Few people could have predicted that the Toyota Corolla, which debuted in 1966, would go on to become one of the most successful and iconic nameplates in history. It ascended quickly to the top, becoming the best-selling car in the world by 1974 and the best-selling marque by 1997, overtaking the Volkswagen Beetle.
Corollas have been sold in excess of 40 million units worldwide, and the brand is still considered as one of the best in the industry. To commemorate this achievement, we've put together a comprehensive history of the Toyota Corolla and its various iterations.
- First-Generation Corolla (1966)
- Second-Generation Corolla (1970)
- Third Generation Corolla (1974)
- Fourth-Generation Corolla (1979)
- Fifth-Generation Corolla (1983)
- Sixth-Generation Corolla (1987)
- Seventh-Generation Corolla (1991)
- Eighth-Generation Corolla (1995)
- Ninth-Generation Corolla (2000)
- Tenth Generation Corolla (2006)
- Eleventh-Generation Corolla (2012)
- Twelfth-Generation Corolla (2018)
1. First-Generation Corolla (1966)
Tasuo Hasegawa led the design team for the first-generation Corolla, which began in the second half of 1962. Hasegawa concluded that the new Corolla needed a different strategy based on his past experience working on the Toyopet Crown and supervising the development of the Publica. The Toyota Publica was designed to be a practical family car that was both inexpensive and affordable. Hasegawa and his design team had to simplify the car's specifications and features in order to do this, which resulted in a lukewarm response from Japanese purchasers. Part of the problem was that owning a car was a pipe dream for many people in Japan, and the country was swiftly changing. Japanese purchasers desired more than simply a utilitarian vehicle; they desired a vehicle that they could be proud of, something that was at least a little opulent.
After the Publica's failure, Toyota and Hasegawa realized that their existing components and technology couldn't meet the demands of today's automobile buyers. They chose to concentrate their efforts on developing a new idea with completely new suspension, body, and engine designs. The construction of this new car would necessitate a modern production facility, which was provided by the Takaoka Plant, which cost 30 billion yen. The initial goal for Hasegawa and his team was to build a car with a 44 horsepower 1.0-litre engine, which was a huge task for Toyota at the time. The Toyota design team recognized that using an overhead cam layout to generate a more powerful engine was a good idea, but they lacked the experience to do so in a cost-effective method. Instead, they opted for an overhead valve design with the camshaft positioned as high as possible within the cylinder block and a shorter push rod. This workaround produced results that were substantially comparable to Toyota's ideal overhead cam configuration. 1.0-litre engines were becoming more widespread in family cars as Toyota was developing this new engine. With this in mind, the engine was increased to 1.1 litres (1,077 cc) in order to preserve a sense of superiority over the competition.
However, some in the firm were concerned that the greater engine size would push the Corolla into a higher tax bracket, causing conflict within the corporation. The new engine size wasn't the only thing that sparked internal debate at Toyota. A handful of employees expressed reservations about the front suspension's MacPherson strut placement. The lightweight suspension setup had never been employed in a Japanese car before, and the design team had never created their own configuration. The disagreeing voices were proven true when the first prototypes of the Corolla were manufactured. Because of the severity of the problem, one prototype could barely travel 500 meters before the suspension broke.
Despite these setbacks, Hasegawa remained sure that the MacPherson setup was the best option for the new car. The configuration was perfected and ready to go two and a half years later after more refinements. The new Corolla had a more simpler semi-floating suspension design at the rear of the car, which was used to decrease the inherent squeaking noise created by leaf springs. Unlike many other Japanese automobiles of the time, the Corolla was built not only for the domestic market, but also for export. Toyota planned to utilize the Corolla to test the waters in new areas and see how it stacked up against the competitors from other countries.
Safety
With Toyota's goal to export the Corolla from the start, Hasegawa and his team had to design a car that was not just competitive in terms of specifications, but also safe (relative for the time). Because the safety standards in the United States were significantly greater than in Japan, Toyota added equipment like multi-point seat belts and recessed, pull-type exterior door handles to the Corolla during its production run.
2. Second-Generation Corolla (1970)
Despite the fact that the first-generation Corolla was a cut above the competition in the family car sector, Toyota quickly followed up with a second-generation model. They sought to keep ahead of the competition and capitalize on the Corolla's positive reputation and brand loyalty.
