The is an

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded ...

manufactured by the Japanese automaker

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

across eleven generations between 1957 and 2001. On launch, the Corona was Toyota's next to highest product in their range, just below the Crown. The Corona was marketed in the JDM at Toyota's ''

Toyopet Store Toyota vehicles in Japan are distributed to numerous dealership chains throughout the country. Up to May 2020, each dealership chain had a different product offering, with some models restricted to one chain to maintain exclusivity. Since May 2020, ...

'' dealership channels, and the Corona was one of Toyota's first models exported to other global markets, followed by the smaller

Toyota Corolla The is a series of compact cars (formerly subcompact) manufactured and marketed globally by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1966, the Corolla was the best-selling car worldwide by 1974 and has been one of the best-selling cars in ...

. The Corona played a key role in Toyota's North American success. Having previously entered the North American passenger car market in 1957 as ''Toyopet'', the company met little success, withdrawing in 1961. The company re-entered the North American market in June of 1964, rebranded as ''Toyota'' — introducing its third generation rear-drive Corona, featuring a 90hp engine, four doors and numerous standard features (padded dash, visor mirror, full carpeting, fresh air heater/defroster, two-speed windshield wipers, quad headlamps, vinyl upholstery, driver's-side armrest, cigarette lighter, chrome wheel trim, undersealant, and twin horns) as well as available radio, factory-installed air conditioning and a two-speed automatic transmission. Toyota advertised the car prominently, underwriting its first television commercial, featuring the Corona. The car was well received, winning Road Test's 1969 Import Car of the Year. The Corona helped increase U.S. sales of Toyota vehicles to more than 20,000 units in 1966 (a threefold increase) and helped the company become the third-best-selling import brand in the United States by 1967. In 2014, editors at

Car and Driver ''Car and Driver'' (''CD'' or ''C/D'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. In 2006 its total circulation was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011. It was f ...

called the Corona one of the best Toyotas ever made, saying Toyota survived long enough to thrive in America because of the Corona. By 1968, the Corona name was used on a larger platform, marketed as the Corona Mark II. The Corona itself was marketed under a numerous nameplates worldwide — including in European markets as Carinas, and a variant of the Corona was offered in various markets as the Carina. The Corona was ultimately replaced in Japan by the

Toyota Premio The and its twin the are sedans sold in Japan from 2001 to 2021 by Toyota. The sedans are designated as a compact car by Japanese dimension regulations and the exterior dimensions do not change with periodic updates. Unlike Toyota's other v ...

, in Europe by the

Toyota Avensis The is a mid-size/large family car built in Derbyshire, United Kingdom by the Japanese automaker Toyota from October 1997 to August 2018. It was the direct successor to the European Carina E and was available as a four-door saloon, five-door ...

and in Asia-Pacific/Americas by the Toyota Camry. The nameplate ''" corona"'' derives from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

word for "crown", the sedan taking its place just below Toyota's similarly named flagship, the

Toyota Crown The is an automobile which has been produced by Toyota in Japan since 1955. It is primarily a line of mid-size luxury cars that is marketed as an upmarket offering in the Toyota lineup. Introduced in 1955 as the Toyopet Crown, it has served ...

. __TOC__

First generation (T10; 1957)

The first-generation Corona, introduced in May 1957 and became available on the market two months later, was designed with parts from the previous-generation Crown and

Master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

following a major restyle and enlargement of the Crown. The design of many of the body panels were cut down from the Master which had ceased production. Aside from the 4-door T10 sedan, the T16V 3-door van version was introduced in October 1958 as Toyopet Coronaline. Originally, the T10/16 Corona was fitted with the old sidevalve "S" engine, with . In April 1958 the Corona underwent a light facelift, with a new hood ornament and door handles. The tail light design of this generation is reminiscent of the

1949 Ford The 1949 Ford is a line of cars produced by Ford from the 1949 to 1951 model years. The successor to the prewar 1941 Ford, the model line was the first full-size Ford designed after World War II, becoming the first Ford car line released after th ...

sedan. The

OHV An overhead valve (OHV) engine, sometimes called a ''pushrod engine'', is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier flathead engines, where the valves were located be ...

P series engine replaced the old S in October 1959, and offered substantially more power with at 5,000 rpm. The P-engined Corona sedan was capable of traveling at , higher than the old S-engined model. The car also underwent another facelift, including a mesh grille and a new rear seat which allowed seating for five rather than the previous four. As regulations regarding taxis at the time required engines no larger than , dealers restricted the power for taxi vehicles. Due to the upgrade in dimensions of the Crown, Toyota needed to continue manufacturing a vehicle with similar size dimensions to the first Crown, primarily to be used for taxi usage. This vehicle was also the first Toyota's car with a

monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...

chassis structure, and an independent front suspension using double wishbones. Due to the monocoque chassis, Toyota was able to produce a vehicle under . 1957 Toyopet Corona ST10 rear

Second generation (T20, T30; 1960)

This generation of the Corona was also known as the Tiara (in keeping with the crown naming convention) when exported by

Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

. It was introduced at a critical time for the company in North America. Their first flagship car, the Toyopet Crown, was unsuccessful in the US market, and the Corona was added to offer a choice along with the Land Cruiser. At the time, there was little market for an off-road vehicle like the Land Cruiser. The front mask of the T20 Corona is reminiscent of the 1955–1957

Ford Thunderbird The Ford Thunderbird (colloquially called the T-Bird) is a personal luxury car produced by Ford from model years 1955 until 1997 and 2002 until 2005 across 11 distinct generations. Introduced as a two-seat convertible, the Thunderbird was pr ...

, and shares its appearance with the entry-level offering, called the Toyota Publica. The Tiara was introduced to sell alongside the Crown, as a smaller companion. Introduced in March 1960, the car was powered by a 1.0 L "P" series motor. With a three-speed manual transmission, top speed was a mere . In March 1961, Toyota introduced a more powerful 1.5-litre "R" series motor, the same motor from the Crown, and an even larger 1.9-litre engine was added in 1964. Fortunately for Toyota, the problems with the Crown were not seen on the Tiara as the lighter body ( less than the Crown) made the R series engine more sufficient. The Tiara station wagon was seemingly aimed at women, with many of the original brochures featuring only women in a dinner dress as well as playing golf. Nevertheless, it sold better than the Crown and had a lot fewer mechanical problems. The Tiara ended up being the only sedan sold by Toyota in the US until the reworked second-generation Crown appeared. By that time, the Tiara had been redesigned and given the Corona label from the

Japanese domestic market Japanese domestic market (JDM) refers to Japan's home market for vehicles and vehicle parts. There is a common misconception that any Japanese branded car is JDM; however, this is not true. Only a vehicle made in Japan specifically to be sold i ...

. A total of only 318 of these vehicles were sold in the US. In Australia the Tiara was produced in

Port Melbourne Port Melbourne is an inner-city List of Melbourne suburbs, suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the Cities of ...

, Victoria by

Australian Motor Industries Australian Motor Industries (AMI) was an automobile assembly firm that was significant in the early history of the automotive industry in Australia. Start of production The origins of Australian Motor Industries can be traced back to 1926 w ...

