Toyota Corolla marks its 60th anniversary with three special editions
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The Toyota Corolla turns 60, and the carmaker is marking the anniversary of its most successful nameplate with a special edition for Europe. The 60th Anniversary treatment will be offered on the hatchback, Touring Sports estate and sedan, but rather than introducing any major technical changes, Toyota has focused on styling and equipment.
Six decades and 57 million Corollas
The first Corolla went on sale in 1966. According to Toyota, the model is now produced at 12 locations and sold in around 150 countries and regions. The hatchback and Touring Sports are built in the UK, while the sedan is produced in Turkey.
The anniversary models do not receive a new powertrain or a heavily revised chassis. Instead, Toyota is celebrating the Corolla's 60th birthday with exclusive colours, new wheels, silver exterior accents and dedicated anniversary badging.
New Boreal Blue metallic is the signature colour for the hatchback and Touring Sports, paired with a Night Sky Black roof and pillars. Platinum White Pearl and Ash Grey metallic are also available.
The exterior is further distinguished by newly designed 17-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels combining matt and machined finishes. Toyota adds matt-silver detailing to the front bumper and side skirts, while the Touring Sports gets a matching accent on the lower rear bumper.
The sedan uses Lunar Sky Blue as its anniversary colour and gains an additional matt-silver trim strip along the lower edge of the boot lid. All three body styles feature 60th Anniversary badges, unique scuff plates and black textile floor mats.
Familiar hybrid technology
The European Corolla uses Toyota's fifth-generation full-hybrid system. Hatchback and Touring Sports buyers can choose between 1.8- and 2.0-litre powertrains.
The 1.8-litre system produces 103 kW, while the 2.0-litre version delivers 131 kW. The sedan is available only with the smaller powertrain. Toyota quotes outputs of 140 and 178 DIN hp respectively, equivalent to a rounded 103 and 131 kW.
This is one area where the Corolla differs from many of its European rivals. Depending on the market, the Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 308 and Opel Astra are offered with several levels of electrification, including plug-in hybrids, whereas Toyota continues to keep the full hybrid at the heart of the Corolla range. Its strengths are low fuel consumption in urban driving and the ability to run on electric power frequently around town.
At the same time, the growing share of battery-electric cars puts Toyota's strategy under increasing scrutiny. A full hybrid can keep both price and weight below those of a plug-in hybrid with a large battery or a fully electric car, but it cannot cover dozens of kilometres using only energy charged from the grid.
Digital instruments and a comprehensive driver-assistance package
Standard equipment on the anniversary editions includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and Toyota Smart Connect+ multimedia with a 10.5-inch touchscreen. The system supports cloud-based navigation and real-time traffic information.
Toyota's T-Mate package brings together the active driver-assistance systems. These include the Pre-Collision System with Intersection Collision Avoidance Support, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert, Lane Trace Assist, Emergency Steering Assist and Road Sign Assist. Some safety and multimedia functions can be updated over the air.
The anniversary edition underlines the Corolla's current role
The 60th Anniversary is neither a preview of the next generation nor a major technical leap. Instead, Toyota is using the milestone to highlight the Corolla's established strengths: mature hybrid technology, a broad choice of body styles, European production and an exceptionally strong nameplate.
Europe's C-segment has changed over the past decade as SUVs and crossovers have gained ground, but the Corolla remains one of the few models still offered simultaneously as a hatchback, estate and sedan. That gives Toyota an advantage among buyers who simply do not want an SUV.
Toyota opened European order books for the anniversary editions in August and plans to begin customer deliveries from late October. The company has not detailed pricing or availability for every country in its European press material, so the exact model line-up will depend on the local Toyota distributor.
