Toyota Test Vehicle Spotted; Next-Gen Corolla Series Planned for 2028 China Production

Recently, a heavily camouflaged Toyota test vehicle was spotted. The test car's exterior profile is similar to the Corolla Cross, featuring a short wheelbase, a temporarily assembled headlight layout, and a concealed rear exhaust structure. Toyota is advancing a modular technical foundation that can accommodate battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and conventional hybrid powertrains simultaneously. The next-generation Corolla series is planned to enter production in China in 2028. The technical architecture is designed to allow multiple models under the brand to share the same foundational technical framework, spawning battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and full hybrid powertrain variants. Toyota officially stated that sharing the technical foundation will not diminish the distinctive characteristics of each powertrain variant. Toyota is also developing a new hybrid system equipped with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, offering two calibration versions: naturally aspirated and turbocharged. The naturally aspirated version will replace the application scenarios of the existing 1.8-liter engine and 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine. The system pairs with a smaller drive motor and a re-optimized electronic control unit, targeting a fuel economy improvement of over 15% compared to current versions. In August 2026, Toyota and Lexus combined sales in China totaled 118,449 units, down 23% year-on-year. Currently, information such as battery parameters, range performance, and fast-charging power of the test vehicle has not been disclosed publicly, and whether it will enter the European market remains undetermined.