2015 Geneva Motor Show: Toyota Corolla facelift details

Toyota has released more images and details of its updated best-seller

THE Toyota Corolla hatch will be given a facelift before the end of 2015 as it fends off a hot-selling Mazda 3 and facelift of the popular Hyundai i30. We already knew that the Corolla would be given minor styling tweaks, such as the front bumper, but these fresh images give us a proper look at the popular shopping trolley.

There’s clearly new front and rear bumpers that have been given a slightly chunkier look, with a larger Toyota badge festooned on the nose, with the intention of giving Corolla a more aggressive stance and stronger road presence.

While the doors, roofline and majority of the sheetmetal remains unchanged, inside is another story. While no images have yet been released, Wheels understands that the cabin has been simplified, for a more contemporary, uncluttered look, with changes to the materials for a more premium feel. There’s new upholstery as well as dash and trim coverings, while the redesigned air vents, door handles and gear-lever boot. Toyota is look for a more consistent look and feel to its cabin that at present, can’t match the VW Golf for perceptible quality.

There are also changes to the electric power steering for more feel, while suspension tweaks aim to improve body control as well as improve ride quality. There will be no changes to the Corolla hatch’s 1.8-litre engine, which will stay at 103kW/173Nm whether mated to the six-speed manual or the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

The Toyota Corolla hatch will be sourced from Japan, unlike the sedan which has unique styling and is built in Thailand. The sedan will not be given the same updates, as they are effectively on separate product cycles.

The updated Corolla will be on sale in Australia by the close of 2015 and is expected to remain at its $19,990 starting price.

2014-15 Toyota Corolla