Generation history
The Toyota Corolla has been through 12 generations, starting in 1966, 1970, 1974, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2006, 2012 and 2018. The gaps were 4, 4, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6 years, an average of 4.7. Redesigns come quickly on this model. The current generation began in 2018. On that cadence the next full redesign points to 2022 through 2024, centered on 2023. This is a projection. It comes from the model's own past redesign years, not from the manufacturer. A mid-cycle refresh usually lands in between. Public records describe the current generation this way: The twelfth generation of the Corolla, built on the TNGA-C platform, is available in three body styles: Specifications, trims and the NHTSA safety record are on the Toyota Corolla model page.
Every generation
| Generation | Code | Years | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First generation | E10 | 1966–1970 | The first generation Corolla was unveiled at the 1966 Tokyo Motor Show and then introduced in November in the same year with the new 1100 cc K pushrod engine. |
| Second generation | E20 | 1970–1974 | In May 1970, the E20 was restyled with a more rounded body. |
| Third generation | E30, E40, E50, E60 | 1974–1979 | April 1974 brought rounder, bigger and heavier Corollas and Sprinters. |
| Fourth generation | E70 | 1979–1983 | A major restyle in March 1979 brought a square edged design. |
| Fifth generation | E80 | 1983–1987 | A sloping front hood and a contemporary sharp-edged, no-frills style was brought in during May 1983. |
| Sixth generation | E90 | 1987–1991 | A somewhat more rounded and aerodynamic style was used for the E90 introduced on 15 May 1987. |
| Seventh generation | E100 | 1991–1995 | In June 1991, Corollas received a redesign to be larger, heavier, and have the completely rounded, aerodynamic shape of the 1990s. |
| Eighth generation | E110 | 1995–2000 | Production of the E110 Corolla started in May 1995. |
| Ninth generation | E120, E130 | 2000–2006 | For the ninth generation, Toyota split the Corolla into two separate models. |
| Tenth generation | E140, E150 | 2006–2012 | The tenth generation of the E140 Corolla was introduced in October 2006. |
| Eleventh generation | E160, E170, E180 | 2012–2018 | For the eleventh generation, Toyota split the Corolla into three separate models. |
| Twelfth generation | E210 | 2018–present | The twelfth generation of the Corolla, built on the TNGA-C platform, is available in three body styles: |
The Toyota Corolla spent 4.7 years per generation on average. The current one is 8 years old. Treat 2022 to 2024 as a range, not a date.
Source: Toyota Corolla (Wikipedia). The estimate is our arithmetic on those start years.
Open the Toyota Corolla model page for specifications, trims, safety record and answers.
In more detail
The first generation Corolla was unveiled at the 1966 Tokyo Motor Show and then introduced in November in the same year with the new 1100 cc K pushrod engine. The Corolla Sprinter was introduced as the fastback version in 1968, and exclusive to a Toyota Japan dealership retail outlet called Toyota Auto Store. It was the second car available to Japanese buyers at Toyota Corolla Store next to the smaller Publica.
In May 1970, the E20 was restyled with a more rounded body. The now mutually exclusive Corolla and Sprinter names were used to differentiate between two slightly different treatments of sheet metal and trim. The Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno names were introduced as the enhanced performance version of the Corolla and Sprinter respectively when a double overhead camshaft version of the 2T engine was introduced in March 1972 (TE27). In September 1970, the 1400 cc T and 1600 cc 2T OHV engines were added to the range.
April 1974 brought rounder, bigger and heavier Corollas and Sprinters. The range was rounded out with the addition of a two-door liftback. The Corollas were given E30 codes while the Sprinters were given E40 codes. A facelift in March 1976 saw most Corolla E30 models replaced by equivalent E50 models and most Sprinter E40 models were replaced by equivalent E60 models.
A major restyle in March 1979 brought a square edged design. The Corollas had a simpler treatment of the grille, headlights and tail lights while the Sprinter used a slightly more complex, sculptured treatment. The new A series engines were added to the range as a running change. This was the last model to use the K "hicam" and T series engines.
A sloping front hood and a contemporary sharp-edged, no-frills style was brought in during May 1983. The new 1839 cc 1C diesel engine was added to the range with the E80 Series. From 1985, re-badged E80 Sprinters were sold in the U.S. as the fifth-generation Chevrolet Nova. Fuel injection was introduced as an extra cost option internationally.
A somewhat more rounded and aerodynamic style was used for the E90 introduced on 15 May 1987. Overall this generation has a more refined feel than older Corollas and other older subcompacts. Most models were now front-wheel drive, along with a few AWD All-Trac models. Many engines were used on a wide array of trim levels and models, ranging from the 1.3-liter 2E to the 123 kilowatts (165 hp) supercharged 4A-GZE.
In June 1991, Corollas received a redesign to be larger, heavier, and have the completely rounded, aerodynamic shape of the 1990s. In the United States, the somewhat larger Corolla was now in the compact class, rather than subcompact, and the coupé was still available in some markets, known as the AE101 Corolla Levin. Carburetors were mostly retired with this generation. Production of most models ended in 1995, with the introduction of the E110 Corolla, but the wagons and vans continued to be built until 2002.
Production of the E110 Corolla started in May 1995. The design of the car was slightly altered throughout but retained a look similar to that of the E100. In 1998, for the first time, some non-Japanese Corollas received the new 1ZZ-FE engine. The 1ZZ-FE engine had an aluminum engine block and aluminum cylinder heads, which made models powered by this motor lighter than versions powered by A series engines which had cast iron blocks with aluminum heads.
For the ninth generation, Toyota split the Corolla into two separate models. The E120 was designed for the Japanese, European, Australasian, and the Middle Eastern markets, while the wider E130 Corolla was designed for other Asian and American markets.
The tenth generation of the E140 Corolla was introduced in October 2006. Japanese markets called the sedan Corolla Axio. The station wagon retained the Corolla Fielder name.
For the eleventh generation, Toyota split the Corolla into three separate models. The E160 was designed for the Japanese, Hong Kong, Macau, and New Zealand markets, while the E170/E180 Corolla was designed for most international markets.
Generation notes adapted from Toyota Corolla (Wikipedia).
Today's Toyota Corolla
NHTSA rated the 2025 Toyota Corolla overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 5 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.
Owners filed 31 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Toyota Corolla, most often about service brakes (8), unknown or other (7), air bags (6).