The Toyota Corolla made its debut in November 1966 in Japan as a 1-litre compact 5-seater sedan, and within two years, doubled its annual production from 480,000 to 1.1 million vehicles.
The introduction of the Toyota Corolla was a catalyst for mass car ownership in Japan, and the rest of Asia.
There was no looking back, and its sales grew from strength to strength over the past 55 years.
Today the Toyota Corolla celebrates a spectacular global sales milestone of 50 million cars. This milestone underscores the robust confidence and belief in the Corolla’s build quality, reliability, safety and durability.
Now in its 12th generation, it is Toyota’s most recognised model, and one of the world’s top-selling cars.
In 1966, Tatsuo Hasegawa, then Chief Engineer, was adamant that the Corolla must encompass features that bring happiness and well-being to people around the world.
Toyota has continued to hold fast to this philosophy over these last 55 years.
The Corolla then evolved through 12 generations from 1966, with each generation offering more advanced features than the previous.
Available in more than 150 countries around the world, the Corolla is regarded as a ‘well-loved member of the family’. It continues to serve faithfully and dependably for different purposes – from reliable family car; to covering long commute distances and as a fun, sporty choice customised to changing customer lifestyles.
About one out of every five Toyotas made was a Corolla. This model has evolved, and its various iterations the world over have exceeded expectations in terms of driving pleasure and performance, safety, aesthetics, technology, reliability and durability.
With each generation, Corolla engineers and designers at Toyota Motor Corporation have
strived to incorporate cutting edge features, like improving interior cabin ergonomics,
connectivity features.
This included the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) in the 12th generation in 2019 that has further optimised the performance and marketability of every model, and Toyota Safety Sense Toyota’s proprietary suite of advanced safety and driver assistance features like Lane Tracing Assist.
TOYOTA COROLLA IN ASIA
Hundreds of thousands of motorists in Asia have enjoyed and appreciated the Toyota Corolla from its early genesis. For many, the Corolla has been a centrepiece in the building of “treasured memories”.
A common sentiment from many Corolla owners, regardless of country or region, is that many choose to keep their Corolla, or replace it with another Corolla.
Hao Tien, Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Asia Pacific said: “We are absolutely delighted that we can celebrate this stunning sales milestone across Asia. The Corolla in many ways, mirror the growth story of Toyota around the world.
It has kept faithful to its heritage and ethos of bringing happiness to every person who drives one; it has also stayed nimble with the times, always keeping several steps ahead in terms of design, comfort, and technological features to ensure uncompromising safety, performance and reliability.
“I have been a Corolla owner myself. My wife and I drove one. Later, we bought another one for our daughter. We loved our Corollas, and we used them daily for work, weekends, and errands.
“On behalf of Toyota, we would like to thank and express our deep appreciation to all Toyota dealers and Corolla owners who have contributed to this global milestone. We are confident with your continued and enthusiastic support, Corolla will remain a well-loved and trusted model for decades to come.”
There are many stories of Corolla fans owning multiple generations of the model since its 1966 launch. One customer in Pakistan, where the Corolla has been hugely popular, has owned six generations of Corolla.
Die-hard fans in Singapore, where the model has been a perennial favourite since 1967, have formed their own clubs. In fact, the Corolla makes about a third of all Toyota sales between 2015 to 2020.
The 12th generation Corolla took top spot as Singapore’s favourite sedan in 2019, thanks
to its hybrid options, and cutting edge Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) feature.
The Corolla market in Malaysia has seen continued growth since it was first launched in 1968. Motorists in Malaysia have been consistently positive about this model since it was introduced.
More than 40,000 units of the 10th generation Corolla were sold between 2006 to 2013. In the Philippines, many Corolla owners have driven their fuel-efficient and very reliable cars
over long distances in the archipelago. One drives a vintage model, which was semi-restored as his wedding car!
