The first Toyota Corolla was introduced to Japan in 1966. Available in two distinct body styles (two- and four-door saloon, and two-door estate), the Corolla was designed to be a people’s car. However, it also gained a reputation for its build quality along with being safe, efficient, and practical.

Its name originated from the Latin term for ‘crown of flowers’, and specifically chosen because Toyota had hopes that the vehicle would bloom in the automotive market. And that’s exactly what it did: within three years the first-generation Corolla became the top-selling vehicle in Japan, and sales quickly spread to other countries around the world.

Today, the Corolla is sold in more than 150 countries and regions at the rate of approximately one every 28 seconds over the past year, and is produced at 12 plants across the world in Japan, Brazil, Venezuela, China, Pakistan, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, US, and the UK.

The current model inherits all of the Corolla’s family characteristics, but thanks to the use of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) GA-C platform, injects a bit of driving fun into the mix as well. The TNGA GA-C lowers its center of gravity while bumping up its rigidity by 60 percent compared to the 11th generation model.

For the Philippine market, the Corolla Altis also debuted a self-charging hybrid system. The system, known for its quietness, responsiveness, and intuitiveness of operation develops 122 horsepower while offering a low cost of ownership and an outstanding fuel economy as high as 23.25 km/L. Last year, Toyota also introduced a “new breed” of Corolla—the Corolla Cross—for those who want a crossover body style.