The Corolla iM is gone, and in its place is the all-new Corolla Hatchback.
Confused? Well, don’t be. Toyota ditched the iM moniker simply because this is a totally new car.
Designed from the ground up using Toyota’s New Global Architecture and possessing all of Toyota’s new powertrain toys, the Corolla Hatchback has just as much in common with the previous generation Corolla as it does with a Lamborghini Aventador.
But that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a great thing. The all-new 2.0-L inline 4-cylinder engine is both lighter and more powerful than the previous 1.8-L engine (although we should note that they haven’t proven it with actual numbers yet). It’ll also be more fuel efficient when combined with the brand new CVT and manual transmissions, which of course Toyota does on the Corolla Hatchback.
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The Hatchback comes with your choice of 6-speed Intelligent Manual Transmission or the Dynamic Shift CVT which simulates 10 gears, even though it doesn’t have any. Actually, it technically has one gear: a “launch gear”, which helps the car get more power (and burn less gas) at lower RPMs. The CVT will also “shift gears” 20% faster than the previous CVT, which would be impressive if we weren’t all going be driving electric cars with no gears in the near future.
But anyway, the CVT also comes with paddle shifters so it’ll feel even sportier than it looks.
As a trendy new car, it makes sense for the new Corolla to be as connected as ever, with Wi-Fi Connect, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa connectivity as standard features. There’s also the standard Entune 3.0 audio system that comes with six JBL speakers.
Along with the new powertrain comes Toyota’s new safety suite, Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (which is basically emergency automatic braking), adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning with steering assist, and automatic high beams.
It’s also 1.2-inches wider, 1.5-inches longer, and sits 1.0-inch lower than the previous Corolla iM.
Along with those power and fuel efficiency figures, pricing has yet to be announced, but we know the new Hatchback will go on sale this summer.