Toyota Corolla E30
Encyclopedia
The Corolla E30 was the third generation of cars sold by Toyota under the Corolla
nameplate. It was built from August 1974 to July 1981 and marked Toyota's greatest growth in the United States in the wake of the fuel crisis. In addition to its sister model, the Sprinter
, there was a redesigned-body version built by Toyota affiliate Daihatsu, called the Daihatsu Charmant
. While there were certain fourth-generation models with a longer model life, this generation, when considered as a whole, was the longest-lived one, possibly due to the worldwide recession in the 1970s. A large range of cars were built using this chassis, including Corollas, Sprinters, Daihatsu, and the sporty Levin and Trueno models with the DOHC motor.
The 3K engine was used in certain markets and later the 4K, while most Japanese and American models had the bigger 2T engine. A "Toyoglide" 2/3-speed automatic transmission
was added as well as a four-speed and five-speed manual transmission, driving to the rear wheels. A three-door "liftback" (E50) and sports coupé (E51) was added in 1976. The E40 and E60 series were assigned to the Sprinter variants.
Even though the E30 and E50 series were replaced by the E70 series in August 1979 in most markets, the original E30 series and the facelifted E50 series both continued production until July 1981.
Japanese market chassis:
Road & Track
was critical of the 1975 Corolla, calling it "large and heavy" and "expensive" compared to the Honda Civic
and Datsun B210. They also criticized the "relatively crude rear suspension", lack of interior space, and poor fuel economy when compared to the VW Rabbit. The base model cost in 1975, but only the $2989 "deluxe" model had features comparable to the contemporary pack.
Emissions became a problem further into the 1970s especially with the 3K engine, which became popular because of its low fuel consumption. Its replacement, the 4K engine, came with emissions equipment but only produced 60 hp, despite a greater 1290 cc displacement.
The E30 series 2T-C engines outmatched rival Datsun B210's engine output.
North American market engines:
North American market chassis:
Originally released in the SE trim, a luxury CS model was later released in February 1976. The CS featured carpeting, a clock, and reclining cloth seats. From July 1976, government regulated anti-pollution rules resulted in a loss of power for the further curtailed the 1166 cc 3K-C engine.
The facelifted version of the Corolla in Australia was released in November 1978. Among the changes were a new grille
and dashboard
, along with revised interior trim. The previous 3K-C engine was superseded by the 4K-C. At the same time, an entry-level SE version of the wagon was made available, with a range-topping XX coupe released in October 1979.
Due to the expenditure of manufacturing of the car in Australia, the production continued for several years after it was replaced by the next generation model everywhere else. A facelift was released in July 1980, giving the car a new squared-off grille and rectangular headlamps, however it could not conceal the car's dated styling. This facelift coincided with minor interior trim changes, new seats, revised suspension settings, and a five-speed manual option. Production continued until July 1981, when the already aged fourth-generation E70 range replaced it.
Australian market engines:
Australian market chassis:
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
nameplate. It was built from August 1974 to July 1981 and marked Toyota's greatest growth in the United States in the wake of the fuel crisis. In addition to its sister model, the Sprinter
Toyota Sprinter
The Toyota Sprinter was a compact car manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota as a variation of the Toyota Corolla. Each generation of the Corolla had a corresponding version of the Sprinter....
, there was a redesigned-body version built by Toyota affiliate Daihatsu, called the Daihatsu Charmant
Daihatsu Charmant
The Daihatsu Charmant is a compact sedan built by Daihatsu of Japan, based on the Toyota Corolla. It was replaced by the Daihatsu Applause. The Charmant was originally a spin-off of the Toyota Corolla of the 1970s; model changes paralleled those of the Corolla. All Charmants were fitted with Toyota...
. While there were certain fourth-generation models with a longer model life, this generation, when considered as a whole, was the longest-lived one, possibly due to the worldwide recession in the 1970s. A large range of cars were built using this chassis, including Corollas, Sprinters, Daihatsu, and the sporty Levin and Trueno models with the DOHC motor.
The 3K engine was used in certain markets and later the 4K, while most Japanese and American models had the bigger 2T engine. A "Toyoglide" 2/3-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
was added as well as a four-speed and five-speed manual transmission, driving to the rear wheels. A three-door "liftback" (E50) and sports coupé (E51) was added in 1976. The E40 and E60 series were assigned to the Sprinter variants.
Even though the E30 and E50 series were replaced by the E70 series in August 1979 in most markets, the original E30 series and the facelifted E50 series both continued production until July 1981.
