Thirteenth-Generation Toyota Corolla Will Offer Four Powertrain Types

Toyota is preparing to introduce the thirteenth-generation Corolla with a radical exterior design, an updated interior, and a flexible new powertrain strategy. Unlike competitors such as Tesla that are shifting toward a single centralized computer architecture to support software-defined vehicles and reduce wiring, Toyota is taking a different engineering path for its popular compact car.

According to a report from Nikkei Cross Tech, Toyota will divide the upcoming Corolla's electrical architecture into four distinct groups: driver-assist technology, cabin controls, body electronics, and motion control. This modular four-group approach will enable the automaker to customize each system specifically to match the vehicle's powertrain and equipment level.

Thanks to this specialized electrical architecture, the next-generation Corolla will be offered with four different powertrain types depending on the global market: a conventional internal combustion engine, a traditional hybrid, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and a battery-electric vehicle (BEV). For the United States market, Toyota is expected to continue offering pure combustion and traditional hybrid variants in both sedan and hatchback body styles.

Currently, the twelfth-generation Corolla—which has been in production since 2018—is powered by either a 169-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine or a 1.8-liter hybrid system. However, Toyota is already developing a new family of lighter, more fuel-efficient 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter inline-four engines, with the 1.5-liter unit likely slated to power the new compact model.

Toyota previewed its design direction a year ago with a bold Corolla concept car featuring 21-inch wheels, frameless doors, and a downward-sloping beltline. While the production car will likely be toned down compared to the concept, the thirteenth-generation Toyota Corolla is expected to make its official debut sometime next year and could arrive in the United States for the 2028 model year.