Toyota’s US unit has announced full details of the 2019 Corolla hatchback as more of the 12th generation car sold globally is gradually revealed market by market.
In contrast to Europe, where the model is known as Auris, the hatch is outsold in North America by the sedan but that body style won’t reach showrooms until next year. A joint venture assembly plant with Mazda opens close to Toyota’s existing engine plant in Huntsville, Alabama, in 2021 supplementing Corolla output from Blue Springs, Mississippi. Current Canadian Corolla production will gradually be replaced by more RAV4 SUVs after the US JV plant opens.
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The US market hatchback, now built on Toyota New Generation Architecture (TGNA) with sport tuned suspension, has the recently announced, new two litre, I4 petrol engine, six-speed iMT manual transmission or Dynamic-Shift CVT with geared start-off ratio and standard Entune 3.0 audio with eight inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi Connect, Amazon Alexa, and Apple CarPlay compatibility. It will also launch standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 in North America when sales start next summer.
The hatch will be offered with either SE or XSE trim levels (grades in US-speak) and all versions will have LED headlamps and taillights, chrome rear diffuser, and alloy wheels while XSE adds 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, chrome front grille surround plus the option (only with CVT automatic transmission) of Adaptive Front Lighting System which delivers focused distribution of light in an area that matches the vehicle’s speed and steering angle. The Bi-Beam LED units move vertically and horizontally to provide optimal light output by analysing steering angle, vehicle speed, and the vehicle’s longitudinal axes angle to adjust the lamps.
All models have the currently fashionable tablet-hooked-onto-the-dashboard multimedia touchscreen, eight inch size in this case, controlling vehicle settings, audio controls, navigation, smartphone, and Entune apps. Climate controls are “digitalised” and below.
A Qi wireless device charging is now available.
The US models offer silver interior accents with Piano Black and optional contrasting stitching for “a premium look and feel”.
SE has single-zone automatic climate control, leather shift knob, CVT paddle shifters, electronic parking brake, three door SmartKey system, automatic power windows and two front USB outlets as standard. XSE adds dual zone climate control, combination leather/fabric seating, heated front seats and eight way power driver’s seat. There are other trim enhancements, multifunction steering wheel and a seven inch TFT Multi-Information Display (MID) in the instrument cluster showing vehicle information, navigation, and various vehicle settings.
Driver aids
Second generation Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning, Brake Assist and Automatic Emergency Braking while Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is standard on all CVT models with a less automated system comes with manual transmission.
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By GlobalDataLane Departure Alert with Steering Assist now can detect the road’s edge in addition to its earlier ability to detect visible lane markers and the vehicle’s position in the lane. Automatic High Beam automatically activates and deactivate high beams and new Lane Tracing Assist, for highways and freeways, can recognise white or yellow lane markings or the path of a preceding vehicle if lane markers are temporarily not available and use steering assist to keep the car centred in its lane. Road Sign Assist is also new.
The US Corolla Hatchback has seven standard airbags and the Star Safety System, which includes Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Brake Assist, Anti lock Braking System, and Smart Stop Technology. Blind Spot Monitor is standard on XSE and optional on SE but does not include Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
A backup camera is also standard – all vehicles built from May 2018 for sale in the US and Canada must have these by law.
