Japan’s smaller, cheaper Toyota Corolla Axio discontinued after 13 years

In that not-quite-parallel automotive universe that’s commonly referred to as the JDM (Japanese Domestic) market, exists a completely different Toyota Corolla that is smaller and less expensive than the version which most other countries receive.

It might not be very exciting to look at, but the Axio is an honest and affordable little sedan and wagon sold in very few markets outside of Japan - New Zealand and Singapore among them.

While the global Corolla grew larger and more desirable as it moved up the price ladder, the Corolla Axio was specifically engineered to take advantage of tax breaks in Japan. But now it is being discontinued for reasons that Toyota has not disclosed.

Launched in 2012, in parallel to the previous-generation E170 Corolla, which is still built as the Quest in South Africa, the Axio is actually built around the smaller Toyota B Platform that underpinned earlier Yaris models.

Before this generation, the Japanese market Axio shared its platform as well as most of its body and interior components with the global Corolla models.

The current Axio, at 4,400mm in length, is 220mm shorter than the E170 Corolla from its era and 230mm smaller than the latest E180 global model, while the wheelbase is 100mm shorter.

It is offered with 1.3-litre, 1.5-litre and 1.8-litre normally aspirated petrol engines, paired with either a five-speed manual or CVT gearbox. A 1.5-litre hybrid is also offered.

Since 2019 it has been sold alongside the latest E210 global Corolla, the smaller model remaining mainly as a fleet-focused vehicle. The cheapest version currently costs  ¥1,639,600 Japanese Yen (R201,446), versus ¥2,028,600 (R250,000) for the regular Corolla, Carscoops reports. 

But could it have made any sense in South Africa? With the market moving so rapidly towards SUVs and crossovers, that question seems almost irrelevant at the moment. In fact, one must wonder how much life is actually left in the current Corolla Quest.

IOL