The New Crown
For decades, the Toyota Corolla has been one of the strongest pillars on which the Toyota empire leans. But everything comes to an end, including the career of the current Corolla, and so it’s high time to look ahead to what’s coming.
Toyota model names like Supra and Land Cruiser capture the imagination, but if there’s one Toyota that’s important, it’s the Corolla. The first-generation Corolla appeared in the mid-1960s, and in the decades that followed, the Corolla grew across various model lines and generations into a model that lives up to its name. Corolla is, after all, Latin for ‘little crown’. Whether you’re in North or South America, Europe, Asia, or Africa: the Corolla is indispensable. While earlier generations of the Toyota Corolla were replaced with a new one after only about five years, the twelfth generation Corolla (E210), as you find it in showrooms in the Netherlands, has been around for about eight years now. Toyota wants to extend the lifespan of its models to nine years, which means that, according to this new intention, the current model is also almost due for replacement. What’s coming will break with almost everything you know about the Corolla.
Heartbeat
In recent years, Toyota has pulled out all the stops to implement the credo of former CEO and current Chairman Akio Toyoda: ‘No more boring cars’. With the first generation C-HR, the brand embarked on a daring design path, and even the Corolla – long visually the conservative cornerstone of the automotive world – received a more appealing appearance when the current model was introduced in 2018. If a die-hard Toyota driver from around 2010 had been able to see the current Prius, the new RAV4, the C-HR, or C-HR+, his heart would surely have skipped a beat. In a period where design is becoming increasingly striking and Toyotas must last for at least nine years, futuristic design seems necessary to keep things sustainable. In October 2025, during the Japan Mobility Show, Toyota showcased a spectacular preview of the new Corolla, which we expect around 2027. Based on that visual feast, we instructed our digital draftsman to visualize what is coming.
Hammerhead 2.0
Toyota’s current design language will be expressed in an evolved form on the new Corolla. The ‘hammerhead’ nose found on current Toyota models is more integrated into the front, and the linear taillight design of both the Prius and the C-HR+ will likely manifest slightly differently on the new Corolla. Equally striking, of course, is the car’s basic shape. Based on the Corolla Concept, the Corolla Sedan promises not to be a traditional ‘three-box’ sedan. The separation between the tailgate and the rear window is much more fluid, giving the new Corolla an almost coupe-like silhouette. This will undoubtedly not be the end of it. We dare to look ahead to the Corolla Touring Sports, which is important for Europe. The station wagon, that is. It will also receive a striking new look. Furthermore, it is not inconceivable that the Corolla Hatchback will be discontinued. After all, Toyota has many high-riding alternatives with the Corolla Cross, C-HR, and C-HR+.
Diversity
In terms of EVs, Toyota has long taken a wait-and-see approach, and the new Corolla will not necessarily be a purely EV. Legislation and EV targets can vary by region, and interim changes are not uncommon. The solution to this uncertainty, Toyota seems to think, is diversity. The new Corolla will be based on a platform suitable for electric versions, but which can also accommodate hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Even a hydrogen-powered variant is in prospect.
You’ve noticed it already: for concrete information about the new Corolla, it’s still far too early. Will it really be such a wild child as depicted in these images? Who knows. Toyota has repeatedly proven in recent years that it dares to largely stick to boldly designed concept models. Here’s to the next sixty years of Corolla.