To celebrate 50 years of great heritage, Toyota SA Motors have announced the new Corolla which amongst other minor upgrades boasts exterior front- and rear-end refreshments as well as enhanced interior modifications to give it a classier feel.
Changes include:
The small upper grille is flanked by new headlamp clusters, and there is a revised front bumper incorporating a lower grille. The design is further accentuated by the LEDs (Exclusive models).
The engine hood has also been raised and the bumper corners have been deeply sculpted to enhance the Corolla’s 3D effect.
To improve passive safety, both VSC and HAC have become standard on 1.6 models and above.
Rear styling has been enhanced through the adoption of LED tail lamp clusters (1.8-litre models) and a redesigned chrome garnish that further emphasises the vehicle’s width.
Inside, the instrument panel has been updated with a layered structure that hides joins, along with a redesigned climate control panel and circular air vents.
Audio Touch Screen/DVD increased from 6.1″ to 7″ (Prestige models).
Other upscale touches in the interior include a piano-black centre-cluster surround and chrome-plated ornamentation.
The engine line-up remains unchanged, featuring a choice of a 1.4 litre D-4D turbodiesel (66kW; 205Nm) and three petrol engines; a 1.3-litre Dual VVT-i unit (73kW; 128Nm), a 1.6-litre Dual VVT-i engine (90kW; 154Nm) and the 1.8-litre Dual VVT-i unit (103kW; 173Nm). All engines are fitted with six-speed manual transmissions.
Revised tuning of the CVT transmission delivers shifts that are quicker, crisper and smoother with better matching to engine speed. The CVT also helps generate suitable engine braking when downshifting, including deceleration control that activates the fuel-cut system and holds the pulley ratio to maintain revs and enable easier re-acceleration.
The front MacPherson strut and rear torsion-beam suspension systems adopt larger-diameter shock absorbers to enhance damping force for an improved balance between ride comfort and handling stability. Improved mounting rigidity for the upper body and suspension and an additional rear damper bush contribute to improved handling performance.
Other changes that reduce noise, vibration and harshness include beading on the front fender liner to reduce turbulence inside the wheel housing, a thicker inner silencer for the dash panel and a denser material for the floor insulation.
The new pricing for the range is as follows:
1.3 Esteem: R261 300
1.6 Esteem: R280 200
1.4 D Esteem: R294 400
1.3 Prestige: R281 300
1.4 D Prestige: R307 500
1.6 Prestige: R299 900
1.6 Prestige AT: R314 000
1.8 Prestige 313 500
1.8 Exclusive: R336 300
1.8 Exclusive AT 349 400
All models are covered by a 5-year/90 000km Service Plan and a 3-year/100 000km.
In related news, Volvo Car South Africa recently announced two new finance products geared at increasing the appeal of owning a new Volvo in South Africa.
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