It looks as though the twelfth-generation Toyota Corolla will soldier on for a little while yet, at least in China.
The images seen here were part of the model’s regulatory filings with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which we found via Carscoops.
Most of the changes take place up front, where the updated Corolla gains the company’s ‘Hammerhead’ design, which graces the latest Prius, bZ4X, C-HR and Camry, as well as the next-generation RAV4.
The redesigned front end has new C-shaped headlights where the lower section flows into a thin blacked-out upper grille with an integrated light bar.
This is married to a new bumper with a much smaller, less aggressive lower air intake. At the top of the fake side intake is what seems to be a small, well disguised lighting pod. If our eyes are correct, this means the Corolla is joining the split headlight craze.
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At the rear, changes are limited to redesigned tail-light graphics, and a subtly reworked bumper, which no longer features a contrasting rear diffuser.
For the past several generations the Corolla has been offered with two different faces. The car seen here is likely the update for the “sporty” face that’s sold in Europe, the US, and Australia.
If the updated vehicle follows recent history there will also be a “prestige” face with more traditional, squarer headlights, and generous lashings of chrome for the front and rear.
Above: Current Toyota Corolla
We don’t know what changes Toyota has in store for the interior, but it’s possible the automaker will modify the dashboard to accommodate its latest infotainment systems, which feature larger screens, and smoother performance.
It’s possible this Corolla facelift will be a China-only model, as Toyota is looking to give its Chinese division more autonomy by allowing it tailor core, globally-developed products for the local market.
That said, there have been no rumours or spy photos of a new Corolla, so it’s highly likely this car is indicative of what’s in store for the rest of the world.
The twelfth-generation Corolla was launched in 2018, and was given a minor facelift in 2022. While it continues to sell steadily, it’s no longer the early 2010s where it battles against the Mazda 3 for number one spot on the Aussie sales charts.
To the end of August, Toyota sold 13,145 Corollas in Australia. Although it remains the top-selling small car by quite some margin, sales are 25.8 per cent from this time last year, and it’s leagues behind the table-topping Ford Ranger(37,183), Toyota HiLux (35,766), and Toyota RAV4 (32,564).