{"id":131401,"date":"2018-11-16T01:59:16","date_gmt":"2018-11-16T06:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=131401"},"modified":"2019-06-25T13:34:43","modified_gmt":"2019-06-25T17:34:43","slug":"in-an-suv-market-toyota-intent-on-boosting-demand-for-all-new-2020-corolla","status":"publish","type":"reviews","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/reviews\/in-an-suv-market-toyota-intent-on-boosting-demand-for-all-new-2020-corolla\/","title":{"rendered":"In an SUV Market, Toyota Intent on Boosting Demand for All-New 2020 Corolla"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Brand boss Jack Hollis introduced the 12th-generation, 2020 Toyota Corolla.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It may be an SUV-crazed market, but Toyota is not going to cede ground in the compact sedan market without a fight, or so brand boss Jack Hollis declared during the unveiling of the all-new, 2020 Corolla Thursday night.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no surprise that Toyota is intent on proving its prowess with the new sedan. Over the past half century, Corolla has been one of the cars instrumental in building the Japanese automaker\u2019s reputation for quality, reliability and durability. But with other manufacturers, like Korea\u2019s Hyundai and Kia, breathing down its neck, Toyota will have to show it can deliver more than the classic, plain vanilla design, Corolla has also long been known for.<\/p>\n

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Product News!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It hinted at a more expressive direction earlier this year with the launch of a new, and decidedly more sporty , Corolla Hatchback. Now, the mainstay sedan gets a complete makeover. And it is not only more stylish, but boasts more power and lots more features, including the latest version of the Toyota Safety Sense package which now will be standard on all Corolla grades. Key competitors, such as Honda, have chosen not to package these advanced driver assistance systems on many of their base models.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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The new Corolla will be offered with two engine options initially, with a 1st-ever hybrid to follow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(Is Toyota next to start paring back its passenger car line-up? <\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> for more.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong>\u201cWe\u2019re investing in our sedans,\u201d said Jack Hollis, the head of the Toyota brand in the U.S. market, during a conversation with reporters after the webcast unveiling of the 2020 Corolla. And the automaker is confident that strategy will pay off. While the outgoing sedan\/hatchback combo suffered an 11.2% decline in sales for the first 10 months of the year, Hollis insisted that, with the new model, \u201cWe may see stable sales, maybe even pick up a little.\u201d<\/p>\n

That would be a significant feat in a market where sedans, on the whole, have lost more than 10 points of market share just since mid-decade.<\/p>\n

Like the rest of the Toyota sedan line-up, the 2020 Corolla undergoes a significant makeover, both inside and out. The sedan picks up some of the styling cues of the hatchback, notably the J-shaped headlamps. In a departure for the segment, all versions of the new Corolla will feature LED lamps, front and rear. The grille stays in line with the latest versions of the Camry and Avalon, with a wide-mouthed, honeycomb grille meant to give the car a more sporty and aggressive appearance. Overall, there\u2019s a bit more sculpting to the new Corolla.<\/p>\n

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A look at the new Corolla's IP.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The interior moves away from the cut-rate plastic feel that has been faulted by critics on the outgoing Corolla. There\u2019s a clear move up-market in terms of materials, with a more refined cabin layout that has the instrument cluster and an 8-inch touchscreen display rising above an otherwise horizontal dashboard layout.<\/p>\n

Along with an extensive array of safety features \u2013 which include forward collision warning with auto-braking and the ability to stay centered in one\u2019s lane, the new Corolla gets the latest version of Toyota\u2019s infotainment technology, dubbed Entune 3.0. The car can now give a driver access to Amazon\u2019s Alexa voice assistant. Curiously, though, while there\u2019s built-in Apple CarPlay, missing is Android Auto. A driver, meanwhile, will now be able to use an Apple smartwatch to remotely start the Corolla. And, optional, is a 9-speaker, 800-watt JBL sound system.<\/p>\n

Under the skin, the 2020 Toyota Corolla rides on the automaker\u2019s new Toyota New Generation Architecture, a platform shared with a wide range of products, including the latest version of the Prius, as well as the Camry.<\/p>\n

