Australia For Everyone

Carmakers don't get a good reputation just by showing up, they develop one over years by delivering either great or lousy products, treating customers right or like cattle and building cars people either want or ignore. Great word of mouth is a manufacturer's best asset, while a lousy rep is almost impossible to overcome. No manufacturer is better known for building stalwart, reliable cars than Toyota. And the car that built that reputation was the Corolla.

Just about everyone seems to have a Corolla in their past. Maybe it was the beater you drove through high school, never once changing the oil, cleaning the interior or asking the squirrels to move from their nest in the trunk. Perhaps it was the first new car you bought with just 60 easy payments, or the car your grandmother drove when she decided to simplify her life in retirement. Corollas have been practically ubiquitous and never terribly exciting. Except for the Land Cruiser, the Corolla name is the oldest in Toyota's current inventory of automotive products. And with over 30 million Corollas sold worldwide, it's the most popular car line in history. Note: some specifications listed below are unique to certain markets and may not relate to all models released in international markets.

First Generation - E10 (1966-1969)

Extreme simplicity was at the core of the first Corolla's engineering. Introduced during 1966 in Japan, the first Corolla came to the Australia in November 1966 riding on a 90-inch wheelbase, initially as a two-door coupe. It was the smallest car Toyota had sold in Australia up until that time. A 60-horsepower, 1.1-litre overhead valve four-cylinder mounted longitudinally in the engine bay sent power to a four-speed manual transmission and then to a solid rear axle. An automatic transmission wasn't yet on the options list.

The first Corolla's unibody structure had a strut front suspension and mounted the rear axle on a pair of leaf springs. There was nothing sophisticated about the first Corolla and it wasn't pretty, but it was so simple that there were almost no parts to break. Toyota, clearly aming teenage first car buyers in their sights, cleverly marketed the Corolla as the Alfa Romeo's kid brother (its rear end slightly resembles the back of the Alfa Romeo 105 series coupe, which was the 'in' sports car to own when the Corolla was first released in Australia). Toyota worked hard through the '60s to overcome the then common perception that Japanese products were shoddy. And cars such as the compact Corona did an effective job of making that point. The Corolla showed that even when Toyota built a smaller, cheaper car, quality didn't suffer.

Second Generation - E 20 (1970-1974)

As good a car as the first Corolla was, it was really too small and underpowered for most Aussies at the time. The second Corolla showed up for the 1970 model year with a wheelbase stretched to 91.9 inches and power coming from a new 1.2-litre version of the OHV four making 73 horsepower. The strut front and leaf spring rear suspension carried forward. Slight though the nearly two-inch wheelbase stretch may seem, and with minimal styling changes, the 1970 Corolla was a significantly more comfortable and confident machine than the '69 version, and an automatic transmission was now offered to widen its appeal. It quickly became the second best-selling car on the planet. The Corolla got even better during the 1971 model year as the engine grew to 1.6 liters and output expanded to 102 horsepower. The grille was redesigned for the 1972 model year, becoming fussier to no great aesthetic advantage. There were few changes for either 1973 or 1974.

Third Generation - E30, E40, E50 (1975-1978)

Rather bizarrely styled, the 1975 Corollas featured a raised centre section in the grille that carried back to more angular bodies. But then again, a lot of cars from the '70s were bizarrely styled. A total of five Corolla models was available for 1975. The price leader, a two-door sedan powered by a 1.2-litre engine, was joined by a four-door sedan, a two-door hardtop, a sport-oriented SR5 hardtop and a five-door station wagon  all powered by the 1.6-litre four. The standard transmission in all models, except the SR5, was a four-speed manual. A five-speed manual was again standard in the SR5 and optional in the other Corollas. A three-speed automatic was also available. Emissions standards were stiffening during the mid-'70s and a catalytic converter was included in the '75 Corolla for the first time.

A new three-door hatchback was added to the Corolla line for 1976. Called the "Liftback" by Toyota, it looked a bit like a sporty two-door station wagon instead of a traditional fastback or economy car. Also introduced for '76, and sharing its front-end styling with the Liftback, was a new Corolla Sport Coupe in both standard and SR5 configurations. The fastback styling of the Sport Coupe gave Toyota a sporty car to sell that was slightly less expensive than the larger Celica. Front-end styling of the sedans and wagons was modified for 1977 with a more conventional grille but these were never particularly attractive cars; they were overwrought in their details and undistinguished in their shapes. But they seemed to run forever. The third-generation Corolla played out its life virtually unchanged during the 1978 model year.

