The eleventh generation Toyota Corolla has been launched in Japan. This all-new car is shorter, features lightweight materials and is being manufactured by a new TMC subsidiary.
TMC began selling the new model on 11 May through its traditional ‘Corolla’ national dealer network. There, the sedan is again marketed as the Corolla Axio, while the wagon bodystyle is the Corolla Fielder.
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There is as yet no news on the possibility of a direct replacement for the Auris. This model is expected to have its world premiere at the Paris motor show in September, while a replacement for North America’s Matrix, another five-door hatchback, should follow at the Los Angeles auto show.
As for engines, the Axio is available with 1.3- and 1.5-litre units, with the 1.5 standard in the Fielder. The wagon can also be ordered with a 1.8. The standard transmission is a CVT, with the optional manual gearbox a five-speeder. The 1.3-litre engine is a new design (1NR-FE), while the 1.5 (1NZ-FE) and 1.8 (2ZR-FAE) are updates of existing designs carried over from the old-shape Corolla.
The new cars are manufactured for the Japanese market at Central Motor Company’s Miyagi Plant in the Tohoku region. This facility began operations only last year. TMC says it has positioned this region as its third domestic production base alongside Chubu and Kyushu. Further, it will establish a new production subsidiary, Toyota Motor East Japan, on 1 July to serve as a specialist compact car manufacturer with the ability to perform all functions from vehicle planning and development to production.
In line with similar claims by its competitors, TMC says it has aimed to minimise weight in this new model, singling out the resin tailgate in the wagon as one example.
TMC will begin the global rollout of the eleventh generation Corolla in markets outside Japan in the coming months. As with the current car, production should eventually take place at plants in Japan, the US, Canada, China, Taiwan, England, Thailand, Turkey, India, Brazil and South Africa.
