By Steve Laser
The Corolla is a tremendously important car for Toyota, with a lengthy history that stretches back some 59 years. Since its launch in Japan in 1966, global sales of the Corolla have exceeded an amazing 55 million units. So what will Toyota do to celebrate the model’s 60th anniversary?
With the debut of an all-new Corolla concept at the Japan Mobility Show this week (above), it looks like Toyota is planning to reinvent its superstar.
But first, here’s a quick flashback to the beginning:
1966 Tokyo Motor Show
The Corolla made headlines at Toyota’s display during the 13th Tokyo Motor Show at Harumi Fairgrounds (below). More than 1.5 million people visited the show, where Toyota exhibited the Corolla 1100 Deluxe along with other models.
“The Corolla is a five-passenger vehicle from Japan that is positioned as the ‘most accessible car’ in the market,” said Toyota in a news release on Oct. 20, 1966. “In the development of the Corolla, Toyota’s engineers have spent years bringing together the best of the company’s technologies to offer to the public.”
Over the years, multiple generations have included a variety of body styles, including the Corolla Sedan, Liftback, Wagon, Fielder, Corolla Cross, GR Corolla, and of course, Corolla Levin AE86 (aka Hachiroku). Toyota says Corolla is “Loved in more than 150 Countries and Regions.”
Japan Mobility Show 2025
Toyota introduced a new vehicle at the Japan Mobility Show called the COROLLA CONCEPT. Could this preview the styling direction for an all-new Corolla planned, perhaps, in time for the 60th anniversary next year? While launch timing and specifics regarding vehicle specs have not been released, it’s likely that the next Corolla will look something like the concept.
Toyota featured a new ad campaign ahead of the show’s opening, called “TO YOU”. It included an image of a futuristic vehicle, that turned out to be the Corolla Concept.
“The Corolla is symbolic of our ‘to you’ – in other words car making for a specific someone,” said Koji Sato (above), Toyota President and CEO. “In line with the times and people’s lives, the Corolla has always transformed for the ‘you’ right in front of it.”
“Regardless of its look or body type, it has always been the Corolla,” said Sato. “That’s why the Corolla has always been a ‘car for everyone.’ To say that, how should the Corolla evolve? Whether it’s a battery EV, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, or internal combustion engine vehicle – whatever the power source – let’s make good-looking cars that everyone will want to drive! This car is packed with inventions aimed at making that a reality.”
While the new Corolla Concept looks like a BEV, Toyota is likely to offer a variety of powertrains that could vary by region. That means the future Corolla platform could be flexible enough to accommodate a gas engine alone, a self-charging hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, or a pure BEV.
If the next Corolla looks similar to the concept, it will perhaps become the most dramatic change in the model’s 60-year history. And while it’s unknown exactly when the next generation Corolla will launch, a good guess is that they’re planning it to celebrate the model’s 60th anniversary.
The Japan Mobility Show replaced the long-running Tokyo Motor Show. General public days are scheduled for Nov. 1-9, at Tokyo Big Sight, in the Ariake district of Koto-ku.
Note: The Corolla displayed at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 is a concept vehicle and is not for sale.
News source and photos courtesy of Toyota Motor Corp.
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