(AMI) starting from 1963. Two concept cars were shown at the 1963

Tokyo Motor Show The is a biennial auto show held in October–November at the Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), it is a recognized international show ...

– the Corona 1500S Convertible and the Corona 1900S Sporty Sedan. The Corona Sports Coupe was a

concept car A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...

shown at the 1963

– it shared little with the Corona except the suspension and the name. The load carrying variants, Coronaline van and pickup (technically a

coupé utility A coupé utility is a vehicle with a passenger compartment at the front and an integrated cargo tray at the rear, with the front of the cargo bed doubling as the rear of the passenger compartment. The term originated in the 1930s, where it wa ...

) were introduced in July and September 1960 with rigid axle semi-oval leaf spring rear suspension and 500 kg payload capacity, to fill commercial segment below the heavier capacity Toyota Stout.

Third generation (T40, T50; 1964)

The third generation was introduced September 1964, one month before the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this h ...

. It was available in sedan, two-door

hardtop A hardtop is a rigid form of automobile roof, which for modern cars is typically constructed from metal. A hardtop roof can be either fixed (i.e. not removable), detachable for separate storing or retractable within the vehicle itself. The ...

, three-door van, five-door

station wagon A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...

(also as a van), two

variants and a five-door

hatchback A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...

. The 40–43 series were reserved for sedans, while commercial vehicles (and wagons) were in the 46 and 47 series. Hardtops received 50–55 series model codes, while 56 was reserved for the five-door hatchback. The 1965 model marked a return of Toyota to the American market after withdrawing there temporarily in 1961. Toyota conducted a public demonstration of the new Corona's performance on the

Meishin Expressway The , or Nagoya-Kōbe Expressway is a toll expressway in Japan. It runs from a junction with the Tōmei Expressway in Komaki, Aichi (outside Nagoya) west to Nishinomiya, Hyōgo (between Osaka and Kobe). It is the main road link between Osaka an ...

, where the new model was tested to , and was able to sustain speeds of . Toyota released the Corona was released one year after the debut of the Corona's traditional competitor, the

Nissan Bluebird The is a compact car with a model name introduced in 1957. It has been Nissan's most internationally recognized sedan, in multiple body styles, and is known for its dependability and durability. The Bluebird originated from Nissan's first vehic ...

. In November 1966, Toyota introduced the

Corolla Corolla may refer to: *Corolla (botany), the petals of a flower, considered as a unit *Toyota Corolla, an automobile model name *Corolla (headgear) A ''corolla'' is an ancient headdress in the form of a small circlet or crown. Originally, commercial models (three-door van, coupé utility, and double-cab coupé utility) utilized the 1,198 cc 2P engine, with at 5,000 rpm. This allowed for a maximum load of for the two-seater versions and for the five-seaters. Heavier loads were better accommodated by the Toyota Stout, while larger commercial grade trucks became available at '' Toyota Diesel Store'' locations. 1967 also saw the debut of a

cab over Cab-over, also known as cab over engine (COE), cab forward (U.S.), flat nose (Canada), or forward control (UK), is a body style of truck, bus, or van that has a vertical front, "flat face" or a semi-hood, with the cab of the truck sitting ab ...

van equipped for both commercial and commuting duties using the Corona engines, called the Toyota HiAce, offering more payload than the Corona was suited for. The coupé utility was produced by the former Central Motors between October 1964 and August 1968. In July 1965 the 2-door hardtop coupé bodystyle was introduced. Top speed for the 1.2-litre Corona is . In January 1967 this also became available as a five-door van. In April 1967, the larger and more powerful 3P (1.35-litre) and 2R (1.5-litre) engines became available, replacing the lesser 2P in most markets. Power of these were respectively. The Toyota automatic transmission, marketed as ''Toyoglide'', was introduced on this version of the Corona. The 4R (12R in Australian versions) engine that had a displacement of 1587 cc was equipped with a twin SU carburetor (Australian models with 12R engine had one double barrel Aisin downdraft carburetor), and was capable of . Disc brakes were also introduced for the front wheels. Exports of this Corona proved popular in the US and Europe, with increased engine performance and durability improvements over previous versions. In September 1967 alone, Toyota produced 80,000 cars, with 30,000 being Coronas.

Toyota 1600GT (RT55)

In July 1965 Toyota introduced Japan's first 2-door

coupé, and August 1967 they installed the

DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...

9R engine in the RT55 1600GT. This engine used the 4R engine block borrowed from the Corona 1600S with a Yamaha built DOHC head derived from the 2.0 L '' 3M'' engine in the exotic 2000GT that was introduced May 1967, and produced 110 bhp.デアゴスティーニジャパン週刊日本の名車第5号23ページより。 The 1600GT was offered as a more affordable junior version of the larger, more exclusive 2000GT, and 2,222 examples of the 1600GT were manufactured in Bellatrix Yellow, Pegasus White, Solar Red, and Thunder Silver metallic. These were all colors that were offered on the 2000GT. Two manual transmissions were offered, a console housing a floor mounted 4-speed or optional 5-speed, and due to its sporting nature, no automatic transmission was offered. The interior only came in black, with reclining front bucket seats. The steering wheel matched the one used in the 2000GT, but the outer rim was wood grained plastic. It was Toyota's answer to the Isuzu Bellet GT, the Nissan Bluebird SSS and the Prince Skyline 2000GTB. While it used the Corona hardtop coupé body, it was not known as the Corona 1600GT, sharing a naming convention to the larger 2000GT. It inspired future generations of performance oriented coupes and sports cars offered, to begin with the Crown hardtop coupé in October 1968, the Corona Mark II GSS in 1970, the Celica GT, the Carina GT and the

Toyota Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

later in 1972, while a 2.0 liter DOHC engine continued to be offered in subsequent Corona GT coupés until 1983. On the front fenders, grilles were installed, and the inverted triangle found on the grille of the 2000GT is also installed on the 1600GT's grille.

Foreign assembly

The Corona was the first Toyota assembled in New Zealand, from February 1967 at Steel Brothers' Motor Assemblies in Christchurch. It was also built by

Shinjin Motor Shinjin Motors or Sinjin Motors ( ko, 신진자동차, ) is a defunct South Korean car manufacturer. A related bus manufacturer called "Shinjin Bus Manufacturing Company" was founded in 1955 as an independent company. It is now a part of Daewoo ...

in South Korea from 1966 until 1972. Shinjin Motor was a predecessor to

Daewoo Daewoo ( ; Hangul: , Hanja: , ; literally "great universe" and a portmanteau of "dae" meaning great, and the given name of founder and chairman Kim Woo-choong) also known as the Daewoo Group, was a major South Korean chaebol (type of conglomerat ...

and soon switched to assembling General Motors products. The Corona was also assembled by

in Melbourne, with the 12R engine. South African assemblies commenced in 1966, with the car reaching a fifteenth position on the 1967 sales charts.

Corona Mark II (T60, T70; 1968)

September 1968 saw the release of a larger model called the Corona Mark II. It was a slightly larger vehicle than the Corona with a higher level of equipment offered at the time, sharing some of the features of the larger Crown, but taking the top position at ''Toyopet Store'' locations. The Corona Mark II is longer, at over the Corona's length of for the sedan, and the coupe, with a width of in comparison to for the sedan and coupe. The height of the Mark II is lower at over for the sedan, but higher at for the coupé. After 1972, this was spun off as a separate platform, eventually dispensing with the "Corona" part of the name.

