New Corolla family additions: style, safety and efficiency

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019

All-new Corolla family additions offer style, safety and efficiency

Chapters two and three of the runaway bestseller, the Toyota Corolla, have been released in New Zealand this month in the form of a completely new sedan and station wagon.

The 12th generation Toyota Corolla has been introduced in three chapters – first came the all new hatchback in 2018, and now the sedan and station wagon. In addition, a hybrid SX variant has been added to the Corolla hatchback range.

All are based on a new Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, which brings together new approaches to engineering, design, assembly and materials.

TNGA imbues the Corolla sedan and wagon with crisp handling, yet also with the smooth and quiet ride present in the Corolla hatch. The platform has enabled the addition of a new 2.0 litre engine option for the sedan that produces more power than its predecessor yet delivers better fuel economy. The Corolla wagon’s engine has been upgraded from a 1.5 litre unit to a 1.8 litre giving it more power and torque.

Corolla sedan expands hybrid portfolio

For the first time, the Corolla sedan will be available in a hybrid version, the sixth hybrid currently offered by Toyota in New Zealand, joining the Corolla hatch, the Camry sedan, the three-member Prius family and the RAV4. With low rolling resistance tyres and an aerodynamic body, the new Corolla sedan hybrid offers class leading fuel consumption of just 3.5L per 100km and low CO2 emissions of only 81g/km.

Toyota New Zealand’s Chief Operating Officer Neeraj Lala said Toyota is the only automotive company capable of offering such a broad choice of hybrid vehicles. Toyota Motor Corporation has plans to offer a hybrid version of every popular model by 2025.

“We are focused on offering a hybrid option to a broad range of customers – whether they require a hatchback, sedan or SUV – who are looking for a vehicle with lower emissions and fewer trips to the petrol station,” he said.

“We are committed to adding more hybrids to our local line-up to support a low emissions economy,” said Lala. “Year to date we have reduced our CO2 emissions by 9.5%*.”

Sedan stands out with new styling and lower stance

Toyota shook up the medium sedan ranks with the new-generation Camry, and now the small sedan segment is in for a jolt with the 2020 Corolla sedan. From every angle, the new Corolla sedan transforms the model's style, driver engagement, comfort and refinement while bolstering its renowned value and reliability.

The new sedan has a sophisticated and dynamic exterior styling while its overall height was reduced by 25mm to give a more athletic stance. A lower mounted engine, accommodated by the TNGA platform, also allowed for a lower hood line for better forward visibility.

Corolla sedan may break tradition in the styling department, but it keeps to Toyota tradition when it comes to passenger room and comfort. The rear seat area retains excellent headroom, and legroom is also plentiful.

Available in New Zealand in the generously equipped SX grade only, the Corolla sedan has a completely redesigned interior with new ergonomically designed meters, newly developed fabric seats, single zone air conditioning, smart key entry and Qi wireless device charger.

Both the petrol and hybrid versions have an 8” touchscreen display with satellite navigation and SUNA traffic channel. The hybrid has a 7” colour multi-information display while the petrol version has a 4.2” display.

The sedan also has a 2018 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Powered up wagon with extra connectivity

Just as the new Corolla sedan features dynamic styling, the 2020 Corolla wagon has also been redesigned from front to rear to give the popular small wagon sharp lines with new treatment of the LED headlights and clearance lights.

The new Corolla wagon exterior is larger than its predecessor. The wagon is now 4,495mm long (an increase of 95mm), 1,745mm wide (up 50mm) and the wheelbase has increased 40mm to 2,640mm.

Driving the front wheels via a CVT only transmission, the 1.8 litre engine increases power 24kW to 104kW, and an additional 35Nm improves torque to 171Nm. The wagon has a combined fuel consumption of 6.8L/100km.

The interior of the 2020 Corolla wagon has also been completely redesigned with newly developed fabric seats, and smart key entry with push button start.

Due to production scheduling, the Corolla wagon is the first Toyota to arrive in New Zealand with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ which is accessed via a new 7” touchscreen.

Mr Lala said he was excited to now offer a Toyota model with the added connectivity of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

“Both these systems offer greater compatibility with your smartphone, so you can be connected wherever you are,” he said.

New SX hatch available with hybrid powertrain

In a move to meet customer demand for hybrid vehicles, Toyota New Zealand has added a new Corolla SX hybrid hatchback. All three Corolla hatchback grades – the GX, SX and ZR – are now available with either a 2.0L petrol or 1.8L petrol hybrid engine.

The new SX hybrid delivers a combined output of 90kW, with fuel consumption of just 4.2l/100km. Both the hybrid and petrol versions of the latest SX and ZR hatchbacks also have additional driver convenience and safety features.

The most significant upgrade to the SX and ZR hatches is to the parking and braking system. Called the Parking Support Brake, it is an advanced driving support system that complements the existing parking assistance features.

The system adds front and rear parking sensors, Intelligent Clearance Sonar and Rear Cross Traffic Auto Brake. At low speeds of up to 15km/h the system can automatically apply braking force when it detects possible contact with an object at the front or rear of the vehicle.

For driver convenience, rain-sensing front wipers have also been added to the SX and ZR hatchbacks. The ZR has also added an 8-way power adjustment to the driver’s seat.

Advanced Toyota Safety Sense technologies, standard in every Corolla, include Toyota’s latest pre-collision system with autonomous emergency braking, dynamic radar cruise control, lane tracing assist (sedan)/ lane departure alert (wagon), road sign assist, automatic high beam, seven airbags and a reversing camera.

Six colours available

All Corolla sedan and wagons are available in six colour options: Glacier White, Silver Pearl, Celestite Grey, Ink, Volcanic Red and Blue Crush. The SX Hybrid hatchback is available in Glacier White, Crystal Pearl, Silver Pearl, Eclipse, Peacock Black, Volcanic Red, Oxide Bronze and Eclectic Blue.

The Toyota Drive-away pricing includes all on road costs; WOF, registration, a full tank of fuel, the Toyota Care Service Advantage fixed price servicing package, floor mats, and the three years or 100,000 kms warranty.

The 2020 Toyota Corolla family range is priced at;

2.0 SX Sedan CVT                                                                                    $32,990
1.8 Hybrid SX Sedan E-CVT                                                                     $34,990
 
1.8 GX Wagon CVT                                                                                   $29,990
 
2.0 GX Hatch CVT                                                                                     $29,990
2.0 SX Hatch CVT                                                                                     $32,990
2.0 ZR Hatch CVT                                                                                     $37,990
1.8 Hybrid GX Hatch E-CVT                                                                     $32,490
1.8 Hybrid SX Hatch E-CVT                                                                      $34,990
1.8 Hybrid ZR Hatch E-CVT                                                                      $38,990

- Ends -

*This is across the range and is accurate as of 16th December 2019.

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