Following the success of the first-generation Corolla, it was decided that the second-generation model would have a larger body, more comfort, and a better driving experience. With Japan's rising economy in mind, Toyota designed the second-generation Corolla and chose to drastically increase manufacturing. With this boost in output, the total number of Corollas manufactured in 1970 would quickly reach one million, a huge accomplishment for the Japanese automaker.
The Second-Generation Corolla Launches
Only the 1.2-litre K-series engines from the previous generation car were available when the second-generation Corolla was introduced. However, Toyota would release the newly designed T-series engines shortly after debut, which was used to increase the Corolla's high-speed performance and bridge the gap to the next model up. The T-series engine was fundamentally similar to the K-series, but it included crossflow intakes and exhaust ports, as well as two rocker shafts, to boost performance. Hemispherical combustion chambers, which improved combustion efficiency, were another significant improvement.
3. Third Generation Corolla (1974)
The third-generation Corolla had a lot to live up to after the great success of the first and second-generation cars. Buyers demanded more, and competition in both the Japanese and international car markets was heating up.
Because Toyota saw that their competitors were catching up, no effort was spared in the creation of the third-generation vehicle. Not only would the car be more refined, comfortable, and safe, but it would also be more efficient and comply with stringent new emissions requirements that were becoming more common around the world.
Greater Safety
Toyota built the automobile with an impact-absorbing body structure with a crumple zone at both the front and back to improve safety over the second-gen model. The door thickness was also raised to provide better side impact safety, and three-point retractor seatbelts were standard on all models.
New Body Designs & an Up-To-Date Interior
Toyota provided sedan, estate, and coupe versions once more. A hardtop model was also offered, with a triple-stack of streamlined air vents at the rear three-quarter panel that set it apart from the sedan. Surprisingly, the Coupe was withdrawn nearly quickly after its debut, only to be revived later. The launch of a sporty Liftback model was one of Toyota's most thrilling additions to the line-up. While the Liftback was not particularly popular in Japan, it was a huge hit with international purchasers, prompting Toyota to dramatically increase production of the vehicle.
With each subsequent version, the inside became more streamlined and ergonomically comfortable. The majority of the controls and dials were moved to the center console, and the instrument panel was thickly padded. To make the Corolla even more comfortable, Toyota's engineers and designers focused heavily on minimizing noise and vibration levels. While the Toyota design team prioritized performance, comfort, and style, it was evident that safety was becoming increasingly important to both customers and governments throughout the world.
4. Fourth-Generation Corolla (1979)
By the end of the 1970s, the oil crisis that had harmed Corolla sales in Japan (and to a lesser extent elsewhere) had passed, and the economy had recovered. However, the post-oil-crisis car customer was more varied, and demand for fuel-efficient vehicles was increasing. Toyota decided to re-imagine the Corolla for the fourth-generation model with these new factors in mind. While the new model was still affordable, it was slightly more premium, with a greater focus on making the car more fuel efficient and cost effective to operate.
A New Engine for a New Car
Toyota had planned to use the 1.5-litre 1A-U engine from the Tercel in the fourth-generation Corolla. Agetsuma, however, made the controversial choice to switch to a different power unit six months before the car's launch. He thought the 1.5-liter 3A-U engine would be better suited to the new Corolla. The earliest testing of the engine, while still in development, looked promising. It outperformed and outperformed Toyota's other Corolla engine alternatives in terms of performance and efficiency, as well as being substantially lighter and easier to maintain.
However, there was a significant issue with the engine. During the design and development process, it was discovered that the heads cracked at an alarming rate. Agetsuma and his team worked feverishly to tackle the problem, introducing a slew of countermeasures just one month before full production began. At 5,600 rpm, the new 1.5-litre engine produced 79 horsepower and 115 Nm (85 lb ft) of torque.
Toyota offered two alternative four-cylinder engines at launch, in addition to the 3A-U: the 1.3-litre 4K-U and the range-topping 1.6-litre double overhead cam 2T-GEU engine carried over from the previous generation Corolla. Depending on the driving conditions and needs of each country, export markets received slightly varied engine options. Five months after its introduction, a 1.8-litre overhead valve 13T-U engine was added to the lineup, but it was phased out after two years when the 1.3 and 1.5-litre engines were modernized. Improved airflow was achieved with the new updated engines thanks to counter-flow features in the alloy cylinder head and exhaust manifold.
