The Toyota Corolla Hybrid has been unveiled in Australia, but it’s not what you’d expect. Unlike the Chinese market Corolla/Levin Hybrid sedans, the car offered Down Under is essentially a rebadged Auris Hybrid – the cooking version of which is sold in Australia as the Corolla hatch.
It’s the same story under the bonnet. Whereas the Chinese models make do with a 1.5 litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain – producing a total system output of 99 hp – from the Toyota Prius c, the Aussie one gets the bigger, more powerful 1.8 litre Dual VVT-i engine from the full-sized Prius, making 98 hp at 5,200 rpm and 142 Nm at 4,000 rpm.
Fitted with a 60 kW (80 hp) electric motor, a nickel-metal hydride battery and an eCVT, the Corolla Hybrid hatch delivers a net total of 134 hp – the same as the third-generation Prius. The car also has a pure electric range of up to two kilometres, and it can be driven in this mode at speeds of up to 45 km/h.
Sold as a single variant, the Corolla Hybrid hatch is fully-equipped with features such as bi-LED headlights, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a Toyota Link infotainment system and navigation. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid will go on sale in Australia in the middle of this year.
The post Toyota Corolla Hybrid – an Auris Hybrid for Australia appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
