Mid-size

10 generations

1957 → 1996

Toyota Corona – Specifications & 10 Generations

The Toyota Corona served as the brand's global mid-size workhorse from 1957 to 1996, spanning ten generations and 128 documented variants in the Automobilisto database. Built across four decades, it bridged the gap between the smaller Corolla and the executive Crown, evolving from a 33 PS economy sedan into a 180 PS diesel-and-petrol lineup that competed in the D-segment worldwide. Its eighth generation marked the technical zenith, introducing diesel powertrains and expanding the range to 27 variants with outputs from 73 to 165 PS between 1983 and 1989.

Discontinued 1996Updated 2026-08-04128 variants documented15 archive brochures
Toyota Corona 10 generation
1992 - 1996
10 generation
Toyota Corona 9 generation
1987 - 1992
9 generation
Toyota Corona 8 generation
1983 - 1989
8 generation
Toyota Corona 7 generation
1982 - 1987
7 generation
Toyota Corona 6 generation
1978 - 1982
6 generation
Toyota Corona 5 generation
1973 - 1978
5 generation
Toyota Corona 4 generation
1970 - 1973
4 generation
Toyota Corona 3 generation
1964 - 1970
3 generation
Toyota Corona 2 generation
1960 - 1964
2 generation
Toyota Corona 1 generation
1957 - 1959
1 generation
Yauheni Kapliarchuk
Last technical audit 2026-08-04 · two-source verified against Automobilisto catalog database.
First year1957
Final year1996
Generations10
Final chassisAT190, CT190, CT195, ST190, ST191, ST195
Body types10Sedan · Liftback · Estate 5-door · Coupe · Coupe Hardtop · Sedan 2-doors · Estate 3-door · Hatchback 5-door · Pickup single-cab · Pickup double-cab

Generation picker

Open any chassis code for its dedicated generation reference

Current10 generation 1992 — 1996
Sedan

The tenth and final generation simplified to sedan-only bodystyles from 1992 to 1996. Nineteen variants with 88 to 145 PS diesel and petrol engines closed out the Corona lineage before market consolidation.

Variants1
9 generation 1987 — 1992
LiftbackSedanEstate 5-door

The ninth generation continued diesel availability from 1987 to 1992, offering 26 variants with 73 to 180 PS across estate, liftback, and sedan configurations. This generation achieved the nameplate's highest power output.

Variants3
8 generation 1983 — 1989
SedanCoupeLiftback

The eighth generation represented the Corona's technical peak from 1983 to 1989, introducing diesel engines and expanding to 27 variants. Power spanned 73 to 165 PS across coupe, liftback, and sedan bodies, with both diesel and petrol fueling options.

Variants3
7 generation 1982 — 1987
SedanCoupe Hardtop

The seventh generation ran concurrently with the eighth from 1982 to 1987, offering 14 coupe hardtop and sedan variants with 83 to 115 PS petrol engines. This parallel-platform strategy served distinct regional preferences.

Variants2
6 generation 1978 — 1982
Estate 5-doorCoupe HardtopSedanLiftback

The sixth generation introduced from 1978 to 1982 featured 86 PS powertrains across coupe hardtop, liftback, estate, and sedan bodies. Eight variants emphasized fuel economy in the post-oil-shock market.

Variants4
5 generation 1973 — 1978
Sedan 2-doorsSedanEstate 5-doorCoupe Hardtop

The fifth generation responded to 1970s efficiency demands with 105 PS petrol engines from 1973 to 1978. Eight variants included coupe hardtop, five-door estate, and two-door sedan configurations.

Variants4
4 generation 1970 — 1973
CoupeSedanEstate 5-door

The fourth generation ran from 1970 to 1973, offering coupe, five-door estate, and sedan bodies with power ranging from 77 to 95 PS. Nine variants refined the platform ahead of the oil crisis.

Variants3
3 generation 1964 — 1970
Estate 3-doorHatchback 5-doorPickup single-cabPickup double-cabCoupe HardtopSedan

The third generation brought significant diversification from 1964 to 1970, adding coupe hardtop, five-door hatchback, and double-cab pickup configurations. Twelve variants with 70 PS petrol engines broadened the Corona's global footprint.

