnets per pole inside the rotor, while the newly developed lithium-ion battery reduces weight by 14 per cent while increasing both input and output power.
Hybrid grades drive the front wheels exclusively via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Corolla hatch and sedan are also available with the choice of the powerful and efficient 2.0-litre Toyota Dynamic Force inline four-cylinder engine producing 126kW/202Nm for the hatch and 126kW/203Nm for the sedan, that drives the front wheels via a CVT with 10-speed sequential shift mode.
The upgraded Corolla range ushers in a range of new safety features, starting with Toyota Connected Services to provide remote functionality and assistance in the event of an emergency.
For improved safety, Toyota Connected Services can provide assistance in the event of an emergency where the airbags are deployed or if a collision is detected, by automatically notifying an emergency call centre and allowing the driver to communicate with the operator.
The owner can also manually trigger a call to a call centre that can direct emergency service providers to the vehicle’s location if required via the roof-mounted SOS button, while Toyota Connected Services can also help authorities find the vehicle in the event it is stolen.
In combination with the myToyota Connect smartphone app on select models, owners are able to remotely check information about their Corolla, such as remaining fuel or driving range, whether the doors are locked, or whether the windows are up or down.
Owners can also remotely perform functions such as locking the car, starting the ignition and activating the horn or hazard lights.
The system can help find the car in a busy parking lot, and can even send notifications to the owner if the system detects certain abnormalities with the car’s performance.
An expanded Toyota Safety Sense active safety suite has seen multiple features introduced or upgraded, starting with the pre-collision safety system which adds motorcycle detection, intersection collision avoidance support for crossing vehicles and left/right turn, emergency steering assist, and acceleration suppression at low speeds, while improving a range of existing features.
Cameras and radar sensors have also been improved offering a wider range for detection of obstacles or vehicles.
Blind spot monitor has been added across the hatch range, while lane trace assist has been expanded to include the emergency driving stop system feature that has been designed to bring the vehicle to a gradual stop if it detects the driver is no longer making vehicle inputs.
The active cruise control system has also been enhanced and now offers four distance settings, the ability to detect other vehicles earlier, and the addition of deceleration assist when changing lanes.
Headlining the range of new features is Toyota’s latest generation multimedia system.
Featuring an 8.0-inch touchscreen display, it offers improved definition and usability with a new screen layout featuring a series of shortcut buttons on the driver’s side and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
DAB+ digital radio is now standard across the range, while a USB-C port has been added below the multimedia screen for improved convenience.
For Corolla hatch models, Ascent Sport now features a 7.0-inch multi-information display (MID) in the instrument cluster, while ZR variants gain a full 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
Ascent Sport sedan versions gain in-built satellite navigation in hybrid grades, and front sun visors with lamps and mirrors, while hatch versions add rear seat reminder.
Exterior changes include new 16-inch wheels for Ascent Sport and SX grades, and the adoption of a redesigned front grille for hatch and sedan variants.
Both hatch and sedan Ascent Sport variants are available with an optional Convenience Pack, which adds rear cross traffic alert and front/rear parking sensors for the hatch, and rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitor for sedan.
Stepping up to the SX adds rain sensing wipers and electrochromatic rearview mirror for both body styles, while the hatch further adds remote climate control pre-conditioning, and parking sensors front and rear.
As part of the upgrade, Toyota has also revised the colour palette, with Sunstone Orange and Lunar Blue replacing the existing Peacock Black and Eclectic Blue, and joining Glacier White, Frosted White, Silver Pearl, Graphite, Eclipse Black and Jasper Red on Hatch variants.
If customers opt for the flagship ZR Hatch, Frosted White, Graphite, Jasper Red, Silver Pearl and Lunar Blue can also be optioned with a two-tone black roof.
For Corolla sedan models, Dark Grey and Eclipse Black replace Ink and Lunar Blue, bringing the total number of options to eight along with Glacier White, Frosted White, Silver Pearl, Celestite Grey, Atomic Rush and Saturn Blue.
Hatch pricing
| Ascent Sport petrol | $28,130 |
| Ascent Sport hybrid | $30,630 |
| SX petrol | $31,280 |
| SX hybrid | $33,780 |
| ZR petrol | $35,120 |
| ZR hybrid | $37,620 |
Sedan pricing
| Ascent Sport petrol | $28,130 |
| Ascent Sport hybrid | $31,180 |
| SX petrol | $31,280 |
| SX hybrid | $33,780 |
| ZR petrol | $36,620 |
| ZR hybrid | $39,120 |
All plus on road costs
Options
Ascent Sport Convenience Pack $1000