The twelfth-generation Toyota Corolla sedan will be
making its debut later this year, according to Auto Esporte, following the
debut of the Corolla hatchback earlier this year. The front section of the
Corolla sedan will remain largely similar, if not identical to those of the
Corolla Hatchback and Corolla Touring Sports, while naturally, the key changes
will be aft of the B-pillars.
Turbocharging will reportedly not feature in the
Corolla sedan, meaning the 1.2 litre turbo petrol from the European-spec
Corolla Hatchback is omitted for the sedan. This leaves a ‘new generation’
naturally aspirated 2.0 litre unit, likely referring to the M20A-FKS 2.0 litre
Dynamic Force with 168 hp and 205 Nm, which will be paired with a CVT gearbox
for this application. The Direct-Shift CVT applies a launch gear, which gives a
direct gear drive to eliminate the unwanted sluggishness associated with CVTs
when setting off.
The Corolla sedan will be built on the Toyota New
Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, which features McPherson strut front
suspension and multi-link rear suspension in the Corolla Hatchback as well as
the C-HR. Inside, the Corolla sedan will almost certainly adopt the dashboard
architecture from the hatchback, with equipment levels likely to be similar as
well.
Specifications have yet to be confirmed, though the
Corolla sedan can be expected to draw from the hatchback’s Toyota Safety Sense
(TSS) 2.0 safety suite; this includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian
Detection (PCS w/PD), Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (Full-Speed
DRCC), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Departure Alert with Steering
Assist (LDA w/SA), Automatic High Beam (AHB), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA) and
Road Sign Assist (RSA).
Toyota aims to price the Corolla sedan in the same
ballpark as the hatchback, sources close to the automaker told the website. On
the manufacturing front, Toyota has been tipped to be expanding its facility in
Porto Feliz, Sao Paolo to include production of the new Corolla’s powertrain.
Porto Feliz will also be running three shifts for the full 24 hours in order to
accommodate production of the Yaris.
