This Is The Toyota Corollas New Face—At Least For Shoppers Over There
The current-generation Corolla is getting a facelift in China to stay competitive—and it just might preview what's to come in the North American market as well.
Key Points
- Toyota has filed a fresh design for the Corolla (badged as Allion) with China’s MIIT, featuring new split headlights, a sleeker grille, and a connected rear light bar.
- Powertrain options remain familiar; they include a 1.8-liter hybrid and a 2.0-liter gasoline engine, with no major updates reported.
- It’s not yet known if this facelift will reach the U.S., though the update helps extend the current-gen Corolla’s shelf life as Toyota prepares for its next-generation lineup.
Images released through China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) show the sedan wearing Toyota’s latest corporate styling cues, already seen on the Prius and RAV4. The front end is the biggest change, adopting Toyota's hammerhead design, with a new split-headlight arrangement.
The slim upper housings feature C-shaped LEDs, while the main beams nestle lower in the bumper, outlined in black trim. The profile remains largely untouched, while the rear gets a light bar across the trunk linking the reshaped taillights. Otherwise, it’s the same compact sedan you probably see every day.
As is typical with MIIT filings, no interior photos were published. Whether Toyota will simply carry over the current dashboard or update it with a cleaner RAV4-inspired design and larger touchscreen remains to be seen.
Under the skin, the Chinese-market Corolla will continue with its familiar powertrain lineup: a 1.8-liter hybrid rated at 98 horsepower and a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter gasoline engine making 171 hp. The hybrid setup continues to rely on a nickel-cobalt-manganese battery pack.
Toyota brushed the North American Corolla with a light refresh for 2025, so it’s unclear whether this new Chinese look will eventually cross the Pacific. If it does, it could help extend the Corolla’s shelf life even further as Toyota juggles global production and its pivot toward maximizing hybrid and EV production.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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Ugh.