Toyota Drops iM, Debuts New Corolla Hatchback

When Scion folded and Toyota absorbed the iM hatchback, everyone knew the whole Corolla iM moniker wouldn’t stick for long. And we were all right, as Toyota recently unveiled the new 2019 Corolla Hatchback, sans iM.

The 2019 Corolla Hatchback not only scraps the iM suffix, but it also gets a full redesign. The newest member of the Corolla family moves to the new TNGA architecture that underpins the Camry and Avalon, and with this it grows by 1.2 inches in width and 1.5 inches in length. It’s also lower by 1 inch, and boasts wider front and rear tracks.

Accompanying the change in dimensions are brand-new looks that include new headlights, a revamped hood, a swoopier roofline, and a rounded rear hatch. This is a definite improvement over the outgoing iM, which was a bit too boxy and angular for most.

The 2019 Corolla Hatchback also gains a brand-new engine. Replacing the 1.8-liter four-pot is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. While there are no output figures on the new engine, I expect it to fall in the 150- to 160-horsepower mark to remain competitive. Gear swappin’ comes courtesy of a DIY six-speed manual gearbox or a Dynamic-Shift CVT that offers a 10-speed simulated shift.

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback

Finally, the really big deal, is that Toyota will stretch the TSS 2.0 system to the 2019 Corolla Hatchback’s list of standard features. This means it’ll include key safety gadgets like automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and lane-centering assist.

There is nothing yet on pricing for the 2019 Corolla Hatchback, but we should learn more well before it hits showrooms in the summer of 2018.