With nearly 40 million units sold worldwide, Toyota has revealed the 11th generation best-selling Corolla. The new ToyotaCorollasedan comes with dramatically amplified elements of style, design, quality and craftsmanship.

The all-new 2014 Toyota Corolla was unveiled in two distinct guises on two continents. The Corolla sedan exhibiting European style was unveiled in Istanbul, Turkey, while another version, with a markedly different frontal design, debuted in Santa Monica, California. Both models retain styling cues from the Corolla Furia Concept which debuted earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show.

New Toyota Corolla Sedan is the best ever

The 2014 Toyota Corolla L, LE and S trim levels will be powered by a 4-cylinder, 1.8-litre engine producing 98kW, and depending on the trim level, various gearboxes will be available with a six-speed manual for the L and S models, a seven-speed CVTi-S for LE, LE Eco and S, and an obsolete four-speed automatic for the entry-level L model.

Expressive Exterior and Interior Design

The new design was implemented to satisfy customer needs to shape key elements of the product on a global scale. The four-door sedan features clean lines and balanced proportions that impact a more sophisticated and contemporary look.

The front styling is based on Toyota’s two key design pillars – a narrow elongated upper grille that extends into the scalpel-sharp headlamp clusters and the now characteristic trapezoidal lower grille. All versions of the new Toyota Corolla sedan will feature LED low beam headlamps with LED daytime running lights. Three wheel sizes will be offered in 15-inch, 16-inch and 17-inch diameters.

The elevated interior experience comes in the form of a new horizontal dashboard design that dominates the centre stack and looks both more modern and sophisticated than the outgoing model.

Other dramatically enhanced interior features include the rear seat which has been pushed back 2.95 inches, a thinner front seat back which adds more legroom for rear passengers, and a flatter rear floor because the exhaust pipe is routed beneath the vehicle. Two different gauge clusters will be offered; one for L, LE and ECO models, and one for S model.

Standard Equipment

Standard equipment for the new Toyota Corolla sedan includes eight airbags, Bluetooth hand-free phone and audio-streaming connectivity, and depending on the trim level equipment such as back-up monitor, power moonroof, touchscreen radio, smart key / push-button start, SofTex seats, apps accessible via the audio head unit, heated front seats, and navigation will be optional.

Toyota SA Motors’ Lettie Labuschagne, General Manager of Product Planning, confirmed that visually the European car is very similar to the model that will be launched in South Africa early in 2014.