Japan
Japanese market engines:- 2T-G — 1.6 L (1588 cc) I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 8-valve DOHC, carbCarburetorA carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
, 124 hp - 2T-C — 1.6 L (1588 cc) I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 8-valve OHVOverhead valveAn overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
, carbCarburetorA carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
, 75 hp - 3K-C — 1.2 L (1166 cc) I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 8-valve OHVOverhead valveAn overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
, carbCarburetorA carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
, 55 hp
Japanese market chassis:
- E30 — Sedan, 2-door/4-door (3K, T)
- E31 — Sedan, 2-door/4-door (2T)
- E35 — Hardtop coupé (3K, T)
- E36 — WagonStation wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
, 3 or 5-door - E37 — Hardtop coupé (2T)
- E50 — Sports coupé (3K, T)
- E51 — Sports coupé (2T)
- E52 — Sports coupé (12T)
North America
Road & Track
Road & Track is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, and is published monthly. The editorial offices are located in Newport Beach, California.-History:...
was critical of the 1975 Corolla, calling it "large and heavy" and "expensive" compared to the Honda Civic
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded...
and Datsun B210. They also criticized the "relatively crude rear suspension", lack of interior space, and poor fuel economy when compared to the VW Rabbit. The base model cost in 1975, but only the $2989 "deluxe" model had features comparable to the contemporary pack.
Emissions became a problem further into the 1970s especially with the 3K engine, which became popular because of its low fuel consumption. Its replacement, the 4K engine, came with emissions equipment but only produced 60 hp, despite a greater 1290 cc displacement.
The E30 series 2T-C engines outmatched rival Datsun B210's engine output.
North American market engines:
- 2T-C — 1.6 L (1588 cc) I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 8-valve OHVOverhead valveAn overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
, carbCarburetorA carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
, 75 hp - 3K-C — 1.2 L (1166 cc) I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 8-valve OHVOverhead valveAn overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
, carbCarburetorA carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
, 55 hp
North American market chassis:
- E-31 — Sedan, 2-door/4-door (Std, DX,)
- E-38 — WagonWagonA wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
, 5-door (Std, DX) - E-37 — Hardtop coupé (DX, SR5)
- E-51 — Sports coupé (Std, SR5)
- E-51 — Liftback, 3-door (Std, SR5)
Europe
In Europe, the 3rd generation Corolla was offered in the same body styles as in the US. All the Sedans and wagons, along with the Hardtop coupè, were only offered with the 1.2 L 3K, and the Liftback occasionally had the bigger 2T engine. A small facelift for the 1977 model year saw a redesigned dashboard and additional trim colors for the interior, and a new grille with small twin horizontal steel beams across it. For the 1979 model year, the last year of the E30 in Europe, the Sedan's exterior trim was redesigned for the Deluxe model option with new tail lights (without the plastic chromed frame around) and another new grille.Australia
The Corolla was manufactured in Australia at AMI-Toyota's Port Melbourne production facility. It was a popular car on the Australian market and most body styles available elsewhere were utilized. All variants originally came with Toyota's 1166 cc 3K-C engine, which was replaced by the 1290 cc 4K-C engine for the update released in November 1978.Originally released in the SE trim, a luxury CS model was later released in February 1976. The CS featured carpeting, a clock, and reclining cloth seats. From July 1976, government regulated anti-pollution rules resulted in a loss of power for the further curtailed the 1166 cc 3K-C engine.
The facelifted version of the Corolla in Australia was released in November 1978. Among the changes were a new grille
Grille
A grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-Spelling:In the United States, "grille" is used to differentiate the automotive...
and dashboard
Dashboard
A dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....
, along with revised interior trim. The previous 3K-C engine was superseded by the 4K-C. At the same time, an entry-level SE version of the wagon was made available, with a range-topping XX coupe released in October 1979.
Due to the expenditure of manufacturing of the car in Australia, the production continued for several years after it was replaced by the next generation model everywhere else. A facelift was released in July 1980, giving the car a new squared-off grille and rectangular headlamps, however it could not conceal the car's dated styling. This facelift coincided with minor interior trim changes, new seats, revised suspension settings, and a five-speed manual option. Production continued until July 1981, when the already aged fourth-generation E70 range replaced it.
Australian market engines:
- 1.2 L (1166 cc) 3K-C I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 8-valve OHVOverhead valveAn overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
, carbCarburetorA carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
, 55 hp - 1.3 L (1290 cc) 4K-C I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 8-valve OHVOverhead valveAn overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
, carbCarburetorA carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
, 60 hp
Australian market chassis:
- KE30: two-door/four-door sedan
- KE35: two-door hardtop coupéHardtopA hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. It has been used in several contexts: detachable hardtops, retractable hardtop roofs, and the so-called pillarless hardtop body style....
- KE38: three-door vanVanA van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
, five-door wagon wagonStation wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid... - KE55: two-door hardtop coupéHardtopA hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. It has been used in several contexts: detachable hardtops, retractable hardtop roofs, and the so-called pillarless hardtop body style....
, four-door sedan