Johannesburg International Motor Show - The latest iteration of the world’s best-selling nameplate, and a firm South African favourite for decades, has touched down on African soil with the hope of impressing the family and fleet shoppers at Nasrec.
Toyota believes that the new one “adds the all-important element of excitement to the successful formula” but we’ll let you be the judge of that. It certainly has a more interesting exterior design than its predecessor.
Inside the Corolla also shows signs of progression. It shares its dashboard with the latest Auris and although it’s an improvement on what came before it, it’s still not quite in the Jetta’s league. It is more spacious, though, thanks to a 100mm-longer wheelbase and 15mm increase in width.
In fact, Toyota is claiming “class leading” rear legroom here.
The Corolla makes no radical strides on the mechanical front, although the proven rear torsion beam suspension has “come in for some fettling” and there is a brand new diesel engine on offer. Less powerful but more efficient than the previous oil-burner, the 1.4-litre turbodiesel pushes 66kW and 205Nm.
The two smallest petrol engines have been carried over from the previous range, these being the 73kW/128Nm 1.3 and 90kW/154Nm 1.6. At the top of the pile, the old two-litre makes way for a 103kW/173Nm 1.8-litre lump.
Prices will be announced when the new Corolla goes on sale here in early 2014.
PROUDER PRADO
Set for launch in November, the thoroughly facelifted Prado sports a bolder look, beefed-up specification and a suite of additional safety features.
As before, the engine menu includes a 120kW/400Nm three-litre turbodiesel and a 202kW/381Nm four-litre V6 petrol.
The cabin upgrade extends to new fabrics, switchgear and embellishments and improved second- and third-row seat designs.
The safety game has been raised with the fitment of trailer sway control and emergency brake signal. Furthermore, flagship VX models now gain blind spot monitoring and tyre inflation warning. More information will be made available upon launch next month.
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