Toyota is giving its best-selling Corolla a major makeover, and an all-electric version is part of the plan. The upcoming Corolla Cross EV was captured in public for the first time ahead of its expected 2027 debut.

The Corolla has always been “a car for everyone,” Toyota’s former president and current CEO, Koji Sato, said after unveiling the next-gen Corolla Concept at last year’s Japan Mobility Show.

Since it went on sale 60 years ago, over 57 million drivers have chosen the Corolla, making it Toyota’s best-selling vehicle ever.

The Corolla has undergone 12 model changes since 1966, but the compact car is about to undergo its biggest transformation yet.

Although it’s still a top seller, the Corolla has lost some of its appeal as new, more advanced, and efficient options have emerged. Toyota looks to change that with the next-generation model.

It will remain “a car for everyone,” as Sato said, but the next-gen Corolla will come in multiple powertrains, including an all-electric version.

“Whether it’s a battery EV, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, or internal combustion engine vehicle―whatever the power source―let’s make good-looking cars that everyone will want to drive,” Sato said at the Japan Mobility Show last October.

Ahead of its expected debut sometime in 2027, a disguised Corolla Cross EV was spotted driving near Toyota’s European headquarters and R&D center.

New images from Chinese media outlet Autohome show what’s expected to be the all-electric Corolla Cross, with a closed-off grille and a unique body design.

The new Corolla will be the first to use Toyota’s new “multipathway” platform that will support electric, hybrid, gas, and other powertrains.

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