Toyota Corolla: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Showing potential right from the beginning, let's dive into the history of Corolla in light of Toyota hitting the 50 millionth mark for the sales of the model. 

The first generation of the Corolla was introduced right as Japan and Malaysia were just beginning to motorise. 

Following that, Toyota was one of the first to respond when the government called for car manufacturers to construct their products in Malaysia. The company had the most suitable model for the cause, the Corolla. 

The company had approached Champion Motors, an assembly plant in Shah Alam, for the assembly of the Corolla. This assembly plant would later be known as Assembly Services Sdn Bhd (ASSB). 

According to Toyota, once introduced in 1968, the Corolla made up of an increasing percentage of vehicles coming out of ASSB, leading to the model becoming a bestseller in the country. Not only that, the company also made it to be the number one brand in Malaysia by the 1970s!  

Did you know that out of 50 million units sold worldwide, 300,000 units of the Corolla were sold in the Malaysian market?

Despite most generations of the model being assembled in the country, the Corolla was imported in CBU form from Thailand in 2008. Some of the different variants offered at the time were the sedan, station wagon and the Corolla Liftback. 

The target market for the vehicle was vast. Therefore it was also offered at an affordable price. The car was known to have a more premium feel, advanced technology, and good value for money despite it initially being an entry-level model. 

This revealed the ninth generation model, the Corolla Altis, that emphasised quality, luxury, and even size. 

The Corolla was so popular that it accounted for 6 percent of total sales of Toyota vehicles in Malaysia between 2010 and 2020. Its 10th generation model became the bestselling generation in the country, where 40,000 units were sold between 2006 and 2013. 

“The success of the model was due to it being a new standard of automotive excellence in this class of cars, offering customers a dynamic and advanced sedan with luxurious styling. There were also higher levels of safety, and the model was friendlier to the environment,” said UMW Toyota Motor president Ravindran K. 

“Each generation, right from the very first, has been a contributor in the brand transformation. From the first generation, which began the motorisation for the masses, to the latest generation, which was the basis of the transformation, the Corolla has always been in sync with the changes in society and the economy of Malaysia,” he added.

In addition, 63 percent of customers upgraded their old model for a new model upon the launch. Toyota customers were always confident that the vehicle had the best value for money, was most reliable, durable, and had good resale value. 

Today, the model is equipped with the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) and equipped with more advanced safety features and better connectivity. 

Since the 1980s, Toyota has maintained one of the best aftersales services. The company was the first to set up a division exclusively for customer care and manage customer relations.

Can you believe that the Corolla has been around for 55 years? 

Due to the company’s effort in making sure the vehicle caters to Malaysian customers’ changing tastes and lifestyles, the Corolla has evolved through many generations. For example, the latest model is the Corolla Cross, introduced last year after a surge in popularity for SUVs. 

“The Corolla is a global, high-quality vehicle that transcends class, as it has always been. In more than 50 years and over 12 generations, it has brought the joy of ownership to tens of thousands of customers throughout Malaysia,” said UMW Toyota Motor deputy chairman Akio Takeyama.