Fourth generation (T80, T90; 1970)

The T80 series Corona was introduced February 1970 and was a complete redesign, and was developed on a separate platform from the

Toyota Corona Mark II The is a compact, later mid-size sedan manufactured and marketed in Japan by Toyota between 1968 and 2004. Prior to 1972, the model was marketed as the Toyota Corona Mark II. In some export markets, Toyota marketed the vehicle as the Toyota Cre ...

, which became a larger, more comfortable and powerful car, where the Corona remained focused on fuel economy. Body styles were further reduced to a two-door hardtop coupé, a four-door sedan and station wagon. The engine continued to use an

on base level vehicles, and

SOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...

on better equipped versions and most of the two-door coupés. The engines used in the Mark II were often shared with the Corona. Trim levels originally offered were the 1500 standard or DX, 1600 DX, and the 1600 SL (although the 1900 cc 8R engine was offered in North America and South Africa). The 1.5 offered , while the 1.6 has depending on the spec. A slight change occurred in January 1971, when the 2R and 7R engines (RT80/82/86V) were replaced by the more powerful 12R and 6R units (RT81/84/87V). At the same time, the larger 1.9-litre RT83 was added to the lineup. A plethora of transmissions were offered, with a three-speed manual as standard. A four-speed manual with a floor-mounted lever was also available, as were two- or three-speed "Toyoglide" automatic transmissions, with the three-speed available with a floor-mounted shifter. Later on a five-speed manual was also made available in the sportier versions. The Corona was redesigned in August 1971, with the low-mounted wraparound turn signals removed and a new grille. Another, milder yet restyle appeared in August 1972, including new grilles and hubcaps. The Hardtop gained a two-litre engine at this time. Among the mechanical updates were electronic fuel injection installed on the 18R-E with a

engine design that appeared in the two-door coupé. The 18R-B had twin SU Carburetors, with an electronically controlled automatic transmission, labeled ECT.

Four-cylinder engine The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...

choices were pushrod 1.35 (van Standard only), 1.5, and 1.6-litre engines, and overhead-cam 1.7, 1.9, and 2.0-litre gasoline units. Vans (wagons) were sold with 1.35 3P or 1.5-litre 2R engines for the first year, but the 1.5 was replaced by the 1.6-litre 12R engine in January 1971. The 1.7-litre 6R engine was added to the lineup in September 1970, and became available in the van in September 1971. North America only received the Corona wagon in July 1972 (and only for the 1973 model year), as the two-litre RT89. A performance oriented in-house competitor called the Toyota Carina, close in size to the Corona and based on the

Toyota Celica The is an automobile produced by Toyota from 1970 until 2006. The Celica name derives from the Latin word '' coelica'' meaning 'heavenly' or 'celestial'. In Japan, the Celica was exclusive to the '' Toyota Corolla Store'' dealer chain. Pro ...

platform, was introduced in 1970. It was available at a different dealership sales channel called '' Toyota Store''. This generation of Corona was available at dealerships called ''Toyopet Store''. The Corona pick-up was no longer manufactured due to the introduction of the Hilux in 1969. Along with the August 1972 facelift, the Corona received the 2.0-litre engine which appeared in the 2000SL and the 2000SR with fuel injection. The 7R-engined RT82 was short-lived in Japan, only being available between February and September 1970, but in other markets it may have remained available until the introduction of the next Corona. In the United States, the 1970s were probably the Corona's high point, helped by the fuel crises of 1973 and 1979. Competition for sales continued from the

, and from a new competitor from the Mazda RX-2 in 1971, with an introduction to the US in 1972. As with the prior generation models offered were limited to the four-door sedan and the hardtop coupe for most of the run, with the wagon added only for 1973, the final model year of the generation. These models were assembled in New Zealand (by Steel's) and Australia (Australian Motor Industries or AMI). NZ models initially had a 1.5-litre OHV engine and four-speed manual and then the 6R 1.7-litre OHC engine. After the first facelift (new nose and tail, square instead of round instrument housings) for 1972, the 6R engine was again used. The 1972 facelift (another new grille) saw two models – 1.6-litre OHV with three-speed column-shift manual and bench front seat and 1.7-litre four-speed floor shift manual and high-back buckets. This version was badged 1700SE. Australian RT81s used the 1.6-litre OHV engine and four-speed manual. Local content was much higher than the NZ cars with local instruments and heater which meant, surprisingly for the climate, there were no centre air vents. The facelift AMI assembled model with the revised grille was released in November 1972, lasting to March 1974. A modified Corona was shown at the 1970

as the Electronics Car. Based on the Corona Hardtop 1700SL, it showed many electronic innovations but was not put into production.

Fifth generation (T100, T110, T120; 1973)

31 August 1973 saw the introduction of the Corona T100-Series, which continued to be built as a two-door or four-door

sedans A sedan or saloon (British English) is a passenger car in a three-box configuration with separate compartments for an engine, passengers, and cargo. The first recorded use of the word "sedan" in reference to an automobile body occurred in 19 ...

, a two-door

coupé A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...

(T110 chassis codes) and as a four-door

(marketed as a van for commercial use in Japan). Chassis codes 100–105 were reserved for sedans, with 106–109 for vans, the 110–115 was for the hardtop coupé while 116–119 was for the wagon versions. The 120-series model codes were used for late series face lifted models in the Japanese market fitted with the new emissions control TTC-C motors. The two-speed automatic was no longer offered. The face lift revised the hood and grille, and enlarged the tail lights. The station wagon featured optional wood panel body claddings. Engines were 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre

units. In North America, the 20R 2.2-litre engine was used. The high-performance 2000GT Sedan and Hardtop Coupé with 18R-G twin cam engine were only offered in Japan. Yamaha supplied the alloy head for these high performance normally aspirated engines fitted with twin Mikuni-Solex 40 mm side-draft carburettors and a compression ratio of 9.7:1. Gearbox was the Porsche-type syncromesh 5-speed P51 coupled to a 4.1 F series limited slip differential, giving a claimed top speed of . In 1972, a new set of performance coupes is introduced on the Corolla platform called the Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno. 1973 Toyota Corona 01

North American models had longer bumpers (hiding recoverable bumper shocks) to meet local impact standards; they gained standard radial tires in 1975. Side door impact upgrades were installed in all doors. This series also saw the standard (on some models) Electro Sensor Panel which monitored fluid and bulb status. As with earlier Coronas, some models had a shifter mounted on the steering column. Sales of the Corona continued to grow as a result of the

1973 oil crisis The 1973 oil crisis or first oil crisis began in October 1973 when the members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), led by Saudi Arabia, proclaimed an oil embargo. The embargo was targeted at nations that had su ...

. The two-door hardtop continued, with trim levels 1600GL, 1800SR and the 2000SR, with the coupé proving popular in the US but more popular yet in Japan. The two-door sedan, meanwhile, sold well in the United States but very little in Japan, and this was the last Corona to be offered in this bodystyle. The Corona saw new competitors in both Japan, Europe and the United States from the

Honda Accord The , also known as the in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of cars manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. ...

in 1976, and the Subaru DL in 1974. The advantage the Honda and Subaru had over the Corona was that both vehicles were

front-wheel-drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longi ...

