Earlier this year at the 2018 Geneva International Auto Show, Toyota unveiled the new Corolla hatchback, bringing glad tidings of sport compact driving fun and three-pedal engagement the world over. To sweeten the deal, the new hatch even looks pretty snazzy, using the Japanese brand’s latest design language to give it a little extra curb appeal.

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The Full Story

When creating the new 2019 Corolla Hatchback, Toyota’s designers followed the theme of “Shooting Robust,” striking a shape that’s sporty and distinct in the process. And while we aren’t always fans of the brand’s exterior styling, the look works wonders here.

Let’s start with that grille, traditionally the real dividing point when it comes to aesthetic opinions on Toyota’s various models. Set in a hexagonal shape and rocking a glossy black mesh insert, this grille is actually about the right size for a car like the Corolla hatch. Yes, it’s large, that much is for sure, but it doesn’t get any weird extremities like on other Toyota models. The grille surrounds look to keep it in check, while lower character lines keep it from spilling out onto the lower chin.

The headlights are thin and sharp, stretching out from a black badge surround, adding a little visual width to the look. These housings come equipped with Bi-Beam LED lighting elements, while LED fog lights are offered higher in the range.

Buyers can also get theirs with an Adaptive Front Lighting System, which will angle the beams to more effectively illuminate the road ahead. Trim level differentiation can be seen with various bits and pieces scattered around the exterior, such as the chrome surrounds for the front grille and rear diffuser, both of which come as standard higher in the range.

Moving to the side, the Corolla Hatchback continues its stylish assault with a traditional five-door roofline. The window line angles upwards towards the rear, giving the whole thing a forward-leaning, aggressive-looking rake. Back here we can also see a large spoiler, which is once again replete with sharp angles to add a funky style to the tail. Wheel sizing ranges between 16 and 18 inches in diameter.

Finally, at the rear, we find that the large grille up front was bookended by a broad, glossy black lower insert, which is underlined by a twin set of polished exhaust tips and body-colored frame. LEDs are used back here as well, mounted inside thin, sharp taillight housings that stretch from the fender into the hatch. The fifth door itself is round and bubbly, completing the hot hatch look.

We would love to see Toyota Racing Development (TRD) get in on the action with some factory body kit pieces. Hopefully, when Toyota brings this thing to market, buyers will have a nice catalog of options to customize theirs to taste.

We’re also big fans of the paint. The example you see is dubbed Blue Flame, a new hue for the 2019 model year. Other available paint colors include Blizzard Pearl, Silver Metallic, Midnight Black, Galactic Aqua Mica, Scarlet, and Oxide Bronze.

So how about an example of Toyota’s new styling not looking so great? Well, the front end of the 2019 Toyota Avalon is a pretty good example:

We’re glad the 2019 Corolla is a bit of a looker, as it’s also pretty fun to drive. More on that soon.

Moving beyond the subjective stuff, we can compare the 2019 Corolla hatch to the preceding Corolla iM, and dimensionally speaking, the new model is lower by 0.4 inches, wider by 0.6 inches, and shorter by 0.6 inches.

The front and rear tracks are also wider, while the wheelbase is longer. Front overhang was decreased by 0.8 inches, while the rear overhang was made 0.8 inches longer, effectively moving the whole car forward on its wheelbase.

Check out the full exterior dimension specs below, and stay tuned because we’ll have more on this attractive machine soon.

References

Read our full review on the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback.

Read our full driven review on the 2019 Toyota Avalon.

Read more Toyota news.