Corolla ESC delay

TOYOTA says its all-new Corolla will not be available with a potentially life-saving electronic stability control (ESC) system until midlife facelift time "in two to three years".

The news comes as a surprise given Toyota said at the national Corolla launch in May that Toyota's Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system would become available across the range by next September, perhaps as part of a MY2009 upgrade.

While Corolla comes with VSC in Europe, where it's known as the Auris, Australia's version (which was the nation's top-selling model in June) is not produced with VSC.

In somewhat of a consolation prize for Toyota buyers, the car-maker will make VSC standard equipment across its locally-built Camry sedan range from August 1 production. Currently only the Camry Grande flagship comes with VSC.

In other news to emerge from this week's Kluger MkII launch, apart from the Prado, Toyota will have renewed its entire SUV line-up within a two-year period by the end of this year, when the redesigned 200-Series LandCruiser joins the new RAV4 (launched in February 2006) and new Kluger (released this month) on sale.

That will change by around October, however, when an upgraded Prado arrives at least two years before it too is replaced. To be produced in Japan from August, the revised Prado features new headlights and other cosmetic changes.

Finally, Toyota sources advise that a mini-SUV to slot beneath the larger new RAV4 is still "at least two to three years away" and won’t be based on any concept already displayed at a motor show.

Toyota is keen not to rush out one of the many small SUV models that could be available to it as a spiritual successor for subsidiary brand Daihatsu’s Terios, as it investigates the most suitable model to sell in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

"It’s important not to bring out a dud," said a Toyota insider.

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