Variants6
2 generation 1960 — 1964
SedanEstate 3-doorPickup single-cab

The second generation expanded utility with a single-cab pickup alongside sedan and estate bodies from 1960 to 1964. Power rose to 45 PS across three documented variants, strengthening commercial appeal.

Variants3
1 generation 1957 — 1959
Estate 3-doorSedan

The first generation launched Toyota's mid-size ambitions with a 33 PS petrol engine, offered as a sedan and three-door estate from 1957 to 1959. Two variants established the Corona nameplate in Asian and select export markets.

Variants2

Full powertrain matrix (AT190, CT190, CT195, ST190, ST191, ST195, 1996)

Every engine × drivetrain combination currently available in the German market

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Generation lineage

Each generation at a glance, oldest to newest

11 gen.1957 — 19592 variants
22 gen.1960 — 19643 variants
33 gen.1964 — 19706 variants
44 gen.1970 — 19733 variants
55 gen.1973 — 19784 variants
66 gen.1978 — 19824 variants
77 gen.1982 — 19872 variants
88 gen.1983 — 19893 variants
99 gen.1987 — 19923 variants
1010 gen.1992 — 19961 variants

How the model evolved

Toyota built ten Corona generations between 1957 and 1996, documenting 128 variants across a production span of 39 years. The nameplate began as a 33 PS economy sedan competing below the Crown, then expanded through the 1960s with commercial pickups and hardtop coupes to capture multiple segments. The third generation's leap to 12 variants and introduction of the five-door hatchback signaled Toyota's intent to make the Corona a true global platform. Power outputs climbed steadily from 33 PS in 1957 to 95 PS by 1973, then jumped to 105 PS as the fifth generation addressed oil-crisis efficiency. The eighth generation marked the technical inflection point in 1983, introducing diesel engines and expanding to 27 variants with a power band from 73 to 165 PS. This generation ran alongside the seventh, demonstrating Toyota's dual-platform strategy for regional differentiation. The ninth generation achieved the Corona's peak output at 180 PS while maintaining diesel options across 26 variants, but the tenth generation's contraction to sedan-only bodystyles and 19 variants from 1992 to 1996 foreshadowed the nameplate's retirement. The Corona's arc traces Toyota's evolution from regional manufacturer to global volume player, with each generation adding powertrain diversity and body configurations before market segmentation rendered the mid-size generalist obsolete.

Market context

The Corona functioned as Toyota's global D-segment anchor across Asia, North America, Australia, and select European markets from the late 1950s through the mid-1990s. It filled the volume gap between the compact Corolla and the premium Crown, serving both private buyers and commercial fleets. The eighth and ninth generations' diesel offerings targeted European and Asian markets where compression-ignition engines dominated mid-size segments, while petrol variants remained standard in North America and Japan. By the early 1990s, the Camry's global success and the Avensis's European launch absorbed the Corona's role, leading to its discontinuation in 1996.

15 original brochures are preserved in the Automobilisto archive.

Open the archive

Frequently asked questions about Corona

How many generations of Toyota Corona were produced?

Toyota produced ten generations of the Corona from 1957 to 1996, documenting 128 variants across sedan, estate, coupe, liftback, hatchback, and pickup configurations in the Automobilisto database.

Which Toyota Corona generation offered the most variants?

The eighth generation (1983–1989) offered the most variants with 27 documented configurations, spanning diesel and petrol engines from 73 to 165 PS across coupe, liftback, and sedan bodies.

When did the Toyota Corona introduce diesel engines?

Diesel engines appeared in the eighth generation starting in 1983, continuing through the ninth (1987–1992) and tenth (1992–1996) generations alongside petrol powertrains.

What was the highest power output for the Toyota Corona?

The Corona achieved its peak output of 180 PS in the ninth generation (1987–1992), which offered 26 variants with power ranging from 73 to 180 PS in diesel and petrol configurations.

What replaced the Toyota Corona after 1996?

No direct successor replaced the Corona after its 1996 discontinuation. The Camry absorbed its global mid-size role, while the Avensis served European markets previously covered by the Corona.