, while the Corona was

rear-wheel-drive Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-wheel ...

. In response to the Japanese Governments passage of emission control regulations, Toyota introduced the

Toyota TTC Toyota TTC stands for Toyota Total Clean System, a moniker used in Japan to identify vehicles built with emission control technology. The technology was installed so that their vehicles would be in compliance with Japanese Government emission re ...

-V (Vortex) on the 19R engine only, using an

Exhaust gas recirculation In internal combustion engines, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is a nitrogen oxide () emissions reduction technique used in petrol/gasoline, diesel engines and some hydrogen engines. EGR works by recirculating a portion of an engine's exhaust ...

implementation. In Japan, the 12R-U engine was designed to run on LPG for taxi usage, starting in October 1975. To meet new emissions regulations the 1.6-litre 12R engine was replaced by the more modern 2T-J in commercial models. The 18R-E engine with fuel injection that was used in the 2000SL and 2000SR discontinued production due to emission issues. In November 1975, the 1800 saw the removal of the twin carburetors due to emission regulations, which meant the discontinuation of the 1800SR coupé. June 1976 saw the installation of a catalyst system included with the TTC-C system. January 1977 saw a minor appearance change to both the interior and exterior, with a revised grille and hood, as well as new headlight surrounds. The taillights were also modified; while still rectangular, they were less busy in appearance. New Zealand assembly began with 1.6 OHV, three-speed manual column shift and bench front seat and 1.8-litre 16R OHC four-speed manual bucket front seat options. Later, the 18R 2.0-litre OHC engine replaced the 1.8 and was also offered with a three-speed automatic, the first auto Corona in New Zealand. Australian models had the 18R from the start, as did South African ones.

Sixth generation (T130; 1978)

Introduced in Japan in September 1978, the T130 series Corona adopted a boxier design over the outgoing T100/110/120 series. It maintained the standard front-engine /

layout of all Coronas that preceded it. The T130 series was available in a wide range of body styles across various markets including a four-door sedan, two-door

coupe A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...

, four-door wagon and new five-door liftback, which featured a 40:60 split fold rear seat. The assignment of "T130" to all Corona body styles signified a new approach from having different series number identifiers for the various body styles. This was also the first Corona to be sold as a "Toyota" rather than a "Toyopet" in the Japanese domestic market. 1983 Toyota Corona (RT133) XX sedan (20151955750)

1983 Toyota Corona (RT133) XX sedan (20151955750)

1983 Toyota Corona (RT133) XX sedan (20331445642)

All models featured

MacPherson strut The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles, and is named for American automotive engineer Ear ...

independent front suspension as well as a four-link trailing arm rear suspension arrangement with a

Panhard rod A Panhard rod (also called Panhard bar, track bar, or track rod) is a suspension link that provides lateral location of the axle. Originally invented by the Panhard automobile company of France in the early twentieth century, this device has been ...

, except for the wagon, which used leaf springs, like the Corolla and Cressida wagons.

Disc brakes A disc brake is a type of brake that uses the calipers to squeeze pairs of pads against a disc or a "rotor" to create friction. This action slows the rotation of a shaft, such as a vehicle axle, either to reduce its rotational speed or to hold ...

were fitted as standard equipment on the front of all models. Rear disc brakes were fitted as standard on the 2000GT and 2000SL, which were not available to all international markets. Other models were fitted with rear

drum brakes A drum brake is a brake that uses friction caused by a set of shoes or pads that press outward against a rotating cylinder-shaped part called a brake drum. The term ''drum brake'' usually means a brake in which shoes press on the inner surfac ...

. The Corona range received a thorough facelift in August 1980, with new rearwards sloping rectangular headlights which gave it a more modern appearance at the front. The T130 series was manufactured with a wide range of engine and transmission combinations. 1.6-litre 12R, 2T (and associated 12T) and 2.0-litre 18R engines are the most common. The LPG-powered 12R engine became available in the Japanese domestic market in February 1979 and, along with the LPG-powered 5R engined model, continued to be built until August 1982. The rest of the Corona range was taken out of production for the Japanese market in December 1981. Amongst other minor changes, the 1.8-litre 3T / 13T engine was added in 1981 to replace the 1.6-litre 2T/12T. The North American Corona shared the 2.2-litre 20R engine with the Celica. Emission regulations passed in 1978 were applied across the range of models offered. The 1.8L engine was equipped with electronic fuel injection as well as the 2.0L engine. In Japan the venerable 2.0L 18R-G was offered in the range-topping 2000GT, developing 101 kW (135 hp) at 5800 rpm. The station wagon was, as usual at the time, marketed as a "light van" in Japan. This was registered as a commercial vehicle for certain tax benefits and less restrictive emissions standards. When introduced, the Corona Van was available as a 1600 (TT137V) or an 1800 (RT137V), both using engines not installed in the rest of the range. The ''2T-J'' in the 1600 Standard produces at 6000 rpm while the DX and GL models' 1.8-liter 16R offered at 5600 rpm but with considerably more torque. The 2T and 16R were both replaced by the newer ''12T-J'' engine in December 1979, reflecting newly tightened emissions standards for commercial vehicles in Japan. This model, the TT138V, produces at 5600 rpm. Production of the T130 ended in 1982, to be replaced by the T140 series.

Markets

;United States The T130 was the last Corona to be marketed in the US. It was offered as a sedan, wagon, or liftback with either Base or LE (Luxury Edition) equipment. In North America, the Corona was replaced for the 1983 model year by the similarly sized but

Camry sedan and five-door hatchback. Since then, the Camry has grown a size larger than the Corona and its sportier Carina sister car. The Corona was originally fitted with the 2.2-litre 20R engine, but along with a facelift for 1981 this was switched to the 2367 cc

22R The Toyota R family was a series of inline-four gasoline automobile engines. Designed for longitudinal placement in such vehicles as the Celica and Hilux and in production from 1953 through 1997, usage faded out as many of Toyota's mainstream ...

with at 4800 rpm. The facelift version received a rearward-sloping front end and a modestly restyled rear; North American cars received quad rectangular headlamps and a standard five-speed manual or an optional four-speed automatic. ;Australia To meet an 85 percent overall local parts content as a manufacturer,

Toyota Australia Toyota Australia is an Australian subsidiary of the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota. It markets Toyota products and manages motorsport, advertising and business operations for Toyota in Australia. It is also responsible for Lexus vehicles in A ...

chose to manufacture Corona sedans and wagons using 1.9-litre Holden ''Starfire'' engines. As installed by Toyota, the engine received some minor changes in the form of its own camshaft, manifold, and carburettor. In Toyota engine terminology it received ''1X'' badging and was coupled with a four-speed or optional five-speed

Borg-Warner BorgWarner Inc. is an American automotive supplier headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The company maintains production facilities and technical systems at 93 sites (as of June 6, 2022) in 22 countries worldwide and has around 49,000 employ ...

