The 12th Generation Corolla

The year 2020 began with all of the world's celebrations, but things swiftly changed. COVID-19, a pandemic that has wreaked havoc around the world, is the well-known word that is currently on everyone's lips.

It has not only claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, but it has also impacted practically every other corporate unit in some way, with the automotive industry at the top of the list.

We already had a troubled automotive industry in Pakistan due to inconsistencies in government policies, increased car prices, inflation, and a variety of other problems. COVID-19 was the cherry on top.

When it comes to automobiles like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, everyone is eager to learn more about them. Toyota's bread and butter is the Corolla, which sells in over 150 countries and accounts for 20% of the company's overall sales. Toyota claims that there are 16 Corolla production sites across the world, with over 46 million cars sold since the first generation.
 

We'll go through what we know so far regarding Corolla in this article. Our assumptions will be based on information obtained from a variety of sources, including the current Corolla model available in the ASEAN area.

FOOTMARK:

The 2020 Toyota Corolla is built on Toyota's new global platform, TNGA, or "Toyota New Global Architecture," GA-C for small automobiles. A variety of current-generation Toyota cars, including the Prius and the C-HR, are built on this modular platform.

The new Corolla is somewhat longer [10mm] and wider [5mm] than its predecessor. The new model has the same wheelbase as the 11th generation Corolla, but it is lower. The Corolla is 4,640mm long, 1,780mm wide, and has a 2,700mm wheelbase. Toyota claims that the new Corolla sports a broader front end.

The height of the Toyota Corolla varies between 1435mm and 1455mm, depending on the model. The standard petrol version of the Thai Corolla, which Pakistan usually adopts, is 1435mm tall, which is around 1.5′′ lower than the 11th generation Corolla.

When compared to foreign models, a Pakistani version of Corolla or even Civic always has a little higher ground clearance, which modifies the overall height, and we may expect the same with the new Corolla. For comparison, the Thai Corolla is 1435mm tall, whereas the 12th Gen Corolla is only 2mm taller than the PK Civic.

EXTERIOR:

For the Pakistan Domestic Model, we can expect the similar styling as in Thailand or other ASEAN countries. Despite the fact that the New Corolla is a global model, there are minor differences between models available in different areas, such as North American vs. European/ASEAN versions.

Aside from a little variation in the front fascia and a slightly altered rear view, the car is identical on the inside and out.

The design of the headlights in the front is a notable difference between the various Corolla models in the South Asian region. The projector headlamps are typical, however the headlight has a double or triple “J” DRL wrapped around the housing. For the PK version of the Corolla, we should expect triple "J" type headlights.

The availability of standard projector headlights in Pakistan will be a plus for Corolla. We can anticipate the top-of-the-line LED-equipped Toyota Grande, which is now available on the 11th generation.

In terms of the rest of the design, we can observe a new glass panel at the A-pillar where the side view mirrors are attached on the side profile. We'll notice new trapezoidal glass panels on the back door, rather than the triangle design seen on the previous Corolla sedan. Both the front and rear door window panels will improve sight and openness within the vehicle.

The lower margins of the front and rear doors are curved, giving the automobile a dynamic appearance. Side view mirrors with integrated turn signals have been redesigned. There are new LED taillights and bumpers on the back end as well.

The redesigned Corolla has a more beautiful trunk lid with connecting trim between the two tail lights. Overall, the exterior of the 12th generation Corolla is better than the previous version.

INTERIOR:

The new Corolla's interior features a novel design that matches the rest of Toyota's lineup. In terms of the interior, regardless of area, all models have the same interior design, but obviously with different options and amenities.

On the higher-end Corolla sedan, a 7-inch digital cluster is standard, and the driver can choose between analog and digital speedometer layouts.

On the 12th generation Pakistani Corolla, features like cruise control, power driver seat, sunroof, push-button start, power-retractable side view mirrors, and other convenience and comfort features will be available, but their availability will clearly vary on the trim level.

ENGINE:

In Pakistan, the 12th generation Corolla will have two engine options, unlike the 11th generation, which had three during its life cycle. The 1.3L engine was recently phased out of the Corolla to make way for the Yaris sedan.

The first is a 1.8L (2ZR-FAE) 4 Cylinder engine, which is the same as the previous Corolla. On the international introduction, Toyota stated that, while this engine is from the previous generation Corolla, it has been refined to increase and improve efficiency.

The same engine produces up to 138 horsepower in the 11th generation. The 1ZR-FE, a 1.6L engine that is also available in the 11th generation Corolla in some areas, including Pakistan, is the second conventional petrol engine available in Pakistan. This carryover engine is expected to produce 120 to 125 horsepower. In Thailand, a 1.8L 2ZR-FXE engine with 121hp is available as a third engine option.

A hybrid badge is also available for the Corolla. The heart and soul of the hybrid Corolla are identical to those of the Prius. In terms of technology, it's the same power plant that powers the current Prius 4th generation. It's too early to determine whether Toyota Indus will provide a hybrid version in Pakistan.

MECHANICAL :

Toyota claims that the car's broader and lower posture improves driving dynamics. The new platform gives Corolla a quiet and comfortable ride with reduced road noise. As we described earlier in this post, the automobiles available locally in Pakistan usually have a high ground clearance.

The Honda Civic has long been chastised in Pakistan for being excessively low, despite the fact that the 10th generation Civic in Pakistan has a height of roughly 23 mm, which is greater than the international model. When the 12th generation Corolla is introduced in Pakistan, it will have a lower ground clearance due to the redesigned design. Changing these dimensions has the potential to alter driving characteristics, and we'll have to see if this is the case with the PKDM Corolla.

The suspension mechanism on the Corolla received a lot of flak. Toyota ditched the traditional torsion beam back suspension in favor of a totally rebuilt and upgraded MacPherson strut front suspension. The new Corolla is equipped with a completely new multi-link rear suspension with stabilizing bars, according to Toyota.

It also included newly engineered shock absorbers to improve handling, stability, and ride comfort by providing greater and optimum damping force. For the future Pakistani Corolla, we might expect the similar suspension system. We'll have to wait and watch how Toyota Indus handles the suspension system for the locally built Corolla. I expect the same setup as before, but with more ground clearance.
For the 12th generation, power-assisted rack-and-pinion Electric Power Steering (EPS) will be standard on all Corollas, regardless of trim level. On the top version, 16-inch alloy wheels are expected, while 15-inch alloy wheels are expected on the cheaper variants. Thai Corollas come with 17-inch wheels as well, and I'm hoping to see them on the top model, which will replace the Altis Grande.

The same CVT hardware will be employed as in the 11th generation Corolla for transmission, but a software upgrade for better shift points is expected. Although there is no confirmation, I believe the 1.8L will only be available with the CVT.

SAFETY: 
When it comes to this matter, the Pakistani version constantly falls short of international models in terms of features. In the instance of the recently introduced Yaris sedan, Toyota is offering better basic safety features, which provides us some insight. We anticipate that the 12th generation Toyota Corolla will come standard with Vehicle Stability Control across the board.

ABS, Hill-start aid, traction control, EBD, and other safety features will all be standard. In terms of airbags, it's too early to say, but frontal two airbags will undoubtedly be present, and I hope to see side/curtain airbags as well for the Corolla in Pakistan, though my hopes may not be realized.

Although active safety features such as lane departure, blind-spot monitoring, tire pressure monitoring system, parking sensors, and rear traffic alert system are now available on top-of-the-line Toyota Corolla models in Thailand, availability of these features in Pakistani Corollas is unlikely, but we can hope.