The head of Toyota South Africa Motors has confirmed the new passenger vehicle due to go into production at the Prospecton plant in KwaZulu-Natal late in 2021 will not be a sedan.

While the Japanese firm’s local arm builds the latest Corolla Quest (a prolonged lifecycle version of the previous-generation sedan) at its Durban facility, it imports the latest-generation Corolla saloon and hatchback.

In February 2020, the company announced it would produce a new unspecified "passenger-car model” at Prospecton after a fresh R2,43-billion investment.

Andrew Kirby, the company’s president and CEO, has now suggested the new model will be either a hatchback or (more likely) a crossover.

“Our new Toyota model, including a hybrid version, will replace the Corolla sedan production line at our Durban factory,” Kirby said, according to Engineering News.

“I cannot mention the name of the new Toyota model that will go into production in South Africa next year, but what I can tell you is that it is not going to be a sedan,” Kirby said, according to the report.

So, what could it be? Well, we’d speculate there are two main possibilities. The first would see Toyota SA build a replacement of sorts for the budget Etios hatchback. The second, more likely option, would see a crossover rolling off the Durban production line. Corolla Cross, anyone?

Original article from Car