Toyota Corolla to return in 2019

The third-generation Toyota Auris will bear the Corolla name when it goes on sale in early 2019 for an expected £21,000. 

Toyota hasn’t made it clear why it has decided to bring the Corolla back, but from 2019 the Auris nameplate will be dropped globally. This means the next-gen Auris, which was launched at the Geneva Motor Show, will be rebranded as Corolla.

“There is no better moment than the launch of the upcoming new generation model to reintroduce the Corolla name to our C-segment hatchback and wagon,” said Dr Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe.

The new Corolla will take the Auris' place on the UK production line at the Burnaston plant in Derbyshire, and be built on the same mechanical platform as the Prius and C-HR. The engine line-up will start with the 100PS 1.2 petrol and feature the all-new 2.0 petrol hybrid with 177PS. Diesel engines have been dropped entirely from the model range, but the 120PS 1.8-litre petrol hybrid from the outgoing Auris will be offered. 

Toyota is promising sharper driving dynamics and better comfort with the 2019 Corolla, with a stiffer set-up and new multi-link suspension. The 2.0-litre hybrid will debut Toyota’s latest CVT gearbox and feature a launch gear to improve refinement and economy at low-speeds.

There are no official details on fuel economy or pricing; however, the Corolla is expected to mirror the £21,000 entry price point of the Auris. The new Corolla Touring Sports wagon will have its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show on 2 October, appearing alongside the new hatchback.