As a reaction to the growing demand for more fuel-efficient automobiles, Toyota introduced a diesel engine into the Corolla lineup for the first time in 1982. This 1.8-liter 1C diesel engine had alloy cylinder heads and a direct-drive valve operating system that didn't use rocker arms. While the car's output was lower than other versions (64 horsepower), it had excellent fuel economy and cold-weather start-up capabilities.
5. Fifth-Generation Corolla (1983)
It was time for a new Corolla by 1983. Toyota intended to appeal to a new, younger generation of purchasers, thus the Corolla was revamped to better meet their requirements and desires. They also offered a slew of new technology advancements and features, including the first front-wheel drivetrain on a Corolla model (although rear-wheel drive was still available on some models for greater driving experience). The Corolla would once again be a sales success thanks to the modifications and changes made to the vehicle. It quickly became Japan's best-selling vehicle and continued to lead the global market.
Toyota not only upgraded the engine lineup for the Corolla, but they also updated the transmission options. The automobile was once again available with a four- or five-speed manual transmission (depending on the model), but the automatic range saw the most improvements. Automatic transmissions were the popular option in Japan and many other export markets by this time. Toyota equipped front-wheel-drive Corollas with a three-speed automatic transmission, while higher-end vehicles (including coupe models with the 3A-U engine) received a four-speed automatic transmission. In February 1984, the three-speed automatic was replaced with a four-speed on all variants.
6. Sixth-Generation Corolla (1987)
Toyota wanted the Corolla to be more than just a family car when the sixth generation was introduced in 1987. The principal design engineer, Akihiko Saito, and his team concentrated on three main areas: performance, quality, and aesthetics.
To produce a design that would bring a new level of quality to the Corolla name, the design team created over 2,000 development proposals and collaborated with over 100 different part makers.
More Engine Option
When the fifth-generation Corolla was introduced, it had one of the most diverse engine lineups of any automobile on the market. The base-spec 1.3-litre 2E engine was succeeded by the brand new 1.5-litre 5A line of engines, which were available with either fuel injection or a carburettor. Only the van version of the Corolla was equipped with a 1.5-litre E3 engine. Toyota provided two 1.6-litre 4A engines, either naturally aspirated or with a supercharger, for customers who desired a little extra power and performance. The final engine choice was a reworked version of the fifth-generation car's 1.8-liter 1C powerplant.
To boost performance, four of the seven engine options used a double overhead cam and four-valve-per-cylinder design. For select engine options (1.5-litre units), a new mechanism known as High-Mecha Twin Cam was developed, which provided improved performance. Both camshafts are driven by a timing belt in normal DOHC engines. On High-Mecha Twin Cam engines, one camshaft is operated by a scissor gear and the other by a timing belt.
A 1.6-litre version of the High-Mecha engine was introduced in the second part of 1987. This engine option, however, was limited to four-wheel-drive vehicles. In May 1989, the final wave of engine changes was implemented, with all A-series engines being converted to fuel injection. To enhance sales in colder locations, a 2.0-litre 2C diesel engine was added to the four-wheel-drive lineup.
7. Seventh-Generation Corolla (1991)
The Corolla was unquestionably the world's most popular car by the time the seventh-generation model debuted in 1992, and it was on its way to breaking the record for the most sales of any nameplate. The seventh-generation Corolla was designed to build on the previous model's success. It was more polished, larger, faster, and safer than the previous model.
Because Akihiko Saito's sixth-generation Corolla was such a success, he was given command of the design team for a second time.
More Powerful and efficient
A rebuilt version of the 2E engine was launched to improve the Corolla's performance and fuel efficiency. The 4E-FE was a new 1.3-litre engine with a total of four valves per cylinder, fuel injection, and a DOHC arrangement. The prior generation 2E engine had only three valves per cylinder and carburettor fueling. Power was increased from 74 to 87 brake horsepower, and torque was improved to 111 Nm (82 lb ft) at 4,800 rpm with the modifications.
8. Eighth-Generation Corolla (1995)
