Timeless icon: 50 years of the Toyota Corolla

WELL over the last five decades, the undisputed number one automotive manufacturer in the country has always had a nameplate that has become the definitive symbol of their brand.

It’s been, for the longest time, the benchmark for a good car’s reliability, quality, and practical desirability. The brand, of course, is Toyota, and the nameplate, the iconic Corolla.

Global automotive hit

The Toyota Corolla was first introduced in 1966 as a line of sub-compact and compact cars, with a name traditionally derived from their full-sized Toyota Crown sedan.

In only eight years after that, the Corolla managed to become the world’s best-selling car. It has even overtaken the Volkswagen Beetle as the world’s best-selling nameplate despite its much older history, with over 40 million units sold globally through its 11 generations, until 2013.

Though my first Corolla was actually a 1976 KE35 SR Coupe which I only got to acquire when I started working in the early ‘90s, Corollas have gotten my attention since the mid ‘80s.

The 1985 AE86 Corolla Levin was never released locally, but was the stuff of Japanese car enthusiasts’ fantasies of that era.  The fourth generati on E70 Corolla (“E” being the Corolla’s chassis designation code) in both sedan and “liftback” (yes, that’s what we called them then) versions flourished from the early to late ‘80s,and was a big “shift” towards a more significantly modern look and set of features.

It was a jump in design from the third generation’s smaller and rounded-out bodies.

Gen4, released as the “DX” models, started Toyota’s trend towards the square edged designs.

Though its Japanese (JDM) counterparts already had fuel injection as an option back then, it was only by the early ‘90s on the Corolla’s sixth generation that EFI was offered, on its top variant.

Staple sedan of the 90s

After the fifth generation, few of which made it to our shores, most would agree that the arrival of the E90 or generation six, was a veritable Corolla coup.

From the rounded, to square-edged, it was an amalgam of both that successfully transitioned very well into sleek.

My batch of Gen-X’ers could certainly attest to literally seeing Corollas in any direction of the road they would see.

My first brand new car purchase (made with the wife) was a 1992 Toyota Corolla XL equipped with a 12-valve 1.3-liter gas engine mated to a 4-speed manual transmission.

There was an XL-5 variant that featured a 5-speed MT, but it was just beyond our budget cap.

But oh, the Corolla 1.6 GL was the hottie. Its 16-valve 1.6-liter engine was a chunky bunch more powerful and efficient, with the addition of electronic fuel injection (EFI), which marked the turning point of the local automobiles’ transition to it from carburated engines.

Toyota’s strong wave continued on to its 7th generation of the Corolla, the E100, known fondly as the “Big Body” Corolla.

It wasn’t really significantly larger than its “small body” predecessor, but the updated take on its new rounded aerodynamic design made it appear so.

It was larger, heavier, and certainly moved up onto the compact class of sedans, which made it appeal more as your standard family car back then: hard-working, ample, reliable, and well, not very sexy.

Nevertheless, it sold quite well, especially since taxi companies fielded fleets and fleets of them.

By this generation, only the entry level variant was still carburated.

Altis, the 21st century Corolla

The 8th generation Corolla or the E110 was released in 1997 in three variants: the 1.3 XL and XE, and the 1.6GLi.

By the year 2000, it was given aesthetic updates, and perhaps to coincide with the arrival of the new millennium, was given the name Corolla Altis, equipped with a bigger 1.8-liter engine for its top variant.

The ninth generation E120, which carried over the Altis name from then on, received a facelift and a slightly longer body. It was produced until 2006.

Toyota’s own GenX, or the 10th generation of the Corolla (Altis), was to be the last release of the ageing body design that was constantly updated with minor changes.

Known as the E140, it was actually a wider version of the better equipped “Japan only” model known as the Axio.

The 10th-gen Corolla Altis received a new 3ZR-FE 2-liter engine though, for its top variant.

All of this batch’s variants were upgraded to having CVTs and Dual VVTi systems that provided for a slight increase in power.

Reinvigorated Corolla status

Long in the tooth, so to speak, the previous Corolla had to contend with the other carmakers’ bid for a better market share by releasing more compelling choices for the market with improved tech and performance features and more aggressive, adventurous design.

The consumers’ tastes have evolved as well, as they’re now willing to try something new, with somewhat bolder car-buying perspectives.

Toyota had to do something decisive, and it was the long-awaited introduction of an all-new Corolla Altis.

Finally the 2014 E170 was released.

Fresh from the totally new Toyota design theme debuted ahead by the RAV 4 then, the new Corolla Altis emerged as a sportier, sexier, and definitely younger version of its predecessor.

Despite the totally new look, the changes weren’t only limited to the sheet metal. It had a longer wheelbase, 100 mm longer than the previous model, offering better legroom and a more spacious cabin.

A 7-speed sequential CVT was offered as an option to a 6-speed MT, complemented by paddle shifters, and solid disc brakes on all four wheels for its 2.0-liter top-end variant, pointing to more performance-oriented come-ons.

Certainly adapted and attuned to a changing market that’s also getting younger and younger.

For a nameplate that’s become a household name for generations, and in most markets around the world, the Toyota Corolla Altis is definitely deserving of its iconic status.

By next year, it’s going to hit 50. Not the oldest by far, but at the direction it’s heading, it’s bound to stay an icon for good.