Sixth Generation (1988-1992)
With the 1988 redesign, the rear-drive Corolla coupe and Liftback were replaced with a new front-drive coupe. While enthusiasts wept, the new Corolla coupe and Corolla GT-S were in fact significantly more refined and capable than the rear-drivers they replaced. They just weren't as much fun.
More conservatively styled than the ultraboxy fifth-generation sedan, the sixth-generation sedan was now built at both the NUMMI plant in California and in Japan, while the coupes and wagons came only from Japan. The station wagon was available with either front-wheel drive or full-time All-Trac all-wheel drive. Trim levels were base DX and better-equipped LE for the sedan, DX and SR5 for the wagon and SR5 and GT-S for the coupe. The FX hatchback was still part of the mix, though it was discontinued after a year.
The sixth-generation Corolla was built using the same 95.6-inch wheelbase as the fifth, but it was almost an inch wider. A slightly different version of the Corolla body (sold in Japan as the Sprinter) with identical mechanical pieces would be built at the NUMMI plant and branded the Geo Prizm. Sedans, coupes and front-drive wagons rode on a fully independent strut suspension, while the All-Trac wagons retained a solid rear axle with coil springs.
All engines were DOHC, 16-valve inline four-cylinders — the sedans, front-drive wagon and SR5 coupe got a carbureted 90-hp motor; the All-Trac wagons got a fuel-injected 100-hp version and the GT-S won the day with a 115-hp EFI version. Transmission choices were familiar — a standard five-speed manual with the option of a three- or four-speed automatic, depending on the trim level. Thirteen-inch wheels were standard, though the GT-S got 14-inch wheels, as well as four-wheel disc brakes and a six-way adjustable driver seat with sport bolstering. Otherwise, equipment levels on the sixth-generation Corolla were a bit spartan by today's standards as most conveniences, like air conditioning, power steering, dual outside mirrors and a stereo, were optional.
There were no changes for 1989, except for the addition of an All-Trac sedan to the lineup; it lasted only a year. All Corollas benefited from fuel injection in 1990, and the base engine was now rated for 102 hp. Meanwhile, the GT-S enjoyed a significant bump in horsepower — now measured at 130 — and five additional lb-ft of torque for a total of 105. In addition, an entry-level standard sedan was added to the lineup — it had all the basic Corolla equipment, including cloth upholstery, but wore a skinnier set of tires and could only be optioned with the three-speed automatic if you didn't want to shift your own gears.
The coupes were discontinued after the 1991 model year. Aside from a few new paint colors, the only change for 1992 was that you could only get the highline LE sedan with the four-speed automatic.