2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid see the light of the day in the US

KUALA LUMPUR: Already selling in the Chinese market, the hybrid variant of the 2020 Corolla Sedan has been launched at the ongoing LA Auto Show 2018. In China, the hybrid was introduced recently and sells under the badge of Levin Hybrid and Corolla Hybrid. Launched for the US masses, the Corolla Hybrid takes its design cues from the Levin Hybrid. And with a new bumper and repositioned Toyota logo, the Corolla Hybrid shares very less to no similarities with the Corolla XSE.

The Corolla Hybrid rides on 15-inch aluminium alloys which are wrapped in low-rolling resistance tyres. Move to the rear of the sedan and the taillights are connected with a black horizontal tracing. There are vertically stacked reflectors on either side of the rear bumper. Also present is a body-colored band at the bottom of the rear bumper. The 2020 Corolla Hybrid in the US is expected to come with multiple screens inside for instrument cluster and the infotainment system including the Entune 3.0. Drive modes like EV, Normal, Eco and Sport will also be featured on the hybrid sedan.

Talking about the mechanicals of the 2020 Corolla Hybrid sedan, the car features a 2ZR-FXE 1.8-litre 4-pot Atkinson-cycle motor. Two electric motors handle electric power duties. The transmission on the sedan is an e-CVT unit. Acting as an open differential when the engine is on high load is a preload differential. The petrol engine and the electric motors make 123 PS of combined maximum power. The hybrid car is supposed to offer a fuel mileage of 18 kmpl. Boasting Honda’s Hyper-Prime Nickel tech, which helps in making the battery pack lighter and smaller without any compromise in the performance is the nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The recharging of the batteries also takes place via regenerative-braking. Honda’s Electronically Controlled Brake (ECB) takes care of simultaneously using both the hydraulic brakes and the regenerative braking seamlessly.

The safety features list on the 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid includes 8 airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, and the Star Safety System by the Japanese automaker. Also present are features like Lane Departure Alert, Lane Tracing Assist, Pre-Collision System, Full-Speed DRCC (Dynamic Radar Cruise Control), Road Sign Assist, and Auto High Beam which are all part of the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0. Toyota is expected to reveal the pricing soon and will start selling the 2020 Corolla Hybrid from the second half of 2019.