New Toyota Corolla Has Holden Commodore's No.1 Spot In It's Sights

[JoeT]

New Corolla Has Commodore In Its Sights

Toby Hagon
16 May 2007
www.drive.com.au

The Toyota Corolla could be Australia’s favourite car by the end of 2008.

That’s the word from Toyota insiders, even though officially the company’s line is that it is not aiming to knock the Holden Commodore off its long-running time at the top of the sales charts.

While the Corolla has had individual months where it has outsold Australia’s long time best seller – the Holden Commodore – it has never achieved the milestone in a calendar year.

Despite the marketing clout of having the best-selling brand and the best-selling car, Toyota is adamant the number one position is not an overriding goal.

“If the marketplace determines and customer preference determines that this car outsells Holden then that’s an outcome we’d enjoy, but it’s not our ambition,” says Toyota Australia chairman emeritus John Conomos.

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All-New Corolla: Bigger, Euro-Styled, Gunning For Number One & Here!

Mike Sinclair
16 May 2007
www.carpoint.com.au

Toyota has launched its bigger, more polished Corolla. And with sharp pricing and added equipment it's not taking any prisoners in the battle for number one spot.

The car that would be king was launched yesterday on Queensland's Gold Coast. Assured of number one spot in the small car marketplace and now gunning for the title of Australia's overall top-selling car, the new Toyota Corolla arrives this month priced from $20,990 -- $1000 more than the model it replaces.

The new Corolla is the tenth generation of the iconic small car nameplate. While it will wear the Auris badge in Europe, there was never any doubt Toyota Australia would risk changing the identity of what is quite simply its foundation model Down Under.

Since introduced in Australia in 1966, Corolla has sold more than 975,000 units. With the new Corolla expected to easily eclipse its 2006 total of 46,256 units this year, the 1,000,000th example will be delivered to its Australian owner before the end of 2007.

In total, Toyota has built in excess of 32m Corollas worldwide. The car is sold in more than 140 countries and built in 16 at a current rate of one ever 23sec (or so)! Aussie Corollas will continue to be sourced from Japan.

There are two body styles and a total of seven models across the new Corolla range -- four hatches and three four-door sedans. The wagon has been dropped from the line-up.

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First drive: All-New Corolla Steps Up A Grade

Byron Mathioudakis
18 May 2007
www.goauto.com.au

Toyota targets premium buyers with distinct sedan and hatch 10th-generation Corollas.

Toyota has priced the base version of its completely redesigned Corolla at $20,990, positioning it against premium small cars such as the Mazda3, Holden Astra, Ford Focus and Honda Civic.

While the entry-level price represents a $1000 increase over the outgoing model, the latest Corolla packs in more features, space and performance while being longer, wider and (in hatchback guise) taller than before.

Toyota claims that the Corolla’s “keen” pricing puts it at a five to eight per cent advantage against similarly specified major rivals.

Now in its 10th generation, Toyota’s venerable small car – known as the 150 series – finally matches every opponent (except the current LS Focus) in offering anti-lock brakes (ABS) on every model.

This includes Brake Assist (BA) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD). Even the mid-range Corolla Conquest did not include ABS until June last year – the same time that dual airbags were finally standardised in the base Ascent.

An “Enhanced Safety Pack” featuring front-side and curtain airbags and a class-first driver's knee airbag is a $750 option on the Ascent and Levin SX, and standard on all other models.

Corollas fitted with the Enhanced Safety Pack score the maximum five-star rating in the European NCAP crash test results. Toyota Australia says it does not yet know what rating the non-safety pack models will achieve.

Stability control is not available for now. Toyota says it will be offered across the entire Corolla range from September 2008, perhaps as part of a MY09 model refresh.

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New Toyota Corolla (above) and Holden Commodore

[Ultimate1]

Thats a nice looking car, though totally different than holden's commodore.

[redTT]

Those Toyota loving local hating 1d10ts at DRIVE are at it again, bringing down Holden and putting Toyota on a pedestal.

Fact is the corolla sold odd 2k units, holden close to 5k.

Fact is Holden still havent released their utes, coupe and wagons.


Fact is the profit margin for the commie is far higher than the ceap ass corolla.

Fact since 1997 the corolla only outsold the commie for around 1-2 months.

[JoeT]

I don't think Commodore has much to fear from the Corolla any time soon, but that may not last forever.
People aren't freaking out about fuel prices as much now and, as redTT said, the Commodore Ute and Wagon aren't even out yet.

[GM-10]

Me thinks the Corolla looks like a turd.

It belongs in a WC.

[genjy]

I guess the Corolla and the Commodore are comparable if this is about total sales... but they are different cars in different segment.

...it's actually not that comparable at all.

[johnstarnes]

Originally Posted by Ultimate1

Thats a nice looking car, though totally different than holden's commodore.

I like them too...nice touches of the Yaris look.

[steverino]

I don't know what Aussies are thinking, but those Corolla's do nothing for me.
Holdens look so much better

[rmodys]

So the Holden line is all Commodore sedans that look the same and the Toyota line is all Corolla hatchbacks that look the same?

[Joevette]

there are some subtle differences in the designs of the holdens, like exterior bits and interior design, but the corollas all look exactly the same, maybe a different motor at best

[Aych Es Vee]

Originally Posted by rmodys

So the Holden line is all Commodore sedans that look the same and the Toyota line is all Corolla hatchbacks that look the same?

??? no


Both Toyota and Holden have plenty of models.

[kgratton]

Originally Posted by rmodys

So the Holden line is all Commodore sedans that look the same and the Toyota line is all Corolla hatchbacks that look the same?

If people are happy with the fundamentals of the car, they can look past the fact that the Commodore SS is the same as the Omega or the Calais, but with different exterior and interior treatments. The basic styling appeals to a large number of buyers, whatever demographic they represent. That's what you call targeting your market.

[EllwynX]

Originally Posted by steverino

I don't know what Aussies are thinking, but those Corolla's do nothing for me.
Holdens look so much better

I have to agree. I thought that was a picture of Yaris' when I first saw it.

The Holden and the Corolla don't even look to be in the same class.

Compared to the Holden's, that Corolla is really ugly.

[Mikkoo]

We could agree that it's nothing stylistically to look at, however the all new
Corolla is selling quite well here in Finland. I've seen more four door sedans
than hatchbacks, which is quite unusual, as Europeans prefer hatchbacks.

[stevecmh]

ur friggin kidding right... its not even in the same class