Out of that number, some 300,000 units have been sold in Malaysia.
The Corolla made its debut in November 1966 in Japan as a 1-litre compact 5-seater sedan, and within two years, doubled its annual production from 480,000 to 1.1 million vehicles. The introduction of the Corolla was a catalyst for mass car ownership in Japan, and the rest of Asia.
There was no looking back, and its sales grew from strength to strength over the past 55 years.
Now in its 12th generation, it is Toyota’s most recognised model and one of the world’s top-selling cars. It is available in more than 150 countries.
Toyota had designed the Corolla to be a global model from the start. The company's vision was to have it locally assembled in many countries and transfer technology in the process.
Malaysia was an example.
In 1965, when Malaysia invited foreign car makers to assemble their products in Malaysia, Toyota was among the first to respond with the Corolla.
For the local assembly of the Corolla, Toyota approached Champion Motors which had set up a huge assembly plant in Shah Alam, Selangor. Owned by the Inchcape Group then, the Champion Motors plant – which would later be renamed as Assembly Services Sdn Bhd (ASSB) – assembled a number of other brands under contract as well.
In its early years, ASSB had the highest output in the country and with positive response to the Corolla when it was introduced in 1968, the model began to account for an ever increasing percentage of vehicles coming out from ASSB.
Other Toyota models were added as the years went by and the popularity of Toyota among Malaysians made it the No.1 brand by the 1970s, with the Corolla as the bestselling model in the country.
Most generations of the Corolla have been assembled in Malaysia while from 2008, the model has been imported in CBU form from Thailand.
Different variants have offered added choice to customers. While the sedan was the most popular, there was also a stationwagon which could be used by small businesses for good deliveries. The Corolla Liftback also offered a sporty and versatile option, its performance highlighted in local rallies.
The car was aimed at a broad spectrum of users but more importantly, especially as it was an entry-level model, it was priced affordably.
It became the type of car that people wanted to drive for a long time. It was proven to be reliable, durable as well as economical – factors which helped to make Toyota a household name among Malaysians.
As expectations of Malaysian customer grew, so too did the Corolla evolve to meet those expectations. Even though it was originally an entry-level model, it was expected to have higher quality with a more premium feel, more advanced technology and be good value for money.
This saw the introduction of the ninth generation with the concept of "New Century Value" with "Altis" being added to its name to emphasise the step up in quality, luxury and even size.
This all-new model boosted the popularity of the Corolla in Malaysia as it set new standards. Annual sales of subsequent generations rose even more.
In the decade between 2010 and 2020, the Corolla accounted for 6% of total sales of Toyota vehicles in the country with the 10th generation – sold between 2006 and 2013 – becoming the bestselling generation to date in Malaysia. Around 40,000 units were sold in the time the model was in the market.
“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.
While each new generation saw many new customers joining the Toyota family, there were also many who were not just loyal Toyota customers but specifically loyal to the Corolla.
A total of 63% traded in their old model (or upgraded) for a new one when it was launched, believing that they would still get the best value for money, reliability, durability and good resale value.
Almost a third of Corolla customers also bought one as an additional car for the household. If they did not sell it off, it would remain in the family for a long period, passed down to the children.
Every generation of the Corolla has brought with it new technologies in various areas, improving performance, fuel efficiency, safety and comfort. In some models, the technology was pioneering in the Corolla’s class if not in the Malaysian market. In more recent times, besides TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture), the Corolla has also come with more advanced safety features and better connectivity.
UMW Toyota Motor also strengthened aftersales to ensure good customer experience. It was the first car company in Malaysia to set up a division to focus on customer care and manage customer relations.
Since the 1980s, Toyota has boasted of having one of the best aftersales services in Malaysia.
In the 55 years that the Corolla has been around, it has remained popular.
But the original design has evolved over the generations to meet changing tastes and lifestyles of Malaysian customers.
An example is the introduction of the Corolla Cross last year, in response to the surge in popularity of SUVs. This is the first time such a bodystyle has been offered for the all-time bestselling car model in the world.
The introduction of the Corolla Cross in the Malaysian market has also enabled UMW Toyota Motor to provide enhanced safety features which customers expect.
“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 joy of ownership to tens of thousands of customers throughout Malaysia,” said UMW Toyota Motor deputy chairman Akio Takeyama.