505. A three-speed automatic was also available. Period commenters universally criticized the antiquated Holden powerplant as rough, lacking power, and excessively thirsty. There was also a very well-equipped Corona XX, recognizable by its alloy wheels (shared with the Supra). In spite of its air of sports and luxury, the Corona XX received the Starfire engine, albeit here only with a five-speed manual. Boyce, p. 170 Beginning in 1980, Toyota Australia also imported the five-door Corona liftback fitted with Toyota's own, much more modern 2.0-litre ''18R-C'' engine with . Boyce, p. 171 In 1981 the Australian Corona received the same facelift as seen elsewhere, with a new rearward sloping front. Toyota's engineers also further modified the Holden engine in an effort to increase drivability and reliability, with new gaskets, valves, valve springs, and water pump. Outputs remained the same but the performance did increase marginally thanks to better engine response. The facelifted Corona XX now benefitted from an imported engine, the same 2-liter 21R-C as used in the Celica. ;New Zealand New Zealand assembly started with the 1.6-litre '' 12R'' engine and three-speed manual transmission with bench front seat, and 1.8-litre ''3T'' (TT132) with a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic. The 1.6-litre was soon changed to the newer ''2T'' engine, coupled with a four-speed manual and bucket front seats. Later in the run, Toyota NZ added a locally assembled Liftback version with the 1.8-litre engine and manual or automatic transmission. These models also had a standard radio and separate cassette deck—both were rare factory fittings in the country at the time. ;Indonesia In Indonesia, the locally built T130 Corona was available as a 2000 (RT132) from 1979. From 1981 it became available as an 1800 (TT132). It was then replaced by the X60-series

. The Corona returned to Indonesia with the T150-series Corona FF. File:1981 Toyota Corona (XT130) SE sedan (2016-01-04) 02.jpg, Toyota Corona (XT130) CS sedan (Australia, pre-facelift) Toyota Corona in Laos.jpg, Toyota Corona van (Laos) File:1979 Toyota Corona (XT130) SE station wagon (2015-06-15) 02.jpg, Toyota Corona (XT130) SE wagon (Australia, pre-facelift) File:1980 Toyota Corona (RT132) liftback (2015-09-12) 02.jpg, Toyota Corona (RT132) liftback (Australia, pre-facelift) Toyota Corona 1.8 DX Coupe 1980.jpg, Toyota Corona DX (TT131) coupe (Chile, pre-facelift) 1980 Toyota Corona (17570411728).jpg, Toyota Corona sedan (New Zealand, facelift) Toyota Corona Deluxe (rear), Gianyar.jpg, Toyota Corona Deluxe (TT132) sedan (Indonesia, facelift) Toyota Corona liftback rear.jpg, Toyota Corona LE (RT135) liftback (United States, facelift)

Seventh generation (T140; 1982)

The T140, which would become the longest running Corona series, entered production as a rear-wheel-drive sedan, coupé and wagon in January 1982. Manufacture by

continued until 1987, by which time the T150 series had already been released. The T140 series was also brought out in a diesel/LPG powered, high-roofed

taxicab A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choi ...

version which was particularly popular in Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore. The T140 was not exported to many markets where the T130 had been sold (such as Indonesia), with many importers choosing to hold out for the front-wheel-drive T150. Starting with this generation series, the Toyota Carina platform was altered from its original

beginnings to the Corona platform. The Corona remained exclusive to Japanese dealerships ''

'', and the Carina continued to be sold new only at ''Toyota Store'' locations in conjunction to the larger

. ;1982: ''1600 Standard, DX, GL, SL'' 4dr sedan, 2dr hardtop, 4dr liftback coupé (standard only sedan) 88 hp (12T-U) rigid rear axle 4-speed gearbox (SL 5-speed) brakes: front disc, rear drum ''1800 DX, GL, CX, LX, SL'' 4dr sedan, 2dr hardtop, 4dr liftback coupé 95 hp (13T-U) rigid rear axle 5-speed gearbox brakes: front disc, rear drum ''1800 EFI SL, EFI SX'' 4dr sedan, 2dr hardtop, 4dr liftback coupé 105 hp (3T-EU) rigid rear axle with anti-roll bar 5-speed gearbox brakes: front disc, rear disc ''2000 CX'' 4dr sedan, 2dr hardtop, 4dr liftback coupe 105 hp (21R-U) rigid rear axle with anti-roll bar 5-speed gearbox brakes: front disc, rear disc ''2000 GT II, GT'' 4dr sedan, 2dr hardtop, 4dr liftback coupé 135 hp (18R-GEU) rigid rear axle with anti-roll bar 5-speed gearbox brakes: front disc, rear disc ;1983 onwards: ''Standard, DX, GX'' 4dr sedans 83 hp (3A-U) ''GX, EX'' 4dr sedan/2dr hardtop 100 hp (1S-U) ''GT'' 4dr sedan/2dr hardtop 130 hp (4A-GE) ''GT-T, GT-TR'' 4dr sedan/2dr hardtop 160 hp (3T-GTEU) For the Japanese market only, the five-door wagon (called "Van") was available with a 1.5-litre 5K-J petrol engine, a 1.6-litre 12T-J petrol engine or a 1.8-litre 1C diesel engine. The petrol engines had either a 4-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic gearbox but the diesel engine had a 5-speed manual gearbox. Some wagons had five doors but no rear seat. European export versions received the ''2T'' four-cylinder, with DIN. There was also an 1.8-litre engine, as well as the 1.8-litre ''1C'' diesel unit, with a claimed DIN. The T140 Corona was not exported in large numbers to Europe, as most importers focused on the slightly smaller Carina and then the front-wheel-drive T150-series cars. After the late 1985 introduction of the T160 Corona coupe, the rear-wheel-drive coupé was discontinued. The sedan range was gradually whittled down and by May 1986 only the 1.5 and 1.8 (3A-U, 1S-U) remained, along with a 1.5 Van (KT147V) and a 1.8 Diesel Van. These continued to be available until the December 1987 introduction of the T170-series Corona. File:Toyota Corona 1983 2door.jpg, 1983 Corona coupe (Japan) File:Toyota Corona 2000GT.jpg, Toyota Corona 2000 GT Twin Cam (RT140, Japan) ;Australia For the Australian market, there were two models sold between 1983 and 1987: the ST141 with a 2.0-litre '' 2S-C'' and from 1984, the RT142, fitted with a 2.4-litre fuel-injected '' 22R-E''. Both models were available in either sedan or wagon body styles. The lower S and CS trim levels (2.0-litre) were fitted standard with a four-speed manual transmission (optional five-speed manual and three- or four-speed automatic). The top trim level was the 2.0-litre CS-X until November 1984 when replaced by the 2.4-litre CSi and luxury Avante models (2.0- and 2.4-litre). Toyota released a limited edition Olympic model in 1984, offering a full digital instrument cluster in either manual or automatic and in both sedan and wagon body variants. In 1985, a limited edition SR model was offered in white and manual transmission only with front and rear spoilers, white painted grille and side mirrors, white highlights in the tail lamps (instead of black), SR lettering on the boot lid, red exterior pinstriping, sports front seats with red pin stripes, and a three-spoke leather steering wheel. Toyota Australia introduced a facelift in November 1985. This included the addition the former CS-X grille insert for the S model and the Avante grille for the CS and CSi. There were also new wheels trims on all versions and revised tail lamp lenses. The pre-facelift models can be identified by tail lamps with dual black horizontal lines engraved along the base. The facelift models received lenses with a single, more subtle, horizontal line intersecting across the centre of the tail lights and a chrome strip at the base. Facelift CS and CSi wagons received a horizontal strip across the tailgate and additional black plastic mouldings surrounding the license plate. File:1985 Toyota Corona (ST141) CS sedan (2015-07-15) 02.jpg, Pre-facelift Toyota Corona CS sedan (ST141, Australia) File:1985 Toyota Corona (ST141) S station wagon (2009-09-17).jpg, Pre-facelift Toyota Corona S wagon (ST141, Australia) File:1986 Toyota Corona (RT142) CSi sedan (2009-01-03).jpg, Facelift Toyota Corona CSi sedan (RT142, Australia) File:1986 Toyota Corona Avante (RT142) sedan (2010-09-23) 02.jpg, Facelift Toyota Corona Avante sedan (RT142, Australia) File:1986 Toyota Corona (RT142) CSi station wagon (23023636890).jpg, Facelift Toyota Corona CSi wagon (RT142, Australia)

