Corona (1957 to 2001)

The Toyota Corona, manufactured globally from 1957 until 2001 across eleven generations, was the sophisticated "middle child" of the Toyota family—positioned above the Corolla and below the Crown to provide a more refined executive experience. While it was a global success, the Corona holds a special place in 2026 Australia as a definitive symbol of the country's local manufacturing history, with several generations (including the iconic "shovel-nose" T40 and the final rear-wheel-drive T140) rolling off production lines in Port Melbourne. In the current 2026 Australian market, the Corona has shed its "grandpa car" image to become a highly desirable hero of the nostalgic JDM scene, with the local buyer pool consisting of "P-plate" enthusiasts seeking a stylish, rear-drive entry point and dedicated collectors who value the car's tank-like build quality. Desirability has reached a fever pitch in 2026 following viral "restomod" builds featuring modern 3S-GE Beams engine swaps, which have proven that the Corona's understated chassis can easily handle double its factory power at local hill climbs and roll racing events. Consequently, the market value for the Corona in Australia has seen a significant upward trend; while the front-wheel-drive T150 and T170 models remain affordable gateways into classic ownership, pristine examples of the Australian-delivered RT142 Avante (with its fuel-injected 2.4-litre 22R-E engine) and the 1960s RT40 have ascended into the realm of blue-chip investments, with collectors now fiercely competing for original, rust-free survivors.

The Toyota Corona, manufactured globally from 1957 until 2001 across eleven generations, was the sophisticated "middle child" of the Toyota family—positioned above the Corolla and below the Crown to provide a more refined executive experience. While it was a global success, the Corona holds a special place in 2026 Australia as a definitive symbol of the country's local manufacturing history, with several generations (including the iconic "shovel-nose" T40 and the final rear-wheel-drive T140) rol… Read more