AIMS: Toyota's new Corolla arrives in Oz
Edgy new Corolla hatch joins GAZOO Racing 86 and 70 Series ‘Cruiser on busy Sydney stageBilled as one of the most important cars of the Sydney show, the new Corolla hatch has been an unlikely show-stopper for Toyota.
The eleventh-generation Corolla will take the battle to Australia’s best-selling car, the Mazda3, and join sector newcomers including the Honda Civic, Nissan Pulsar and Volkswagen Golf in a local small-car model onslaught.
Corolla hatch replaces the current-gen model which was launched here back in 2007. The sedan version, however, is not due here until later next year (2013) and the wagon variant, sold in Europe, will not come at all. The Corolla hatch will be offered locally in four variants (Ascent, Ascent Sport, Levin SX and Levin ZR), with pricing to be announced at the Australian launch of the model this evening.
Lighter, stronger, quieter, more aerodynamic and more fuel efficient than ever before Corolla hatch is also safer, better equipped and better looking with a corporate-styled fascia Toyota says promotes agility and confidence.
All Corolla variants are powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that develops 3kW more than the out-going model to offer 103kW. Transmission choices extend to a six-speed manual or all-new CVT (automatic).
Joining the new Corolla hatch on the Toyota stage is the GAZOO Racing 86, the car that won its category in the recent Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race in Germany. The 86 will appear alongside a classic 2000GT coupe; a car Toyota says is the 86’s ‘spiritual ancestor’.
The Toyota stand also features a generous assortment of commercial and passenger vehicles. From smallest to largest, these include the recently revised Yaris, aforementioned Corolla, 86 sports coupe, the three-strong Prius family range (Prius c, Prius and Prius V), and the Australian built Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion range.
The SUV range sees RAV4, Kluger, FJ Cruiser, LandCruiser Prado and LandCruiser 200 Series on show, while commercial models include the recently released LandCruiser 70 Series Dual-Cab and top-selling HiLux light commercial utility.
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