All-new Toyota Corolla Sport hatchback unveiled

MANILA: After showcased at the New York Auto Show, the latest-gen Toyota Corolla hatch gets a right-hand-drive version in form of the new Toyota Corolla Sport. The hatch is initially made for the Japanese crowd and will soon be made available in the different markets of the world.

Built on the Toyota’s modular TNGA architecture, the new Corolla Sport benefits from the latest design theme followed by the company. The popular crossover from the stable of the Japanese automaker, the C-HR is also built following the same design philosophy. The range of features this hatch comes with is immense. It gets all-around LED lighting as standard.

Moreover, it gets Toyota’s data communication module as standard which connects the car to the servers 24x7. As a result, the real-time driving data can be fetched and analyzed by integrated connectivity services focused on safety, comfort, convenience, and security of the passengers. The feature is, however, limited to the model produced for the Japanese market.

What adds to its exclusivity is the inclusion of Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which is a full suite of safety features. Features constituting the same include the intelligent cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, Lane-Departure Warning, auto high beams, and the Lane Keep Assist.

There are two engine options on offer - a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol that produces 115.5 PS of max power and a petrol-hybrid powertrain that churns out a peak power of 121.6 PS. It is the same hybrid setup that powers the Toyota Prius. For now, the engine will be mated to a 10-step CVT system. A manual transmission system will be added at a later stage to low-spec variants. There will be a higher-spec Corolla Sport with all-wheel drive (AWD) on sale too. Interestingly, instead of the Toyota logo upfront, there will be a ‘C’ emblem embossed on the Japan-spec model.

Once launched, the new Corolla Sport will be squared up to the likes of the Honda Civic hatch and the Hyundai i30 in the global market. When the Toyota Corolla Sport will make it to our shores is still unknown. However, we’ll keep you posted on the same. So, stay tuned with us for the latest happenings in the automobile market.