Taxi

The special-bodied taxi version was a spinoff of the T140, used specially as taxicabs in

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

, Hong Kong, Japan,

Macau Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

and Singapore. It was first introduced with the 1.8-litre 1C diesel engine in January 1982 (CT140).List of RT140 Coronas sold in Japan
Toyota Motor Co., No. 261150 In September a 1.8-litre LPG version (YT140) was added to the lineup. In addition to getting a new rear end and a taller, more upright roof line for a more comfortable rear seat, alterations were also made to the headlights and grille. While based on the T140, the front and rear sections took their design cues from the A60 Carina. In December 1986 the car underwent a light facelift, and the diesel option was upgraded to the 2-litre 2C version (CT141). The car was not generally sold for private use. After November 1991, the diesel option was no longer available for the Japanese market but was still available for export (e.g. Macau). Production only came to an end in April 1998, generally being replaced by the S150-series Crown (later renamed Comfort). This marked the end of the Corona taxi line. Most 140/141-series Corona taxis have been long replaced with newer vehicles; it did remain in common use for a long time in both Macau and Pakistan. File:タクシー仕様車 1986年12月仕様変更型日本仕様(1991年式).jpg, alt=, Corona (T140) taxi File:1982-1987 Toyota Corona (T140) 01.jpg, Corona (T140) taxi File:Toyota Corona (CT141) (rear), Sungai Besi.jpg, Corona (T140) taxi

Eighth generation (T150; 1983)

The T150 Corona was known as the Corona FF, selling alongside the more traditional and recently facelifted rear-wheel-drive Corona ( T140-series). Essentially a shortened version of the Camry, this was part of Toyota's very cautious approach to introducing front-wheel-drive vehicles. Toyota returned to a platform naming tradition, assigned to different body styles this generation was made available, abandoned in 1978. The Corona FF as introduced in January 1983 was only available with a five-door liftback body style, and only with the carburetted 1.8-litre 1S-LU inline-four. In October 1983 a more traditional four-door sedan was added, and the T150 gradually became the main part of the Corona lineup as the T140-series shrank in importance. In 1983, the T150 Corona became the first Japanese made car with digital color

liquid crystal Liquid crystal (LC) is a state of matter whose properties are between those of conventional liquids and those of solid crystals. For example, a liquid crystal may flow like a liquid, but its molecules may be oriented in a crystal-like way. Th ...

gauges. Along with the new bodystyle, more engines were also added: a smaller 1.5-litre 3A-LU at the bottom, while the 1.8 was now available with fuel injection (1S-ELU) and . There was also a two-litre diesel ( 2C-L) and the carburetted 1.8 was replaced by the central point injected 1S-iLU, with an extra five horsepower. In 1984, this chassis was also used as the basis for a new, front-wheel-drive version of the Carina sedan. In August 1985 the Corona underwent a small change, largely consisting of new, bigger taillights. Also new was the related Celica and Carina range. With a more sporting chassis and five-lug wheels (rather than four), this received the new T160 chassis code. This chassis, as well as the

twin-cam An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion c ...

two-litre 3S-GELU engine with (JIS) at 6400 rpm was used for the new Corona 2.0 GT and GT-R versions. A sporting 1.8 SX-R version (1S-ELU) of the 160-series sedan was also added in late 1985. ;Export markets The Corona hatchback was eventually dropped in Australia in 1983 in favour of the larger Camry and the previous-generation saloon and estate were dropped in 1987 to be replaced by the Toyota Camry#V20, but in New Zealand, Toyota continued to offer the Corona, assembled locally at Toyota's plant in

Thames, New Zealand Thames () ( mi, Pārāwai) is a town at the southwestern end of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand's North Island. It is located on the Firth of Thames close to the mouth of the Waihou River. The town is the seat of the Thames-Coromandel ...

. Initially, the T150 Corona was launched in New Zealand in 1983 as a hatchback only, to complement the previous generation T140 Corona saloon and estate which continued to be sold in the New Zealand market as in Australia. However, the T140 saloon was dropped in 1985 and the T150 Corona saloon was then launched to replace it. With suspension fettled by racer

Chris Amon Christopher Arthur Amon (20 July 1943 – 3 August 2016) was a New Zealand motor racing driver. He was active in Formula One racing in the 1960s and 1970s, and is widely regarded as one of the best F1 drivers never to win a championship Grand ...

, the New Zealand Coronas had carburetted 1.8s or a fuel-injected 2-litre engine. Later,

Toyota New Zealand Toyota New Zealand Limited is the importer and distributor of new Toyota and Lexus vehicles to New Zealand. It also imports used vehicles from Japan and refurbishes them at its former assembly plant in Thames. Until 1998 it also assembled ...

followed Australia's lead and eventually dropped the Corona in 1996, instead marketing the Australian-built Camry as its offering in the

mid-size Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in ...

segment of the market. Export-market Coronas were generally fitted with the 1.6-litre 4A engine, but in many markets (New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Latin America) the T150 Corona was also available with 2.0-litre engines. In Southeast Asia, the 1.6 EX-Saloon with no emissions gear (4A-L) produces at 5600 rpm. In Indonesia, the original T150 was sold as the Corona GL and after the 1985 facelift it became the Corona EX-Saloon (AT151). Toyota's large family car lineup in Europe was quite confusing when looking over the past 25 years. The 1970 through 1983 Carina sister models had been sold in most of Europe, but in 1984 they were replaced with the " Carina II" – which was really the 1983 model Corona as sold in Japan with alterations to the headlights, grille and trim (the Carina in Japan at that time was a similar but boxier vehicle.)

