Auto China 2014 begins today, but ahead of that our team on the ground in Beijing has served up these shots of the latest-gen Chinese-market Toyota Corolla, which we now know is called the Toyota Levin (Australia uses the same name for its Corolla hatch). The car is apparently being displayed at several spots around China; the location where this example is located is the Kerry Hotel in Beijing.
Reports out of China suggest that there will be two distinct versions of the Corolla on sale in the Middle Kingdom – the Levin you see here comes from Guangqi-Toyota, while FAW-Toyota (the other Toyota joint-venture in China) will sell a Corolla that's similar to our Corolla Altis (ASEAN and Europe). It could be that the former will be targeted at younger buyers while the latter will aim for the more conservative set.
This Guangqi-Toyota Levin has a different face from the US Corolla and our ASEAN Corolla Altis. There's a slim front grille with a huge chrome slab that continues over the top of the new-shape headlamps (appear to be a cross between the US Corolla's hawk-eye shape and the ASEAN Corolla Altis' wide wrap-around). The lower intake is trapezoidal-shaped like the non-S-grade US Corolla, but features a chrome surround.
The Levin's rear is quite similar to the US Corolla's – boot and rear bumper are the same, down to the shut lines. However, the Toyota logo here has been moved up to make way for the huge chrome slab that bridges the tail lamps, themselves of a very slightly different shape from the US Corolla's, and with different graphics too. Also, the US Corolla's tailpipe pokes straight out of the rear bumper; the Levin's tailpipe curves downwards.
Length, width, height and wheelbase are respectively 4,630, 1,775, 1,480 and 2,700 mm – 20 mm shorter (horizontally) and 25 mm taller (vertically) than the US Corolla, and 10 mm longer (horizontally) and 20 mm taller (vertically) than our Altis. Interior? Pretty much status quo, although the digital clock sits on the right of the air vents, instead of dead centre as in our Altis, and the car features a twin instrument dial layout (two layouts are available globally, as can be seen here)
According to Chinese reports, the Guangqi-Toyota Levin will come with a choice of 1.6 and 1.8 litre engines, plus five-speed manual and CVT gearboxes. The car's expected to turn up at the show in Beijing, which is just about to open its doors to the press, so sit tight for more details!
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