From the third generation, the Corolla was manufactured in Australia at AMI-Toyota's Port Melbourne production facility. It was a popular car on the Australian market and most bodystyles available elsewhere were utilized. All variants originally came with Toyota's 1166 cc 3K motor, which was replaced later by a 1.3L version. Due to the expenditure of manufacturing of the car in Australia, the production continued for several years after it was replaced by the next generation model everywhere else. A facelift was given to the range in late 1980, giving the car a new grille and rectangular headlamps, however it could not conceal the car's dated styling. Production continued until September 1981, when the already aged fourth-generation Corolla range replaced it.

Fourth Generation - E70 (1979-1983)

With a new chassis, the 1979 Corolla was a more sophisticated and satisfying car than any Corolla before it. But before this generation was through, it would get better still. The 1979 Corolla finally dispensed with the rugged but primitive leaf spring rear suspension in favor of a more compliant coil spring system (the station wagon continued to use the leaves). The new unibody above that suspension was larger, stronger and more attractive in a boxy, clean-cut sort of way. A new 75-horsepower, 1.8-litre version of the OHV four powered the new Corolla with four- and five-speed manual and three-speed automatic transmissions available. Particularly attractive during this generation was the SR5 in Sport Coupe, Hatchback and Liftback semiwagon configurations. With their effective use of detailing, they looked more expensive than they actually were. While the 1980 and 1981 Corolla lines carried over from 1979 intact, in 1982 the automatic transmission was upgraded to a four-speed unit - a rare level of sophistication for an economy car of the era. The big Corolla news for 1983 was a new 1.6-litre overhead cam engine that was both smoother and more powerful than the previous 1.8. But it was only a hint of what was to come next.

Fifth Generation - E80 (1984-1987)

Toyota finally succumbed to the emerging front-drive orthodoxy of the '80s with the introduction of the front-drive Corolla sedan for 1984. However, the SR5 Coupe and Liftback and the station wagon continued atop the previous-generation Corolla's rear-drive chassis. The front-drive Corolla was as conventional as it had been in a rear-driver layout. The same 1.6-litre, SOHC engine used in the rear-drive Corolla sat transversely in the front-driver's engine bay feeding either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The rear was held up on coil springs. A few early fifth-generation front-drive Corollas were powered by a four-cylinder diesel.

Midway through the 1984 model year, the rear-drive Corolla coupe and Liftback were offered with a new dual-overhead cam, 16-valve version of the 1.6-litre four rated at a robust 124 horsepower. The resulting Corolla GT-S is now a classic of sorts, a highly tossable, fun-to-drive vehicle that has attracted a cult following of "drifters" who slide their vehicles through corners as a motorsport form in Japan. This DOHC engine, along with the front-drive Corolla's five-speed transaxle, also served as the drivetrain in the midengine MR2.

Sixth Generation E 90 (1988-1991)

With the 1988 redesign, the rear-drive Corolla coupe and Liftback were replaced with a new front-drive coupe. While enthusiasts wept, the new Corolla coupe and Corolla GT-S were in fact significantly more refined and capable than the rear-drivers they replaced. They just weren't as much fun. More conservatively styled than the ultraboxy fifth-generation sedan, the sixth-generation Corolla offered a station wagon in either front-wheel drive or full-time All-Trac all-wheel drive (marketed as the Tercel in Australia). The sixth-generation Corolla was built using the same 95.6-inch wheelbase as the fifth, but it was almost an inch wider. A slightly different version of the Corolla body (sold as the Sprinter) with identical mechanical pieces would be built at the NUMMI plant and branded the Geo Prizm. Sedans, coupes and front-drive wagons rode on a fully independent strut suspension, while the All-Trac wagons retained a solid rear axle with coil springs.

All engines were DOHC, 16-valve inline four-cylinders  the sedans, front-drive wagon and SR5 coupe got a carbureted 90-hp motor; the All-Trac wagons got a fuel-injected 100-hp version and the GT-S won the day with a 115-hp EFI version. Transmission choices were familiar  a standard five-speed manual with the option of a three- or four-speed automatic, depending on the trim level. Thirteen-inch wheels were standard, though the GT-S got 14-inch wheels, as well as four-wheel disc brakes and a six-way adjustable driver seat with sport bolstering. Otherwise, equipment levels on the sixth-generation Corolla were a bit spartan by today's standards as most conveniences, like air conditioning, power steering, dual outside mirrors and a stereo, were optional.

Seventh Generation - E100 (1991-1996)

Significantly larger than the car it replaced (it rode on a 97.0-inch wheelbase), the 1993 Corolla sedan and wagon moved up a size classification from "subcompact" to "compact" according to the EPA. But there were no more Corolla coupes or all-wheel-drive wagons. Sedans were offered in standard, DX and LE trim, while a front-wheel-drive wagon was offered in DX trim only. All cars rode on a fully independent suspension, though DX and LE models benefited from an additional stabilizer bar in front.

