Toyota's Next Affordable Car Could Have Four Different Versions

A new Toyota Corolla is coming with a radical design and a refreshed interior. The Japanese automaker reportedly also has big plans for the powertrain—separating the car’s electrical architecture into four groups.

This departs from the current trend, where automakers like Tesla are moving toward a centralized computer architecture that enables software-defined vehicles. This puts all vehicle controls, features, and systems on a single hardware platform, greatly reducing the wiring needed.

According to a new Nikkei Cross Tech report, Toyota will divide its electrical architecture into driver-assist technology, cabin controls, body electronics, and motion control. This will allow Toyota to tailor each system to the vehicle’s powertrain and features.

What Powertrain Will The New Corolla Use?

Toyota’s new electrical architecture will let it offer the next-generation Corolla with several powertrain types. The most likely option is a traditional hybrid, but Toyota will also offer a pure internal combustion version, along with a battery-electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid, depending on the market.

In the United States, we expect pure combustion and hybrid Corolla sedans and hatchbacks. Today, Toyota offers a 169-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 1.8-liter hybrid in the current car.

The Japanese automaker has already revealed that it is developing a new family of 1.5 and 2.0-liter inline-four engines, with the smaller one likely powering the compact model. Toyota claims the engines will be lighter and more efficient than the current ones.

When To Expect The New Corolla?

Toyota teased the next-generation Corolla a year ago with a radical concept car that’s a complete departure from the current model. The Corolla concept features stunning 21-inch wheels, a descending beltline, and frameless doors.

We doubt the next Corolla will look as radical as the concept, but it does preview Toyota’s intentions. The current, twelfth-generation Corolla is nearly a decade old, with production starting in 2018.

Toyota will likely reveal the thirteenth-generation Corolla sometime next year, with the US model possibly going on sale as a 2028 model. If the production car looks anything like the concept and packs fuel-efficient powertrains, the Corolla will likely remain a popular option.