Japanese media recently released the latest news, saying that Toyota is about to launch a new generation of Corolla in 2026. The new car will be offered in three body forms: a sedan, a touring version, and a hatchback version. The Japanese media painted a hypothetical picture of the touring version, showing that the model will have significant exterior design changes. At the same time, the new model is expected to be equipped with a 1.5-liter HEV diesel-electric hybrid system, and a 1.5-liter plug-in hybrid version will be available. In terms of the power of the existing Corolla family, Toyota offers a variety of options, such as a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated three-cylinder engine, a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, a 1.5-liter gasoline-electric hybrid system, a 1.8-liter gasoline-electric hybrid system, a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, and a 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine.
Toyota is also developing a next-generation 1.5-liter inline-four engine that is about 10% smaller than the existing 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine. Japanese media speculate that the maximum power of the 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine will reach 130 horsepower, the maximum power of the HEV version is expected to be about 100 horsepower, and the maximum power of the turbocharged version will reach 180 horsepower.
The fifth-generation DM plug-in hybrid system developed by BYD has a thermal efficiency of 46.06% and a comprehensive system range of more than 2,100 kilometers. Therefore, the Japanese media believe that the plug-in hybrid system equipped with the new generation of Corolla is likely to be on par with BYD in terms of engine thermal efficiency and comprehensive mileage. In addition, Toyota will collaborate with BYD to develop three plug-in hybrid models.