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The new Corolla will share its TNGA architecture with the Toyota Prius and other models.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the Corolla, it means a 106.3-inch wheelbase. That\u2019s slightly shorter than before, and the front and rear overhangs were trimmed by a combined 2 inches, as well. At a time when many motorists say they like the extra height of a utility vehicle, Corolla moves in the other direction, its height reduced 0.8 inches, while its hood also was dropped, in this case by 1.4 inches, improving forward visibility, Toyota notes. The car is a wee bit wider, the front track gaining 0.47 inches, the rear 0.87 inches.<\/p>\n

Toyota also notes that the new layout means the center of gravity drops more than a third of an inch which, goes the promise, will improve handling \u2013 never a Corolla strong point. We\u2019ll have to wait for the drive of the new model early in 2019 to see if that promise is delivered on.<\/p>\n

Performance is another area where the Corolla has traditionally gotten a middling grade. But Toyota hopes to impress with a choice of two engines \u2013 for now. That includes both the carryover 1.8-liter inline-four engine making 139 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque, as well as the 2.0-liter direct-injection four introduced on the Corolla Hatch. It punches that up to 169 hp and 151 lb-ft. Making as much as 40 mpg on the highway, the carryover package will have its appeal, but the 2.0-liter engine should gain a new following for Corolla.<\/p>\n

(Toyota earnings surge despite weak U.S. sales.\u00a0<\/em>Click Here<\/a>\u00a0for the breaking news.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The grille follows the Camry's cue, the headlights are lifted from the Corolla Hatchback.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As for transmissions, there\u2019s even a six-speed manual on the sporty Corolla SE \u2013 with rev-matching, no less \u2013 but most buyers will opt for the carryover CVT gearbox, Toyota is betting.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, for those who want even better mileage, Toyota is expected to provide details about a first-ever Corolla Hybrid when the new sedan gets its official, public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show late this month.<\/p>\n

Since the Corolla was first introduced in 1966, Toyota has sold more than 45 million of the compact sedans and hatchbacks, making it the best-selling model in automotive history. No wonder it is putting so much into the launch of the Corolla at a time when competitors are cutting back, even pulling out entirely from the passenger car market.<\/p>\n

Jim Lentz, Toyota\u2019s U.S. CEO, said earlier this month that the carmaker may also trim back some slow-selling models, many observers pointing to the subcompact Yaris or, perhaps, the smallest version of the Prius family, the Prius C. On Thursday, brand boss Hollis appeared to backpedal a bit, insisting nothing is imminent in terms of a cut in the Toyota line-up. But he clearly did not rule it out.<\/p>\n

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Headlights and taillights alike will be LED - and on all grades of the 2020 Toyota Corolla.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(It\u2019s official.\u00a0<\/em>Click Here<\/a>\u00a0to find out when and where the reborn Toyota Supra will debut.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong>That said, Toyota appears to be serious about building back up Corolla sales. It will continue to produce the nameplate at its Takaoka plant in Japan, as well as a factory in Mississippi. But it\u2019s also looking to add capacity at the new assembly plant it is setting up in Alabama in a partnership with Mazda. That will open in a couple years\u2019 time.<\/p>\n

Hollis admitted he doesn\u2019t know when the shift to SUVs will level out. Most analysts expect that trend to continue for at least a few more years. But, if Toyota\u2019s strategy works, it could be well-positioned for a rebound in passenger car sales.<\/p>\n

The plan will start being tested when the 2020 Toyota Corolla rolls into U.S. showrooms next March.<\/p>\n

(Joe Szczesny contributed to this report.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It may be an SUV-crazed market, but Toyota is betting back on the 12th-generation Corolla. The 2020 sedan, which debuted Thursday night, boasts a more stylish design, more power and lots more – standard – safety and convenience features, reports TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":131403,"menu_order":0,"template":"","tags":[],"category_reviews":[18,31],"make":[63,111],"post-state":[],"category_old":[149,150,151,123,319,299,156,238,154,316,271,132,283,125,161,137,139,148,291,206,278,288],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews\/131401"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reviews"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131401"},{"taxonomy":"category_reviews","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_reviews?post=131401"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=131401"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=131401"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=131401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}