Corona Coupé (T160; 1985–1989)

When the Celica was realigned from its former Toyota "A-series" RWD platform to share the Corona "T-series" FWD platform, the Celica notchback was rebranded as the Corona Coupé in Japan, which was identical to the internationally available Celica version with the only difference being the removal of the retractable headlights in favour of conventional fixed items. This replaced the rear-wheel-drive T140 Corona Coupé, leaving only a few vans and sedans in the RWD Corona lineup. The T160-series cars have a somewhat longer wheelbase as well as a wider track (front and rear) than the Celica version available elsewhere in the world. The Corona Coupé remained exclusive to ''Toyopet Store'' Japanese dealerships along with the larger, all new

Toyota Soarer The is a personal luxury GT coupé produced from 1981 to 2005 by Toyota and sold in Japan. It was available at both Japanese Toyota dealerships called ''Toyota Store'' and ''Toyopet Store'', and it debuted with the Z10 series, replacing the ' ...

, while the Celica liftback and convertible remained at ''Toyota Corolla Store'' locations. The Corona Coupé was manufactured from 1985 until 1989. In 1994 it was belatedly replaced by the

Toyota Curren The is a sport compact coupé built by Toyota from 1994 to 1998. It is based on the T200 series Celica chassis. It shared the same interior and rear end design as the Celica coupé. Instead of having four round headlamps like the Celica, it ha ...

and sold at '' Toyota Vista Store'' locations. The Corona Coupé came with three engines; the SOHC 1.8-litre 1S-iLU and two twin-cams, the 1.6-litre 4A-GELU or the 2-litre 3S-GELU. Chassis codes are ST160, AT160, and ST162. In May 1988 the 1.8-litre engine was replaced by the twin-cam 4S-FiLU.

Ninth generation (T170; 1987)

The Corona and the Toyota Carina continued to increase in size as its popularity grew. Because of Japanese taxation laws, both models got to the maximum permitted for a lower tax bracket, and in the 1980s and early 1990s, the cars were the same size. The previous generation ST160 Corona Coupé did not update with this generation, and was not replaced until 1993, when it was renamed as the

. For this generation, the new Corona EXiV four-door hardtop would have to do for those looking for something extra. This was the last generation to offer the Corona GT to Japanese buyers, equipped with Toyota's

active suspension An active suspension is a type of automotive suspension on a vehicle. It uses an onboard system to control the vertical movement of the vehicle's wheels relative to the chassis or vehicle body rather than the passive suspension provided by large sp ...

technology called TEMS included with their "PEGASUS"-branded four-wheel independent suspension and "LASRE"-branded multi-port fuel injection technology on the 3S-GELU engine. The five-door Corona liftback was sold as the "Corona SF" in Japan, in a much smaller lineup than the four-door sedan. The five-door model proved much more popular in Europe, where, confusingly, it was marketed as the Carina II. The sedan and a wagon were also part of the Carina II lineup, which was a rebadged Corona rather than the T170 Carina sold in Japan. The lightly restyled Carina T170 series derivative was launched in Japan in December 1987. A limited production Corona was sold only in Japan in May 1990, to celebrate 10 million Corona's having been sold, called the Corona Super Roomy. It added to the wheelbase, and was limited to 500 units.

Corona EXiV (T180)

The T180 series Corona was introduced as the Toyota Corona EXiV which was shared with a Carina twin, called the Toyota Carina ED. According to Toyota, the letters ''EXiV'' derived from the words EXtra impressiVe. The Corona EXiV followed from the successes of the Corona Coupé, by introducing a sleek appearance of a low-slung coupé, while adding two more doors, in the tradition of a four-door coupé. Built on the same version of the Corona chassis as that used for the Celica, this was a continuation of the sporting T160 series Corona although it now received its own bodywork.

Tenth generation (T190; 1992)

Introduced in March 1992, the new Corona made its European debut at

Geneva Motor Show The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by t ...

. In Europe, the Corona was known as the Toyota Carina E and it replaced the Carina II (T170). The Carina E was built at Toyota's new factory at Burnaston, near

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby g ...

, England, United Kingdom, but the early cars and all GT-i models were built in Tsutsumi, Japan. The cars were imported in Europe from the third quarter of 1992 until the opening of the Burnaston factory in December that year. For the Japanese domestic market, the Corona's platform twin the Carina received different bodywork. This generation of Corona received a redesign to be larger, heavier, and have the completely rounded, aerodynamic shape of the 1990s. The exterior dimensions and engine sizes remained in compliance with Japanese size regulations so as to continue to offer a product for Japanese buyers wanting to reduce their annual tax liability. The five-door model was called the Corona SF in Japan, while the station wagon had become a separate line there, from 1993, called the Toyota Caldina. The T190 is the last Corona for most export markets. It was marketed as Corona "Absolute" in Indonesia, or Corona Exsior in the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand. In mainland Europe, the Carina E was offered in XL and GL trim levels, but in the UK they were marketed as Xi (1.6-litre), XLi (1.6, 1.8-litre), SLi (1.8-litre), GLi (1.6, 1.8, 2.0-litre), GTi (2.0-litre, no estate) and Executive (2.0-litre, no estate) between 1992 and 1996. Diesels were available as the 2.0-litre XLD and GLD trims. From 1996, the S (1.6-litre, hatchback only), GS (1.6, 1.8-litre), CD (1.6, 1.8, 2.0-litre), and CDX (1.8, 2.0-litre) trims replaced the previous trim level scheme. Diesels were now the 2.0-litre GS and GL trims. The high performance GT-i with 3S-GE engine was offered in small numbers in certain European countries. All versions (apart from GTi/Executive) were available as a four-door saloon, five-door hatchback or five-door estate car. Badged as a Carina, this was the 1993

Semperit Irish Car of the Year The Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year award was established in 1978 based on similar Car of the Year awards. It is organised and judged by the Motoring Media Association of Ireland (MMAI), a grouping of motoring journalists in Ireland. The aw ...

. It was also sold in New Zealand, but not in Australia. The exteriors were the same as the European Carina E. The

variant was a

badge-engineered In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a ma ...

Toyota Caldina and also similar to Carina E. The sedans and liftbacks were assembled in

, while the wagon was imported fully built up from Japan. The locally assembled cars also received special spring and damper combinations (again developed by racer

) as well as some other changes. In the Philippines, the Corona was only available with the 2.0-litre ''3S-FE'' engine throughout its production from 1993 to 1998. Early examples of the Corona T190 (ST191) looks similar to the 1992 Japanese spec model. It only has the 2.0 EX Saloon variant, with a choice of a 5-speed

manual Manual may refer to: Instructions * User guide * Owner's manual An owner's manual (also called an instruction manual or a user guide) is an instructional book or booklet that is supplied with almost all technologically advanced consumer ...

or a 4-speed

automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving ...

. The 1995 model has the facelifted exterior, having the front and rear bumpers with the black trim, and the standard three-piece rear spoiler. The Exsior was introduced in 1996, this time with extended bumpers and red/amber tail lights and garnish. Another variant of the Corona Exsior was the LE, which had genuine leather seats, faux dash wood panel, and electronic air purifier/ionizer as standard equipment. Production in Japan ended in 1995, but in Europe it lasted until the end of 1997, when it was replaced by the

Avensis The is a mid-size/large family car built in Derbyshire, United Kingdom by the Japanese automaker Toyota from October 1997 to August 2018. It was the direct successor to the European Carina E and was available as a four-door saloon, five-door l ...

