For the 2019 model year Toyota sold two different Corollas in the United States. The eleventh-generation Corolla sedan (coded E170) carried over largely unchanged, while an all-new twelfth-generation Corolla (E210) arrived in hatchback form. So the 2019 Corolla is not a single car: the hatchback was a genuine redesign, and the sedan was the final year of the previous generation before its own redesign for 2020.
Two Generations for 2019
The twelfth-generation Corolla Hatchback was the first version of the new car to reach showrooms. Toyota showed a pre-production model at the March 2018 Geneva Motor Show and revealed the production hatchback on 28 March 2018 at the New York International Auto Show. It went on sale later that year as a 2019 model. The corresponding twelfth-generation sedan was unveiled in November 2018 and reached the United States for the 2020 model year, which is why the 2019 sedan was still the older E170 design.
2019 Corolla Hatchback: Engine and Specs
The 2019 Corolla Hatchback used a 2.0-liter four-cylinder from Toyota’s Dynamic Force engine family, coded M20A-FKS. It produces 168 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. Transmission choices were a six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic that Toyota programmed to simulate a 10-speed.
| 2019 Corolla Hatchback | Specification |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2.0-liter M20A-FKS inline-4 |
| Power | 168 hp |
| Torque | 151 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual or CVT |
| Fuel economy (manual) | 28 city / 37 highway / 31 combined mpg |
| Fuel economy (CVT) | 32 city / 42 highway / 36 combined mpg |
Hatchback Fuel Economy
EPA ratings for the 2019 Corolla Hatchback are 28 mpg city, 37 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined with the manual transmission, and 32 mpg city, 42 mpg highway and 36 mpg combined with the CVT. The sportier XSE trim with the CVT was rated at 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined. The efficient CVT figures were among the better ratings in the compact class at launch.
2019 Corolla Sedan: Engine and Specs
The 2019 Corolla sedan, still the eleventh-generation E170 model, was offered with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. Most versions produced 132 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque; the LE Eco and SE trims used a Valvematic version of the same 1.8-liter engine rated at 140 horsepower. Trim levels were L, LE, LE Eco, XLE, SE and XSE, and transmission choices were a six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic.
EPA combined fuel economy for the 2019 sedan fell in the low 30s, with published ratings ranging from about 30 to 34 mpg combined depending on engine and transmission. Toyota also introduced the Corolla Hatchback as a replacement for the Corolla iM, which had ended production.
Platform and Design
The twelfth-generation Corolla moved to Toyota’s TNGA-C platform, which underpins the hatchback and the later sedan. The redesign brought a lower, wider stance and a more expressive front end than the eleventh-generation car. The hatchback was produced at Toyota’s Tsutsumi plant in Aichi, Japan, and at Toyota Manufacturing UK in Burnaston for the European market, where the same car briefly continued the Auris nameplate before it was phased out in January 2019.
Where the Nameplate Stands
The Corolla is one of the longest-running and highest-volume nameplates in the world, and the twelfth generation was a significant step for Toyota because it modernized the car’s platform, engines and driver-assistance technology. Buyers looking at a 2019 Corolla therefore need to know which body style they are considering: the hatchback is the new-generation E210, while the 2019 sedan is the outgoing E170.
Release Date
The 2019 Corolla Hatchback went on sale in the United States in 2018 as a 2019 model-year vehicle, following its March 2018 debut in New York. The redesigned twelfth-generation Corolla sedan went on sale for the 2020 model year. The Corolla’s rival, the Honda Civic, was also fully redesigned in the same period, keeping the two compact cars closely matched in the US sales charts.
Safety and Technology
The 2019 Corolla Hatchback was the first Toyota to receive the company’s second-generation Toyota Safety Sense package (TSS 2.0) as standard equipment. TSS 2.0 bundles a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, road sign assist, automatic high beams and full-speed-range dynamic radar cruise control. The hatchback also came standard with Entune 3.0 infotainment and Apple CarPlay, making it an early Toyota to offer smartphone integration as standard. The 2019 sedan carried the earlier Toyota Safety Sense package as standard on most trims.
Global Rollout
The twelfth-generation Corolla sedan, once it arrived, was rolled out worldwide through 2019. It launched in Taiwan on 27 March 2019, Thailand on 3 September 2019, the Philippines on 9 September 2019, Indonesia on 12 September 2019, Malaysia on 9 October 2019 and Singapore in January 2020. In several Southeast Asian markets the sedan continued to use the long-standing Corolla Altis name. In North America and Japan the sedan used a different, sportier front fascia than the version sold in Europe and Asia.
The Corolla Nameplate
The Corolla was introduced in 1966 and has since become the best-selling nameplate in automotive history, sold in more than 150 countries. Toyota announced in August 2021 that it had passed 50 million Corollas sold worldwide. The twelfth generation, which reached the United States as the 2019 hatchback and the 2020 sedan, was an important step in that run because it modernized the car’s platform, engine range and standard driver-assistance equipment.
Sources
- Toyota Corolla (E210) — Wikipedia
- 2019 Toyota Corolla — FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. Department of Energy / EPA)
- 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Features and Specs — Car and Driver
- 2019 Toyota Corolla — Kelley Blue Book, All-New 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback — Toyota Canada Media, Toyota Marks 50-Millionth Corolla Sold — Toyota USA Newsroom
