Toyota Corolla Sport hatchback revealed

KUALA LUMPUR: Toyota has unveiled the Corolla Sport hatchback that is initially targeted at the Japanese market. As the name suggests, it is the sportier version of the Corolla hatchback that was displayed some time back at the New York Auto Show.

The Toyota Corolla Sport is built on the company’s TNGA platform, which is said to have a lower centre of gravity and is also considered to be sturdier than its predecessor. The car displays a very sleek profile all around and is based on Toyota's latest design philosophy. Similar to the new CH-R, the Corolla hatch features a large front grille that extends up to the lower bumper. The rear has a set of stylish boomerang shaped split tail lights. The bumper lower down at the rear has a dual exhaust cluster. The LED lights, shark fin antenna, and tailgate spoiler are expected to come as standard.

The new Corolla Sport could get a lot of intelligent safety features in form of the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0. This safety kit includes the futuristic automatic emergency braking system along with the pedestrian detection, auto high beams, and an intelligent cruise control. Plus, the home country it would feature company’s data communication system as a standard addition. This means there would be a 24x7 connectivity system, dedicated to security, safety, and comfort of the driver and passengers.

Mechanically, Toyota will offer two engine options for the Corolla Sport hatchback. The standard motor is a 1.2-litre turbocharged unit which would be capable of making 114 PS of power. The higher trims would benefit from company’s hybrid engine, identical to the one offered in the Prius.

As for the transmission, there will be a 10-step CVT gearbox initially but a manual unit will be added to the lower trims soon after. The higher variants will be gett the AWD mechanism while the lower grades would feature a regular 2WD.

The unveiled Toyota Corolla Sport hatchback is a right-hand-drive version that is built for the Japanese market. And since Malaysia is also a right-hand-drive country, we are expecting a launch here to follow soon.