Toyota sells its 50 millionth Toyota Corolla in July

Toyota has sold more than 50 million Toyota Corollas since the model arrived in 1966. The automaker broke the record threshold in July and continues as the best-selling vehicles in the world. Of the 50 million Corollas sold over the past 55 years, 1.6 million have been sold in Canada.

We thought we would look back at the history of the Corolla, a car that defined the automotive market in Canada.

The first-generation Corolla, introduced in Canada and sold from 1969 to 1970, was powered by a 60-horsepower four-cylinder engine. It took 17 seconds to reach 100 km/h! The second generation of the Corolla arrived in 1971 and offered a 73-horsepower engine in addition to the first automatic transmission to be offered on the model.

In 1972, the SR-5 Coupe version could be fitted with an 88-horsepower engine, which was huge for the time, in addition to a 5-speed automatic transmission.

The third generation appeared in 1975 and offered three engines, namely 1.2 liters, 1.3 liters and 1.6 liters. In addition, the lineup was enhanced with a fastback hatchback model in 1976.

A fourth generation followed in 1980 while in 1985 the fifth generation of the Corolla moved to a front-wheel drive configuration. The rear-wheel drive version was known as the AE86, a designation that is still being used today. Then in 1987, the FX hatchback version appeared whose soul is still alive in today’s 2022 Corolla Hatchback.

Now in its 12th generation, the Toyota Corolla sets itself apart with its exceptional blend of comfort, versatility, style, fuel economy and performance. The 2022 Toyota Corolla offers three types of engines including a hybrid engine in addition to standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 active safety technologies. Come learn more today!