About Corolla
The Corolla is less a car than a global constant, like rain or tax season. Introduced in Japan in 1966, it has been sold in more than 150 countries and passed 50 million units years ago, making it the best-selling nameplate in automotive history. Generations of students, taxi drivers, nurses and retirees have owned one, often for decades, because the formula almost never changes: honest engineering, low running costs and the confidence that it will start tomorrow.
Over twelve generations the Corolla has worn sedan, hatchback, wagon, coupe and liftback bodies. Enthusiasts revere the rear-drive AE86 of the 1980s, the hero of Japanese drift culture; most owners simply remember the one that refused to die. The current generation rides on Toyota's TNGA architecture and offers a hybrid that delivers excellent fuel economy, while the GR Corolla, with a turbocharged three-cylinder, a manual gearbox and all-wheel drive, finally gave the badge a rally-bred hot hatch worthy of its fame.
The Corolla Cross crossover now carries much of the name's sales weight, and regional versions vary widely, from Pakistan and India to Brazil and Europe. Toyota has announced a next-generation hybrid engine family and new platforms, and a concept previewing the next Corolla points toward bolder styling and multiple powertrains. Rivals include the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda3 and Kia K4. Follow redesign news, recalls, regional launches, GR performance models and the long-running fight for compact-car supremacy.