The History of the Toyota Corolla Taxi
The Toyota Corolla is a firm favourite amongst taxi drivers after being introduced almost sixty years ago.
Now in its 12th generation, over 50 million Toyota Corolla cars have been sold worldwide as of summer 2021.
We’re exploring the Toyota Corolla's history in more detail and seeing exactly why it’s such a good taxi option.
Table of Contents
1. When and where was the Toyota Corolla created?
3. What makes the Toyota Corolla a good taxi?
When and where was the Toyota Corolla created?
The first-generation Toyota Corolla was announced in 1966 and the first production model followed in 1967.
It was manufactured at the original Takaoka Plant in Japan which opened in November 1966. The plant was built in Toyota City to accommodate the production of the first Toyota Corolla.
Toyota Corolla timeline
Toyota Corolla 1st generation: 1966 – 1970
In 1966, Toyota announced details of the first-generation Toyota Corolla. It was marketed to the public as a people’s car. It offered the choice of a two or four-door saloon or a two-door estate.
The first-generation Toyota Corolla offered features usually only found on higher-spec models.
Just three years after its release, the Toyota Corolla became Japan’s best-selling vehicle.
Toyota Corolla 2nd generation: 1970 – 1974
Toyota was keen to build upon the success of the first-generation model and encourage customers to become loyal to the brand.
The second-generation Toyota Corolla offered enhanced comfort and driving performance. As well as a bigger body style. With Japan’s economy booming, production was ramped up on the Toyota Corolla.
This led to a milestone of one million production units by June 1970.
Toyota Corolla 3rd generation: 1974 – 1979
Dubbed the ultimate family car, the third-generation Toyota Corolla set a new safety and comfort standard.
But it still maintained its affordable price tag and low running costs that Corolla fans knew and loved.
In 1974 it was crowned the world’s best-selling car, surpassing the Volkswagen Beetle.
Toyota Corolla 4th generation: 1979 – 1983
After a worldwide oil crisis, the Japanese economy was finally recovering. With disposable income rising, Toyota capitalised on this. They released the fourth-generation Toyota Corolla in 1979.
The re-designed model had to adapt to the changing needs of the public. People were seeking more fuel-efficient cars in the aftermath of the oil crisis. So that’s exactly what Toyota did.
It offered an efficient aerodynamic design and improved engine range. A diesel engine was also introduced to meet the growing demand for better fuel economy.
Toyota Corolla 5th generation: 1983 – 1987
Toyota hit a production milestone of million units in 1983. Just two months afterwards, the fifth-generation Toyota Corolla was announced.
It was the biggest change in the Toyota Corolla’s history and ushered in a new age of front-wheel-drive.
The fifth generation of the Toyota Corolla showcased the latest technology, as well as improved space and styling. These improvements would help Toyota reach a new younger demographic.
Toyota Corolla 6th generation: 1987 – 1991
The sixth generation of the Toyota Corolla saw a complete facelift on the popular model.
It needed to accommodate the growing needs of drivers in the mid-1980s. Drivers were no longer just looking to get from A to B in a car. They wanted a car that provided a high-quality experience that enhanced their lifestyle.
The new model offered prioritised luxury on the interior and exterior. In the range, there were hatchback, liftback, saloon, and estate body styles.
Toyota Corolla 7th generation: 1992 – 1997
For the first time, Toyota offered a five-door hatchback on the Toyota Corolla in the UK. It was the biggest, fastest, safest, quietest – and most refined Toyota Corolla to date.
When the seventh generation Toyota Corolla was released in 1992, it continued its reign as the world’s best-selling car. On average, 4,300 models were produced each day.
Toyota Corolla 8th generation: 1997 – 2002
In Europe, Toyota introduced a newly designed Toyota Corolla. It was the first Corolla built in Derbyshire by Toyota Manufacturing UK.
The eighth-generation Toyota Corolla was also the first to offer new VVT-i petrol engines.
Hatchback, liftback, and estate models were available as part of the line-up. In 2000, Toyota revised the model to include new styling and grade structures.
Toyota Corolla 9th generation: 2002 – 2007
The new millennium saw Toyota re-think the design of the Corolla. To accommodate the needs of modern drivers, five different body styles were available.
In 2004, the Toyota Corolla was revised with improved styling, performance, and equipment.
Toyota Corolla 10th & 11th generation: 2007 – 2018
From 2007 – 2018, the Toyota Corolla was renamed to the Toyota Auris in Europe. Toyota felt that the new generations were more closely aligned with the existing Toyota Yaris and Toyota Avensis.
The tenth generation of the Toyota Corolla produced from 2007 – 2012 was the first full-production hybrid model in Europe.
While the eleventh-generation model produced from 2013 – 2018 re-introduced an estate model to the line-up.
Toyota Corolla 12th generation: 2019 – present
That brings us up to speed with the latest generation Toyota Corolla. In production since 2019, the Corolla was re-introduced into Europe – dropping the Auris name.
The latest generation model has a more powerful 2.0-litre self-charging hybrid engine. In the range, there are hatchback, Touring Sports, and saloon models available.~
Boasting a new dynamic exterior, it also uses the high-tech TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform.
What makes the Toyota Corolla a good taxi?
The Toyota Corolla is a great choice for taxi drivers. The self-charging hybrid engine maximizes efficiency and lowers your running costs.
Depending on the level of features you need there are three trims available. These are Toyota Corolla Icon, Toyota Corolla Design, and Toyota Corolla Excel.
If you need plenty of space for passengers and luggage, the Toyota Corolla hybrid estate taxi is the ideal choice. In the 1.8 litre Corolla estate, there’s 596 litres of space and a slightly lower 581 litres in the 2.0 litre version.
You can also benefit from the latest driver, safety, and connectivity features. For more information on what makes the Toyota Corolla a good taxi, read our article here.
Toyota Corolla award wins
The Toyota Corolla has racked up an impressive number of award wins. Most recently, the Corolla Hybrid Estate was named Best Hybrid Medium Estate in the 2023 Electrified Top 50 Awards.
It was also given a five-star What Car? rating cementing its status as a great taxi choice.
Buy a new Toyota Corolla taxi from The Taxi Centre
At The Taxi Centre, we stock a wide range of Toyota Corolla taxis. Our strong supplier relationships allow us to offer competitive pricing on the Toyota Corolla range.
We can also help make your new Toyota Corolla taxi more affordable with our taxi finance options.
Get in touch with our expert team today and start your Toyota Corolla taxi journey.