Toyota Corolla hybrid sedan may come to India soon

N Raja, senior vice-president at TKM, has hinted at the possible launch of the Corolla hybrid.

It looks like Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is mulling over bringing more hybrid models to India to address the Supreme Court's ban on registration of all diesel cars and SUVs above 2,000cc capacity in Delhi and NCR in December 2015. Toyota is one of the worst affected by the ban, and yet its Camry hybrid saw an increase in sales as hybrid cars are is exempted form the ban. Reports say increased demand for the Camry hybrid prompted TKM to also launch the Corolla hybrid.

In an interview to Financial Express, N Raja, senior vice-president and director of Marketing & Sales at TKM, said: "Instead of looking at bringing an all-new hybrid car to India, we might look at introducing hybrid variants of the cars we already have in India. For example, the Corolla has a hybrid variant in the global markets, which can make sense in India."

Toyota currently sells the Corolla hybrid in a handful of markets. The Corolla hybrid is powered by a 1.5-litre Atkinson Cycle petrol engine that develops 73bhp in tandem with an electric motor that develops 60bhp. The powertrain has a combined output of 99bhp. The claimed fuel efficiency for Corolla hybrid is 33kmpl in the Japanese market.

TKM sold over 1,000 Camry hybrid sedans in 2015. The Camry hybrid is assembled in India and the Corolla hybrid is also expected to go the same way. The hybrid version will be pricier than the regular Corolla model. Prices for Toyota Corolla start at Rs. 13.69 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.