Toyota Corolla AWD?
24 May, 2007
12 Comments 
One of the limitations of the Toyota Corolla has always been its Front-Wheel-Drive setup, however Toyota is currently selling an All Wheel Drive version of the Corolla (called Toyota Blade) in Japan.
Our friends at autotelegraaf.nl had a chat with one of the Corolla’s engineers (Soichiro Okudaira) who was happy to admit the Corolla is capable of supporting a V6 engine!
In Europe, Toyota is set to launch a V6 AWD Corolla to compete with the increasingly stronger competition. Given the Toyota blade is already selling in Japan, the all wheel drive system has already been implemented (and tested) in the new Corolla - so the hard work is already done.
But here is the 1 million dollar question, will it ever come to Australia? We are currently seeking the answer to that question ourselves, we’ll let you know when we know!
The All-Wheel-Drive isn’t the only good news, European sources are hinting that a high-output diesel version might also go on sale. A Diesel corolla? Yes please!
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May 24th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
For a second I thought it was a Citroen C4!!
AWD seems to becoming the ultimate answer to the FWD/RWD argument. Fun & Safety in one package.
With a V6 in an corolla i’m guessing they are trying to do a VW R32 competitor.
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May 24th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
I think it would stack up quite well against the R32 - obviously minus the luxury and the VW fun factor.
Toyota Australia just don’t seem to think Australians would buy a performance corolla, and they might be right.
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May 24th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
I actually beg to differ. My manager is terribly disappointed that Toyota pulled the up-spec’d engine out of the Corolla range (or more specifically, didn’t design a new one that met the emissions standards).
That’s something that’s actually quite disapointing across the Toyota range - until the TRD Aurion comes out, all models will simply be face-lifts and luxury variants of the base model. Suspension tuning and under-body downforce foils help make it ’sporty’, but those who pick things like the ZR6 would happily pay a bit more for a better engine as well.
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May 25th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Yeah, though not all the aerofoils in the world will convince me to buy the same boring car as the base model because the performance is practically the same.
The car might be “faster” because of the better handling package, but when you put your foot down, it will be just as fast, probably slower due to the AWD running gear bogging it down, then the standard base model rolla.
I agree that it’s a shame we won’t be getting a better powered version here, but what’s new? Take a small trip over to New Zealand and see what awesome cars are imported to the country.
In fact, a short trip to Japan will reveal some awsome specc’d models that we will never get here.
Whether this is because of ADR, or the manufacturer thinking it just won’t sell. I don’t know.
I also agree that this won’t sell well as a high ticket Toyota, as most customers in this range will look at it and say “too much for too little”.
Steve
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May 25th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
The car might be “faster” because of the better handling package, but when you put your foot down, it will be just as fast, probably slower due to the AWD running gear bogging it down, then the standard base model rolla.
I agree that it’s a shame we won’t be getting a better powered version here, but what’s new? Take a small trip over to New Zealand and see what awesome cars are imported to the country.
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May 25th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
itll be a shame if they bring it here because its soo tremendously foul looking
whats the point of awd, its slow as piss anyway
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May 25th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
well the hope would be that the AWD will be a 3.0 V6 or something like that. E.g. an R32 combatant
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May 27th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Well, it is quite bigger than the R32 though…They should put like, the camry’s 3.5L V6 in there…but with like, manual transmission or the paddle shifter thingy that’s becoming very common nowadays…
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June 8th, 2007 at 11:54 pm
i owned i 2003 sportivo corolla…what a car!!!!!
Please Toyota…give me a reason to update to the blade with a V6 or even a turbo/supercharged 4cyl(2Lt). A great car like this can only get stronger….not better!!!!
Well done on the new look…
Charlie…
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August 15th, 2007 at 12:25 am
The Corolla needs a new Sportivo version, which should include a powerful engine (maybe an improved 3S-GE with Dual VVTi doing well over 140 kW), independent rear suspension and 4WD. A DSG gearbox is also welcome, but certainly far from possible as it has not seen its way in any Lexus.
It’s about time Toyota make buying hatches like an Audi A3 nonsense, but they seem to miss the point yet again. Having rally participations with the same Corolla we see everyday, they should really make a road-going version and finally live up to their claim of bringing in the ‘hottest’ Corolla of all time. Perhaps they can now make the world-seller world-class.
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September 19th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Once you start doing silly things like this to a toyota you start to move into totally different markets. i wonder how much the AWD corolla with the v6 in it will cost? more than a wrx? Toyota is just doing what most big companies are doing, take over each and every target market. That is why they are doing so well.
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February 18th, 2008 at 10:39 am
I completed an online car survey last week.
It was a
“Which of the following cars would you consider if buying in the next 12 -18 mths?”
One of the cars was a 3.5L AWD TRD Corolla
another was a 2.0L TRD Yaris
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