- Toyota is expected to launch a new Corolla with major upgrades.
- Unofficial renderings preview a sedan with softened concept cues.
- Compact model will offer hybrid and fully electric powertrain choices.
The Toyota Corolla, the best-selling nameplate in automotive history, is gearing up for a major evolution for its 13th generation. This next iteration of the compact is expected to merge a more futuristic design with a broad range of powertrain options, including hybrid and, for the first time, fully electric. If all goes according to plan, this will be the most ambitious overhaul in the model’s six-decade run.
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Toyota offered a taste of that future with the radical concept unveiled at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. While visually striking, the concept’s design leaned heavily into the avant-garde, raising doubts about how much of it would survive into production.
Is This What It’ll Really Look Like?
In response, digital artist Theophilus Chin stepped in with speculative renderings that balance the bold with the believable. His vision softens the extremes, wrapping forward-thinking design in a more grounded four-door sedan shape.
Theottle
The illustrations are actually based on the Lexus IS, implementing elements from the Toyota Crown Sedan before adding the signature styling features of the Corolla concept.
At the front, the design retains the hammerhead-style headlights introduced on the concept, now joined by additional daytime running lights integrated into the bumper. Below that sits a slim air intake, nestled under a full-width LED bar.
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According to Toyota’s own designers, combustion-powered variants would require certain functional tweaks. This likely explains some of the more pragmatic adjustments in Chin’s version.
In line with that approach, several of the concept’s more dramatic features have been reined in. The low-slung hood and ultra-modern glasshouse have been scaled back to better suit a road-going car. Wheel sizes are more modest, and the flush door handles have given way to conventional ones. Even so, the side profile keeps its complexity, with angular character lines.
The biggest change is at the rear, where the concept’s futuristic tail has been swapped for a more conventional sedan layout, likely to align with mainstream Corolla tastes. Even so, the clean roofline, slim full-width LED taillights, subtle spoiler, and sharp surface work give it a more contemporary look than the current generation of the sedan
Did The Concept Take It Too Far?
Toyota Corolla Concept
The original concept was developed by Toyota’s European design center in France, signalling a radical shift for the popular nameplate. However, while the prospect of big changes sounds exciting, history suggests automakers tend to proceed cautiously with high-volume, globally popular models.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Toyota tempers the wildest aspects of the concept for the production version. Still, there’s always the chance they’ll take a bigger leap than expected.
What remains unknown is whether the new generation will follow the current model’s multi-body format. At present, the Corolla is sold globally as a sedan, hatchback, and estate, offering broad appeal across markets and use cases.
Toyota Corolla Concept
Besides the futuristic exterior, the concept came with a completely reimagined interior combining the latest technology with more premium materials and added space. Toyota’s messaging suggests they’re looking to elevate the segment, but production models are likely to tone things down for cost, practicality, and manufacturing scale.
Under The Skin
Toyota has not yet released technical specifications for the next-generation Corolla, but it did confirm the model will continue under its “multi-pathway” strategy, supporting multiple types of propulsion.
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The lineup will offer both hybrid and fully electric powertrains to suit a wide range of global markets. Likely options for the hybrid system include new 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engines currently in development, aimed at delivering more power with improved efficiency.
Designers have also stated that interior space will remain consistent across all variants, regardless of the drivetrain.
Given the driver-oriented nature of the current TNGA platform and Toyota’s steady evolution in chassis tuning, the next Corolla could offer a more rewarding experience behind the wheel. Comfort and usability remain priorities, but added sharpness wouldn’t come as a surprise.
A performance version from Gazoo Racing is also a strong possibility, serving as a spiritual successor to the rally-ready GR Corolla.
When Are We Going To See It?
The current 12th-generation Toyota Corolla debuted in 2018, with a mild mid-cycle update arriving in 2022. That timeline suggests the next generation could appear in 2026 or 2027, though Toyota has not yet confirmed a launch date.