2027 Toyota Corolla.

Toyota unveiled a shockinly impressive Corolla Concept last year. It was even futuristic. Something completely unexpected from a model that has traditionally played it very safe. If the production version ends up looking anything like this concept, it could easily overshadow more conservative designs like the current Honda Civic sedan. The Japanese illustrations above show what a production version of the concept could look like. As a sedan and wagon. Which is still a very popular body style for the Corolla outside of the US.

These illustrations follow pretty closely the concept design.

The concept, with its charging port, strongly suggested this could be an electric vehicle. Or at the very least, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). Which would be a very logical evolution for the next Corolla. Electrification is spreading very quickly across Toyota’s lineup, and it would make perfect sense for its most famous compact sedan to move further in that direction.

The Toyota Corolla has been one of the best-selling cars in the world for decades. The current 12th generation debuted back in March 2018. That means it’s getting close to the end of its normal product cycle. A brand-new generation should be arriving fairly soon, especially as competitors continue to update their own compact offerings with newer platforms, improved tech, and more efficient powertrains.

In the U.S., sedans are not as dominant as they once were. Crossovers and SUVs now lead the market. And Corolla sales aren’t as high as they were during peak years like 387,000 units in 2006 or 378,000 in 2016. Still, the current Corolla remains surprisingly strong. Over 232,000 units were sold in the U.S. last year alone. That’s quite impressive for a model that first appeared in 2018. It’s also only about 10,000 units behind the Civic, which benefits from being newer and heavily updated.

Beyond these updates, the biggest change could come from Toyota’s all-new 1.5-liter engine. However, these new engines may not arrive until the fully redesigned generation appears. Toyota has been very clear that it is investing heavily in next-generation internal combustion technology, especially when paired with hybrid systems.

The new 1.5-liter unit is expected to power an improved hybrid setup. And possibly an all-new PHEV version as well. Toyota claims the engine is about 10% smaller than the one it replaces, while delivering better fuel efficiency and increased performance. That combination should help the Corolla stay competitive in a segment where efficiency numbers matter more than ever.

Toyota also previewed a new 1.5-liter turbo engine at a press conference last year. It was described as being roughly 20% smaller than the current 2.5-liter engine found in many Toyota models. That could mean it will eventually replace the larger 2.5-liter across several vehicles. A new 2.0-liter turbo was also shown and compared to today’s 2.4-liter turbo. Clearly, Toyota is focused on downsizing without sacrificing output.

Of course, comparing a 1.5-liter to a 2.5-liter or a 2.0-liter to a 2.4-liter makes the efficiency argument seem obvious. Smaller engines are naturally more compact and potentially more efficient. But the real message here is that Toyota wants everyone to know it’s still developing advanced ICE engines. Even if most of them will primarily serve as part of hybrid powertrains. These new engines are also expected to be shared with Mazda and Subaru models, again mainly in hybrid applications.

With a possible PHEV trim and maybe even a fully electric version on the horizon, it will be very interesting to see whether Toyota decides to go “full hybrid” with the next-generation Corolla in the U.S. Just like it recently did with the Toyota Camry. If that happens, the Corolla could enter a completely new chapter.

One that blends bold design, smaller turbo engines, and widespread electrification in a way we haven’t seen before from this familiar nameplate.