Introduction

The original first generation Corolla was introduced in November, 1966 as a 2-door Sedan. I would like to rate the neat styling at 8. It rode on a 228.5 cm wheelbase with coils plus transverse leaf springs at the front and a rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear, and it featured rear-wheel-drive. In May 1967, a 4-door Sedan was added as well as a 3-door Wagon. In April, 1968 a 2-door Coupe was introduced as Corolla Sprinter.

In May, 1970 the second generation Corolla appeared with a wheelbase of 233.5 cm, and without the leaf spring at the front. The styling was pleasant, again an 8. In my eyes this would be the only Corolla with distinctive styling. All body styles were retained, a 5-door Wagon was added. August 1971 saw the introduction of the Toyota Sprinter 4-door Sedan, which had different rear roof end styling and was sold in Japan through the 'Toyota Auto' dealer outlet. At the same time the Corolla Sprinter 2-door Coupe was renamed Corolla for the 'Toyota Corolla' dealer and Toyota Sprinter for the 'Toyota Auto' dealer. In March, 1972 high-performance Coupes ware added as Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno. In November 1974, Daihatsu would introduce the first generation Charmant 4-door Sedan and 5-door Wagon with different sheet metal; this car was mentioned Daihatsu 1200 and 1400 in the general export market, a 2-door panel van became also available.

By April, 1974 the third generation Corolla 30 Series was introduced with less then average styling, I rate it a 6. Suspension remains the same, wheelbase rose to 237 cm. The Coupe was now a B-pillar-less Hardtop. The old Corolla 20 Sedans and Wagons (as Vans which was the designation in Japan for the commercial types) were sold next to the new series for a couple of years. Sprinter again featured a different roof end for the Sedan, the Hardtop had the same body shell as the Corolla. By January, 1976 the Corolla and Sprinter Liftback were added with a different lower 3-door body, based on the Corolla floorpan. A year later, a 2-door Coupe was added, which saw the re-introduction of the Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno. This body style was sold as Toyota Trueno in certain export markets.

The fourth generation Corolla, with rear-wheel-drive for the last time for the sedans, appeared in April, 1979, more than the usual four years later, obviously because of the economical crisis. It has an average styling: a 7. The wheelbase was 240 cm now, and there was a live rear axle with coil springs, but not for the Wagon. This would be the last series with a 2-door Sedan, and a 3-door Wagon. There was also no sedan-derived Hardtop (or Coupe) anymore. The Sprinter 4-door again had a different roof end. To the different body Liftback and Coupe was now added a Hardtop; all three body styles had 6 side windows. Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno names were retained for the high-performance models in Japan. The second generation Daihatsu Charmant with different body shell, but based on this generation Corolla was introduced in October 1981 as a 4-door 6-window sedan only.

The fifth generation Corolla (May, 1983) saw the switch to front-wheel-drive and independent rear suspension, but not for the separate body 2- and 3-door Coupes which were built on the same floor pan as the last series, and were from now on called Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno for the whole range. The wheelbase for the 4-door Sedan and the new 5-door (6-window) Sedan was 243 cm. These were the only two body syles (rated at 7.5), the Wagons were not changed; in October 1984, a short back Hatchback (3- and 5-door) was added, called Corolla FX in Japan. The Sprinter, for the first time had its own sheet metal pressing, though it hardly differed from that of the Corolla. It was also built as 4- or 5-door Sedan, the 4-door with a 6-window roof as well (where the Corolla had only 4). This Sprinter was sold in USA as Chevrolet Nova.

May 1987 saw the introduction of the sixth generation Corolla and now things became quite complicated. Wheelbase remained the same at 243 cm, but the cars were 2 cm wider. There were two bodies, called here Corolla-shell (an 8) and Sprinter-shell (a 9, the most balanced shell ever) for reasons of convenience. Suspension remained the same, but the more commercial versions of the Wagons featured a rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear. This was the first year for the front-wheel-drive Wagon (5-door). The Corolla body shell existed also as a 4-door (4-window) Sedan, and a 3-door and 5-door (6-window) short backed Hatchback (still called Corolla FX in Japan). The Sprinter body existed as a 6-window 4- and 5-door Sedan (called Sprinter Cielo in Japan) as well as a 5-door Wagon, called Toyota Sprinter Carib (intro