The 12th generation Toyota Corolla, codenamed E210, has received its midlife update in Europe. For this update, Toyota’s best-selling model gets more power for its hybrid powertrains, revised looks, as well as improved safety.

This update exercise encompasses all three body styles sold in Europe – the sedan, hatchback, and wagon. Its SUV sibling, the Corolla Cross, will join the updated Corolla range later this year.

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Exterior – Subtle design upgrades

All variants of the updated Corolla receive a new front grille mesh pattern, fog light bezels, and alloy wheel designs. Higher grades of the hatchback and Touring Sports (wagon) models gain new bi-LED headlights with Adaptive High-beam System (AHS).

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There’s also new colours for European buyers, like Juniper Blue for the hatchback and Touring Sports, while the sedan gains a new Midnight Teal colour. Metallic Grey is also new and it’s available for all body styles.

Interior – Even bigger infotainment screen

Perhaps the biggest upgrade within the updated Corolla’s cabin is the free-standing 10.5-inch infotainment display, replacing the older model’s 8-inch unit.

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From the mid-range grade onwards, the driver’s instrument display has also undergone an upgrade with a new 12.3-inch combination meter that can be customised to the driver’s preference in four different modes: Casual, Smart, Sport, and Tough.

The interior trim for all body styles has also been upgraded with new graphics, while the seat upholstery receives the new Dark and Light Harmony theme to give the cabin an elegant feel.

Power – Same powertrains as before, but now with more power

The highlight of the updated Corolla range for Europe has to be its improved powertrain. The Corolla range for Europe is powered exclusively by petrol-electric hybrid powertrains; regular petrol variants aren’t offered in the Old Continent.

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The first powertrain option is the familiar 1.8-litre unit, which sees its power upgraded from 122 PS to 141 PS, a healthy 19 PS upgrade. As a result, the 0-100 km/h sprint sees a reduction of 1.7 seconds to 9.2 seconds.

As for the second powertrain, it is a larger 2.0-litre unit. The combined system output, according to Toyota, is a healthy 199 PS. 0-100 km/h figures for the larger engine was not provided by Toyota.

That said, despite the increase in power, Toyota said that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are expected to remain unchanged at 102 g/km, as the power increase comes from redesigned power control unit (PCU) and transaxle motor, while the lithium-ion battery is more powerful, yet smaller and lighter (mass reduced by up to 18 kg, depending on the powertrain).

While the stonking GR Corolla will likely give Europe a miss, those in the Old Continent will have to make do with the updated Corolla GR Sport instead. The GR Sport-badged Corolla gets redesigned 18-inch alloy wheels, revised rear bumper and under-guard.

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Inside, the seats in the hatchback and Touring Sports versions have a fresh finish with the GR logo embossed in the headrest and a new micro-hexagon pattern in the silver ribbons along the edge of the bolster and cushion. The GR logo is also added to the push-button starter.

Toyota says that the updated Corolla line-up will hit European dealerships during the first quarter of 2023.