With competition in the world of motoring becoming ever more fierce, Toyota needed something special that would bring their model range into the 21st century. The Corolla now accounted for 20% of Toyota’s entire annual sales worldwide, so it was vitally important that they get the design right.
This monumental task was given to chief engineer Takeshi Yoshida and work on the ninth-generation car began in the late nineties. However, Toyota and Yoshida had a problem. The Japanese economy was in poor shape and buyers were starting to prefer compact multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) instead of the more traditional offerings.
Rather than looking to the Corolla’s highest volume markets, Yoshida decided to develop the ninth-generation car with the demanding European market in mind. He believed that if they focused on that market, they could produce a higher quality car overall.
Power Units
Altogether, the ninth-gen Corolla was offered with nine different engines that covered a wide range of uses (although not all of them were available in every market). For this generation, all petrol engines featured Toyota’s variable valve timing technology that improved both power and fuel efficiency. Diesel engines also received some attention with the latest rail fuelling system from the D-4D range.
Petrol engine options ranged from the 1.3-litre inline four-cylinder 2NZ-FE engine all the way to the 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder 2ZZ-GE. Buyers who wanted a diesel engined car had the option of either the 1.4-litre I4 1ND-TV D-4D or the 2.0-litre I4 1CD-FTV D-4D.
Depending on the power unit selected, the ninth-generation Corolla could come with a range of different transmission options, including a 4-speed automatic, 5- and 6-speed manual, and a 5-speed multimode manual transmission. The multimode transmission was essentially an automated manual transmission (AMT), that could either be used as a fully-automatic or a semi-automatic.
New Style
The ninth-generation Corolla became available in Japan from August 2000, however, export markets would have to wait until 2001 or 2002 to get their hands on the new model. Initially, the Corolla was available as either a sedan or estate (known as the Corolla fielder in Japan), but a five-door hatchback became available from January 2001. A further three-different body styles became available at a later date: the European-only three-door hatchback, an MPV model and a soft-roader (essentially a four-wheel drive station wagon).
The design of the new Corolla was intended to be both youthful and sophisticated. Toyota, wanted to create a car that would not only appeal to the family car market, but also those who wanted something a bit more stylish.
Along with creating a stylish body, aerodynamic performance was a major focal point for the Toyota design team. Aerodynamic efficiency was improved through the development of a flat underbody and the addition of body parts to direct air away from the wheel wells and other draggy parts of the car.
Higher Quality Interior
The interior of the 9th generation Toyota Corolla was inspired by the Lexus premium models.The ninth-generation Corolla was the first car to receive the benefits of Toyota’s new Interior Study Team. This new design team consisted of a group of specialists and designers from around the world who looked at future trends and improvements in interior finishes.
What they decided was that the new Corolla’s interior should feature soft touch plastics rather than the harder, more brittle plastics from older models. They also focused on improving the positioning and visibility of all the dials and switches.
In the pursuit of quality, Toyota’s engineers even went as far as to calibrate the weight and sound of the doors and locks to make the car feel more premium. Many other features from Toyota’s premium brand Lexus also made their way into the interior of the ninth-gen Corolla, such as the soft-close glovebox.
Chassis & Suspension Changes
To improve both handling and comfort, Toyota looked to redesign the MacPherson suspension at the front and the trailing arm torsion beam or double wishbone suspension at the rear (double wishbone suspension was limited to four-wheel drive Corollas).
Engineers also decided to fit the car with anti-roll bars and major improvements were made to the steering mechanism and the power steering system. Toyota fitted some ninth-generation Corollas with their new electronic assistance system, which helped to improve fuel economy.
The Corolla Compressor
Some lucky UK based buyers had the option of purchasing the extremely rare Corolla Compressor. This hot-hatch Corolla went on sale from the 1st November 2005 and it featured a supercharger conversion that boosted power and torque of the 2ZZ-GE to 215 bhp and 215 Nm (159 lb ft).
The upgrades and extra features weren’t just limited to the engine however, the car was also given a more aggressive bodykit and unique, sporty wheels. The car’s suspension system also received some attention with the biggest visual change being that it was quite a bit lower than the standard car.
Over 30 Million Corollas Sold
By the end of the ninth-generation Corolla’s production run, nearly 32 million Corolla models had been sold and produced. While competition from both Japanese and international manufacturers was intensifying, the Corolla still proved to be the most popular car in the world.
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
