- A Bolder and More Exciting Design
- What We Expect for the Interior
- What We Expect for the Engine
- The GR Variant Will Keep the Manual
Toyota’s next-generation Corolla is expected to break cover in 2026, with a new hybrid-tech, a bolder design, and a much more fun GR variant.
In 2026, we expect the new Corolla to be seen in hatchback, sedan, and wagon body styles. It will be available with ICEs, plug-in hybrid, and turbocharged engines. Guess what! It might ditch its 3-cylinder engine for a bigger 4-cylinder that makes 400hp.
Remember how much exciting the 12th-gen Corolla was? It was such a reliable, light, sporty vehicle inspired by rally-racing. It was one my favorite car personally, the perfect hot hatch for daily-use, and enough saying that it’s a Toyota. You get the power and the fuel economical consumption at the same time.
A Bolder and More Exciting Design
Now that the current generation, which has been on sale since 2018, is coming to an end, it’s exciting to know that a new Corolla is coming in 2026. What we know so far that it has a similar front design to the all-new CH-R, Prius, and Camry, with the same boomerang-shaped LED design for the headlights. We expect a wider body and bolder lines, and the same glasshouse as the current car. Toyota might expand the wheelbase for a better rear legroom. Will it also have a LED strip in the middle between the rear lights? We still don’t know, but we might see it if the car resembles the CH-R on the rear as well.
Some sources refer that Toyota will stick with the three-body-style formula: a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback, and a station wagon (referred to as Touring). The availability will still depend on the market, too. Will we see a Wagon GR version of Corolla in the UAE? Unfortunately, some say that the GR variant of the wagon will only be available in Japan.
What We Expect for the Interior
We expect to see an interior familiar to the prius’, with a wide center screen, and it will indeed come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. We expect a standard smartphone charging, and an AI integrated to enhance the voice commands’ response and the navigation.
Among the upgrades, we might witness a panoramic glass roof, a wider rear trunk, and semi-autonomous driving system.
What We Expect for the Engine
The upcoming 1.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine will likely make 128hp. The turbocharged version will likely make 178hp, serving duty across both standard ICE variants and self-charging HEV lineup.
The GR Variant Will Keep the Manual
As for the GR Corolla, there are many rumors and theories about its engine variant. One theory points to an evolution of the current 1.6L turbocharged 3-cylinder, potentially tuned to deliver more power. Another rumor reports a turbocharged 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that will deliver 400hp for the street version, with race-spec versions pushing beyond 600hp, backed up by an AWD system.
What we know for sure that Toyota GR officials have made it clear that their sports cars will continue offering a manual transmission alongside automatics.
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