, which was also built at Burnaston. It lasted until in 1998 for Southeast Asian market and then replaced with the

Toyota Camry (XV20) The Toyota Camry (XV20) is a mid-size car that was sold by Toyota between September 1996 and 2001 in Japan and North America, and 1997 and 2002 in Australia. Introduced on 3 September 1996, the XV20 series represented the fourth generation of the ...

Gallery

;Corona Toyota Corona 2.0 GLi (ST191) rear.jpg, Pre-facelift Corona 2.0 GLi (Turkey) Toyota coronasf 2.0typeii r.jpg, Pre-facelift Corona SF 2.0 Type II (Japan) T190 Toyota Corona.jpg, First facelift Corona (Japan) Toyota Corona Absolute (front), Denpasar.jpg, Second facelift Corona "Absolute" (Indonesia) Toyota Corona Absolute (rear), Denpasar.jpg, Second facelift Corona "Absolute" (Indonesia) ;Carina E File:1993 Toyota Carina E DXL 2.0 (1).jpg, Pre-facelift Carina E 2.0D XL saloon (UK) File:1992 Toyota Carina E 2.0 GLi.jpg, Pre-facelift Carina E 2.0 GLi saloon (UK) File:Toyota Carina E GLi.jpg, Pre-facelift Carina E GLi liftback (Europe) File:02.10.2007 19 44 12 dscn0950.jpg, Facelift Carina E saloon (Europe) File:1997 Toyota Carina E 1.6 S (13146010694).jpg, Facelift Carina E 1.6S liftback (UK) File:Lee Brookes 1996 BTCC.jpg, BTCC Carina E built to

Super Touring Super Touring, Class 2 or Class II was a motor racing Touring Cars category defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for national touring car racing in 1993. It was based on the "2 litre Touring Car Formula" created ...

Car regulations.

Corona EXiV (T200)

The T200 series Corona was sold as the continuation of the Toyota Corona EXiV hardtop sedan, while the Corona Coupé's successor was relocated to ''Toyota Vista Store'' locations and reintroduced as the

. The EXiV was available with three different engines, all multiple-point fuel injected 16-valve twin cam inline-fours: the 1838 cc ''4S-FE'' and the 1998 cc ''3S-FE'' or ''3S-GE''. Power outputs are , , and respectively. The 3S-GE benefitted from a higher state of tuning, a forged crankshaft, and a

variable-length intake manifold In internal combustion engines, a variable-length intake manifold (VLIM),variable intake manifold (VIM), or variable intake system (VIS) is an automobile internal combustion engine manifold technology. As the name implies, VLIM/VIM/VIS can vary ...

system (called ACIS by Toyota). The 3S-engined cars carry the ST202 chassis code, while the 1.8-liter, 4S-engined ones are called ST200. File:Toyota CORONA EXiV 2.0TR-X (E-ST202) front.jpg, Pre-facelift Corona EXiV 2.0TR-X File:Toyota CORONA EXiV 2.0TR-X (E-ST202) rear.jpg, Pre-facelift Corona EXiV 2.0TR-X File:Toyota Corona Exiv 1993 Front.jpg, Facelift Corona EXiV File:Toyota Corona Exiv 1993 Rear.jpg, Facelift Corona EXiV

Caldina (1992)

The first Toyota Caldina was the five-door wagon or commercial van version of the four-door sedan Toyota Corona in Japan. The wagon has independent strut rear suspension while the commercial wagon has semi-independent leaf springs. The wagon/van was given its own identity, whereas previous station wagon versions were named Corona. The Caldina was introduced as a successor to the Corona and Carina wagons, and was sold at Toyota Japanese dealerships '' Toyota Store'' and ''Toyopet Store'' locations. The Caldina was introduced after the

Subaru Legacy The is a mid-size car built by Japanese automobile manufacturer Subaru since 1989. The maker's flagship car, it is unique in its class for offering all-wheel drive as a standard feature, and Subaru's traditional boxer engine. The Legacy was sol ...

wagon and the Nissan Avenir wagon. For the European market, the Caldina was sold as the Carina E wagon. In New Zealand, it was sold as the Corona wagon.

Eleventh generation (T210; 1996)

Corona Premio (T210; 1996)

A final, tenth generation was built between 1996 and 2001 for the Japanese market, with one particular model called the Toyota Corona Premio that was spun off into an independent model called the Premio (coded ST210), with the Allion following after the Carina after 2001. The Corona Premio was offered as Base Premio, Premio E, and Premio G. Four-cylinder engine choices are 1.6-litre ''4A-FE'', 1.8-litre lean burn ''7A-FE'', and 2.0-litre ''3S-FE''. Diesel engines offered were 2.0-litre ''2C-T'' and later on replaced by more economical 2.2-litre ''3C-T''. This is the last model using Corona name in Japan. The automatic model of the Corona Premio came with three selectable driving modes for its electronically controlled transmission: Normal, ECT PWR (power mode), and ECT MANU (manual mode). File:Toyota Corona Premio 1998 front.JPG, Corona Premio (Japan; facelift) File:Toyota Corona Premio 1998 rear.JPG, Corona Premio (Japan; facelift) File:Toyota Corona PREMIO E.jpg, Corona Premio (Taiwan; facelift) File:TOYOTA CORONA PREMIO TAIWAN 02.JPG, Corona Premio (Taiwan; facelift)

Caldina (1997)

Sharing a platform with the T210 series Toyota Corona and Toyota Carina, the Caldina is the Japanese version of the

, which replaced the Carina E in Europe. The 4WD models are coded ST215, and are offered as Active Sports GT with the 3S-GE engine. The top-of-the-line GT-T came with the turbocharged 4th generation 3S-GTE engine, and included an all-wheel-drive system similar to the Toyota Celica GT-Four. The GT-T also came with optional electronic stability control(VSC) (standard on Active Sports versions). The Aerial version features a large sunroof and contoured roof racks as standard. Weighing , the Caldina GT-T offers similar performance to a Subaru WRX wagon achieving 0–100 km/h in 7 seconds. A refresh was given in 2000 with new bumpers and lamps a refreshed interior and extra lug added to the turbo manifold to stop the warping issue common on earlier GT-T models. Engines for lesser models are the 1.8 L 7A-FE, the 2.0 L gasoline 3S-FE, and the 2.2 L diesel 3C-TE.

South America (T220; 1997)

For the subsequent model series, the T220, the Corona name was dropped. It was built as sedan, liftback and wagon. Only the wagon was sold in Japan as the Caldina built on the T210 platform. The sedan and liftback were mainly sold in Europe as

, and the lower grade model for

taxi A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choic ...

called Corona. Four-cylinder engines for the Avensis is 1.6, 1.8, 2.0 gasoline, and diesel. The Corona Taxi has turbo diesel. In South America, the Avensis is renamed Corona and powered by 2.0-litre 3S-FE engine. This is the last Corona, and the third-generation Caldina was built on the new T240 platform, which was also used in the Allion and Premio.

References

External links

Toyota History

(Toyoland)

{{Toyota timeline (North America) 1980–2009 Corona Cars of Australia Cars introduced in 1957 Compact cars Coupés Front-wheel-drive vehicles Hatchbacks Mid-size cars Police vehicles Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Sedans Station wagons Taxi vehicles 1960s cars 1970s cars 1980s cars 1990s cars 2000s cars