The Toyota Corolla is one of the last cars you’d think of as being special. But something about the new Corolla TREK variant qualifies as “special.” It’s the latest addition to the Corolla Touring Sports estate lineup, and it’s a promising showcase of the Corolla Touring Sports’ understated versatility as a personal ride and a family hauler for those weekend adventures away from the city.

The Corolla TREK comes as a result of a collaboration between Toyota and bicycle manufacturer Trek. It’s a partnership that stems from a recent partnership between the two companies at this year’s Vuelta a Espana cycling race where 16 Corolla TREK models were used as support vehicles.

Well, they’re not support vehicles anymore. The Toyota Corolla TREK is now available for public consumption. Pricing details will be announced in the coming weeks — it’s estimated to cost around £29,000 ($36,00) — but order books are now open with the initial batch of deliveries scheduled to begin sometime before the year ends. Unfortunately, the Corolla TREK isn’t headed to the U.S. market.

What Makes the 2019 Toyota Corolla TREK Special?

I’ll be the first to admit. I know how functional the Toyota Corolla is relative to its price point. I get why it’s one of the best-selling models in the world. I get all that. But I didn’t expect the Corolla to come in this package. Sure, part of it is the Corolla Touring Sport isn’t available in the U.S. so we’re not as exposed to it as our friends across the Atlantic.

It has an admittedly sporty profile that complements the Corolla’s aggressive-looking front fascia. It also has a spacious interior, showcased, in part, by a cargo storage area that offers up 21 cubic feet of cargo room. The Corolla Touring Sports is also available with three engine choices, beginning with a base 1.2-liter turbocharged engine that produces 114 horsepower. You can also opt to go the hybrid route with the sporty wagon. Two powertrain options are available in this regard, specifically a 1.8-liter hybrid unit that produces 120 horsepower and a 2.0-liter hybrid setup that produces 178 horsepower.

By all accounts, the Toyota Corolla Touring Sport is a solid version of Toyota’s best-selling model that speaks to a wide customer base, ranging from young buyers looking for a fresh alternative to the typical Corolla sedan all the way up to families who crave the space and comfort the model provides. For what it’s worth, the latter seems to be Toyota’s target market with the new Corolla TREK trim, specifically “active families” that make it a point to enjoy a steady diet of out of town adventures with the lot.

Fog lamps and LED headlamps, for example, are standard-issue equipment for the Corolla TREK. A new rear privacy glass is also available as a standard feature, as is a new honeycomb front grille that’s been added for vanity and aerodynamic purposes. The sporty wagon also sits on a set of 17-inch bespoke wheels, which should be music to the ears of prospective customers who are looking for a little more spunk and personality out of the sporty wagon.

The exclusive touches continue in the interior where a two-tone textile upholstery comes standard. That’s offset by a wood-effect finish on parts of the dashboard. Granted, it’s not real wood accents, but the intention to jazz up the cabin is welcome and appreciated. A seven-inch digital display comes standard, too, while an eight-inch infotainment system is also available as something of a carry-over from the standard Corolla model.

That’s at least a good reminder of the unique identity of this Corolla Touring Sport model. It’s not your typical Corolla wagon runner, that’s for sure. Heck, it even comes with a few impressive tech and safety bits, including a pre-collision system that can detect pedestrians and cyclists at all points of the day. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, traffic-sign recognition, and automatic high-beam headlights all come standard in the Corolla Touring Sport, too.

Arguably the biggest feature of this model, though, is the suspension kit that raises the wagon’s ride height by as much as 20 mm (0.787 inches). It doesn’t sound like much of an increase, but that should pay dividends when the Corolla TREK is driving along less-than-stellar road conditions in the outdoors.

As useful as the Toyota Corolla TREK looks and sounds to the adventurous lot, there isn’t much of a difference between this particular model and other standard versions of the Corolla. Hybrid versions are available, though, and they’re offered in two different flavors. The less powerful of the two is powered by a hybrid setup that includes a 1.8-liter engine for a total output of 120 horsepower. That’s enough juice to help the wagon sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 11.1 seconds. That’s not going to win any drag races, for sure, but it’s still enough relative to the purpose of the model.

Those who want the more potent hybrid setup with the larger 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine will have 178 horsepower to play with. Do that right and you could help the Corolla Touring Sports accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in just 8.1 seconds.

I like the Toyota Corolla TREK. I like the way it looks and I like the purpose behind its creation. It’s just too bad that we can’t get our hands on one here in the U.S. I’d give it a serious look if it were.

Further Reading

Read our full driven review on the 2020 Toyota Corolla.

Read our full review on the 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid.

Read our full review on the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback.

Read our full driven review on the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback.