13th-gen Toyota Corolla: what we know about the new Corolla

Toyota Corolla is the best-selling model name in history: in July 2021, Toyota reported its 50 millionth Corolla sold. The current, twelfth generation has been on the market since 2018, so talk about a successor is no longer empty. Toyota has not yet shown a production 13th-generation Corolla, but in autumn 2025 it brought the Corolla Concept to the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo—and the press considers it a preview of the new model. We break down what Toyota itself said, what journalists are writing, and what will happen to the current Corolla. The photos in the article are renderings of what the production car might look like, not official images.

In short: what we know so far

• There is no production model yet. Officially, there is only the Corolla Concept shown at Japan Mobility Show 2025 (the exhibition ran from October 31 to November 9).
• The design changes dramatically: a low, wide sedan with sharp edges, full-width light bars front and rear, and a very steeply raked windshield.
• Powertrain—choose your pick. Toyota President Koji Sato named four options at once: a battery-electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid, a hybrid, and a conventional internal combustion engine.
• New engines have already been announced: in May 2024 Toyota introduced more compact 1.5 and 2.0 L engines for hybrids and alternative fuels.
• Timing is only media estimates: most often, a 2027 premiere is mentioned, with sales as a 2028 model year.

Corolla Concept: the official preview

At Toyota’s press conference at the Japan Mobility Show, Koji Sato explained the concept’s idea like this: “Regardless of its look or body type, it has always been a Corolla. That’s why Corolla has always been a car for everyone.” And he added the key point for the future buyer: “Whether it’s a battery-electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid, a hybrid, or a car with an internal combustion engine—whatever the energy source is, let’s make beautiful cars that everyone will want to drive.” In other words, Toyota is directly stating that the new Corolla will not be electric-only and will not abandon gasoline. No technical specifications, dimensions, or a production launch date were announced at the press conference.

Exterior

The concept develops the “hammerhead” styling familiar from the current Prius and Camry, but in its most aggressive form. Up front, slim LED headlamps are linked by a full-width light bar with a “pixel” pattern, and there is no classic large grille. The windshield is very steeply raked and flows into the roof; the front side windows dip below the mirrors, and on the rear doors this line is echoed by a diagonal cut. At the rear, there is a narrow lamp spanning the full width of the trunk lid with horizontal slats and an integrated spoiler. The wheel arches are widened and sharply creased; the wheels are large, on low-profile tires. The silhouette resembles a fastback: the roof stretches far back, and the tail narrows.

Interior

The concept’s interior is built around two separate screens: the driver looks at a display mounted on the steering column; the passenger has their own screen; and there is no familiar central touchscreen at all. The steering wheel is compact and three-spoke. Instead of a shifter, there is an illuminated “crystal” mode selector on a raised console; the floor is flat, without a tunnel. The passenger headrest is wide, with built-in speakers; the trim uses fabrics in brown-beige tones. As with any concept, some of these solutions are for the show stand—and whether they make it to production is unknown.

Engines, platform, and timing: what sources say

New 1.5 and 2.0 L engines

The most concrete thing Toyota has officially said about the “hardware” of future models concerns engines. On May 28, 2024, at a joint event with Subaru and Mazda, the company introduced new inline-four 1.5 and 2.0 L engines designed to work paired with electric motors. According to Toyota, the more compact engines will allow a lower hood line, improving design and aerodynamics and reducing fuel consumption, and the engines themselves are compatible with synthetic fuel, biofuel, and liquid hydrogen. It is exactly such a low hood that can be seen on the concept.

Publications link these engines to the new Corolla. According to paultan.org, the 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine develops about 70 kW and in a hybrid with an electric motor can deliver roughly 100 kW combined; the 2.0-liter turbo engine is intended for sporty versions. Kelley Blue Book writes that the new engines could be up to 20% more compact than the current ones. These are media reports, not Corolla specifications announced by Toyota.

EV and plug-in hybrid

If the concept goes into production in this form, Corolla will, for the first time in its history, get a fully electric version and a plug-in hybrid alongside the regular hybrid. Carscoops writes that the platform is being engineered so cabin space does not depend on the type of powertrain, and that versions with an internal combustion engine will require only functional modifications. According to the same information, a successor to the GR Corolla on the new base is “entirely possible,” while the fate of the hatchback is still unknown.

Leak: a production Corolla in a documentary film

In July 2026, Carscoops and CarBuzz drew attention to frames from a documentary series by Japan’s broadcaster NHK about Toyota: during an internal presentation, a blurred image can be seen on a screen that journalists believe is a production Corolla. Judging by the frames, the car is very close to the concept—a long, low sedan with a sharp nose, a diagonal beltline at the base of the side windows, and a roof that stretches far back, almost like a crossover’s. Toyota did not comment on these frames.

When to expect it

There is no official date. Estimates from outlets vary slightly:

Everyone agrees on one thing: the new Corolla will appear roughly ten years after the current one launched, and its look will be noticeably closer to the concept than is usually the case with Toyota.

What will happen to the current Corolla

While the new generation exists only as a concept and blurred frames, the twelfth Corolla continues to be sold in its current body. For owners, this means the car will stay current on the road for a few more years, and investing in it makes sense. The most practical for daily driving are window deflectors for Corolla 2019+, which let you ventilate the cabin in the rain, and EVA floor mats for the sedan, which hold dirt and water in winter. For those who want to bring the car’s look closer to the sharper style of the new Corolla, trunk-lid spoilers and chrome trim covers are a good fit. The full list is in the Toyota Corolla 2019+ tuning section.

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