In 1995, the eighth generation of Toyota Corolla rolled out with four different body types including, a three-door hatchback, five-door liftback, four-door saloon, and five-door estate. Toyota VVT technology is featured in the 1.6-litre engine coupled to the six-speed gearbox. Moreover, Toyota enhanced the comfort level by including the centre armrest in the rear seat.

Safety features such as an anti-lock braking system (ABS), three-point seatbelts, and twin airbags were added to the Corolla. An interesting fact about the eighth generation Corolla model was that its 3-door hatchback won the manufacturer’s championship in 1999. This win added to the brand’s popularity across the globe. 

The eighth-generation Corolla marked a new era for Toyota. They dropped the ‘world car’ approach of the previous generation models and decided to alter the design of the car for various different markets.

Japanese buyers could get their hands on the new car in 1995, but European and North American buyers would have to wait until 1997. European and North American models also received a distinct new appearance that was more rounded than their Japanese spec counterpart.

This ‘splitting’ of the Corolla range was mainly done to further improve sales of the model in both Japan and international markets.

Revised Engines

With the ever-increasing demand for more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly cars, Toyota decided to completely rework the Corolla’s engine lineup. The petrol engines were modified to provide flatter torque curves at low-to-medium engine speeds and the 1ZZ-FE engine was found in some non-Japanese Corollas for the first time.

The 1ZZ engine featured an aluminium engine block with aluminium cylinder heads, which made it quite a bit lighter than many of the other power units in the Corolla lineup (the A series with a cast iron engine block for example).

To improve fuel efficiency, drivability and power, Toyota gave the 2.0-litre diesel engine an electronically controlled injection pump This boosted power to 71 horsepower and 132 Nm (97 lb ft) of torque.

Optimised Body Structure & Body Styles for All

While the updates made to the Corolla’s engine range helped to improve fuel economy, one of the biggest areas of improvement was the 70kg lower weight of the eighth-gen car. This was achieved via extensive use of high-strength steel and computer analysis to optimise the body structure of the Corolla.

Once again Toyota offered a large variety of body styles for all buyers: four-door sedan, three-door hatchback, five-door liftback and a five-door estate. The liftback model was around 170mm longer than the hatchback, making it an excellent option for those wanting a bit more practicality at a reasonable price.

The European Corolla’s design was arguably the most radical of all the models, with all four body styles adopting a somewhat comical and happy front-end that gave the car a distinctive appearance. Toyota GB and their other European counterparts played a big role in the design of the European Corolla.

The style of the European Corolla was influenced by some of Toyota’s other models, most notably the Celica coupe and the RAV4.

While European and Japanese buyers could choose from a range of different body styles, North American customers were limited to sedan versions of the eighth-generation Corolla.

More for Your Money

Compared to the previous generation model, the new Corolla offered both more equipment and safety features such as three-point centre seatbelts, standard twin air bags and remote central locking on all models. Depending on the trim-level selected, the Corolla could come with an electric sunroof, air conditioning, a CD player and more.

Corolla G6 and G6R

European buyers had the option of purchasing a special edition version of the Corolla known as the G6. Pre-facelifted models were powered by a 1.3-litre 4E-FE or 1.6-litre 4A-FE engine, while those that came after the mid-cycle revision featured a 1.4-litre 4ZZ-FE or a 1.6-litre 3ZZ-FE engine.

The G6 Corolla was also given colour-matched bumpers, a unique close-ratio 6-speed C161/162 transmission, four-wheel disc brakes and 15-inch OZ racing Super Turismo rims (only available at selected dealers).

To celebrate their win of the 1999 World Rally Championship Manufacturers’ title, Toyota decided to introduce the G6R. This was based on the 1.6-litre pre-facelift G6 with a number of extras that included a lightweight aluminium bonnet/hood, a colour-matched bumpers and side skirts, unique 15-inch alloy wheels, red seat belts and special commemorative badges. Toyota only offered this model in the United Kingdom, Germany, Span and the Netherlands.

1999 – 2000 Mid-Cycle Facelift

Major updates for the eighth-generation Corolla came in 1999 for the 2000 model year, despite the car approaching the end of its production run. European Corollas were given a different bonnet, fenders, headlights, grills and front bumper that shifted the car’s appearance more inline with that o the Avensis.

Two new 16-valve petrol engines – a 1.4-litre and a 1.6-litre – were added to the range and featured Toyota’s much-loved Variable Valve Timing-intelligent (VVT-i) system. A reliable and robust 1.9-litre indirect injection diesel engine was also introduced to meet Europe’s new tougher emissions standards that came into force from October 1999.

Changes weren’t just limited to the exterior appearance and the power unit range. Toyota’s engineers also updated the body structure by adding extra floor cross members and liftback models were also fitted with a brace across the rear suspension.

On the inside, the new and improved Corolla featured an updated range of seat and trim materials. The dashboard housing was also updated to feature an integrated multi-function display that could be specified with satellite navigation (at the buyer’s expensive).

The Corolla Becomes the Best-Selling Nameplate of all Time

While the Corolla had already been the best-selling car for years, it wasn’t until June 1997 that it would become the best-selling nameplate of all time, surpassing that of the Volkswagen Beetle. Total sales for all the Corolla generations reached 23.5 million, with nine million of them being sold in Japan.

List of References

Rola, accessed 13 December 2023, https://www.rola.co.za/newsroom/86-the-toyota-corolla

Cars Blog,Car History:Toyota Corolla, accessed 13 December 2023, https://www.dubizzle.com/blog/cars/toyota-corolla-history

Autoweek:Here’s How Toyota Sold 50 Million Corollas In 55 Years, accessed 13 December 2023, https://www.autoweek.com/news/g37418790/how-toyota-sold-50-million-corollas/

Garage dreams: The complete history of Toyota Corolla, accessed 13 December 2023, https://garagedreams.net/history/the-complete-history-of-the-toyota-corollaEdit