Power for the basic Corolla sedan came from the same 1.6-litre engine used in the sixth-generation car, but a new 1.8-litre, DOHC, 16-valve four making 115 horsepower was offered in the ritzier models. In 1996, the front grille received a color-keyed frame and the taillight panels were revised with the DX getting a full-width treatment (the base sedan got gray cladding). Inside, the interior trim was revised. By the end of the 1997 model year, the Corolla had become the best-selling nameplate in automotive history, overtaking the VW Beetle.

Eighth Generation - E110 (1996-2002)

The Corolla grew again in its eighth iteration, but it managed to lose some weight and increase its fuel mileage thanks to a new engine and a generally more efficient drivetrain. The big chunk of that weight savings and drivetrain efficiency came in the form of an all-new, all-aluminum 1.8-litre DOHC four-cylinder engine rated at a healthy 120 horsepower -exactly twice what the engine in the first Corolla was rated back in 1968. Fuel economy was improved by 10 percent over the previous generation.

This range had different front and rear ends to the Japanese models, though the sides and interior remained mostly the same. It can be distinguished by the round headlights and mesh grille. As a result, a sporting model with a six-speed gearbox was offered. The European three door hatchback is the base for the Corolla World Rally Car (WRC). In Australia the Corolla liftback is called Seca. Grades for sedan and Seca are Ascent, Conquest, and Ultima. This generation received a facelift in 1999, featuring a different nose (the previous round headlights proved unpopular, so it was replaced with twin smaller headlights under a single cover (see photo).

Ninth Generation - E120 (2002 - 2007)

The Corolla sedan, wagon and 5-door hatchback (Seca) sold in Australia are sourced from Japan, while a few years ago, some hatchbacks were sourced from South Africa. Trim levels are Ascent, Ascent Sport, Conquest, and Ultima (Auto sedan only). The sporty Levin (hatchback and wagon) and high performance Sportivo was available in hatchback only and was built in South Africa. The Sportivo is powered by 2ZZ-GE engine and a six-speed manual gearbox (also used in the Celica) , while the other models have 1ZZ-FE. The Sportivo was discontinued in Australia from 2006 due to the prohibitive costs involved in modifying the engine to comply with Euro IV emissions. From May 2006 production, the Ascent and Ascent Sport models were upgraded with standard front power windows and passenger airbag, while the Conquest models had ABS brakes as standard fitment. The equipment upgrades only apply to the sedan and hatch models as the Corolla wagon ceased production in August 2006.

In 2004, the Corolla E120 received its first facelift. Changes include a new grille design, LED tail lights, different alloy wheels and minor interior updates (auto climate control became a standard feature in lower end variants). Two years later, to keep up with much newer competitors, the Corolla received its second facelift. Exterior changes include another redesigned grille, redesigned chrome rear license plate ornament and a new steering wheel audio switch.

Tenth Generation - E130, E140, E150 (2007 - 2013)

If any vehicle ever had the ability to knock the Holden Commodore off its long-running time at the top of the sales charts, it is this model Toyota Corolla. It was introduced to the Australian market on May 18, 2007. A re-working of the E120 body shape, it is available in both sedan and hatchback models, with more safety features and higher levels of luxury. The new 1.8-litre 2ZR-FE Dual VVT-i - with variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust camshafts - will be the only engine available for the Australian model, promising better fuel economy than before, it also regains its 100 kW power output. This figure decreased when the old model s 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine dropped to 93 kW of power and 161 nm of torque (from 171 nm) in late 2005 to meet the 2006 Euro IV emissions requirements.

A new 6-speed manual is the standard gearbox, bu the automatic was still a 4-speed despite speculation of a 5-speed like the new Honda Civic, a robotized 5-speed optional in the European Auris, or a CVT available in the Japanese model. The new Corolla was available in 4 trim levels for the hatch (Ascent, Conquest, Levin SX and Levin ZR) and 3 for the sedan (Ascent, Conquest and Ultima - auto only), with the Corolla wagon discontinued in Australia. The Levin ZR and Ultima grade features HID xenon headlamps, rain sensing wipers, smart entry and start system and automatic climate control. Safety equipment levels has also been improved with ABS brakes and dual airbags standard across the range, whilst side, curtain and a driver's knee airbag is optional on Ascent and Levin SX models and standard on Conquest, Levin ZR and Ultima models. Although the new hatch is badged Auris name in most world markets, the Corolla name was retained for the Australian market.

Eleventh Generation - E160 (2013 - )

The eleventh generation of the Corolla went on sale in Japan in May 2012. The ugliest of all the Corollas, the sedan is named the Corolla Axio while the wagon is called the Corolla Fielder. International markets continued on with the E140/E150 until at least 2013 when the E170 model arrived. The E170 is larger and substantially different from the Japanese E160, with a unique body and interior. Two basic front and rear styling treatments are fitted to the E170 a North American version that debuted first and a more conservative design for all other markets that debuted later in 2013.