New Toyota Corolla sedan to lob this week

UPDATED 13/11/2018 9:30am: Two teaser images of the 2020 Toyota Corolla sedan have now been released ahead of Friday's global reveal, confirming it will employ the same headlights as the hatch but a different front bumper with horizontal LED fog lights, giving Toyota's four-door Mazda3 rival a distinctive new look.

Toyota has announced it will reveal the 12th-generation Toyota Corolla sedan at China's Guangzhou motor show on November 16.

Confirming the small Toyota Corolla sedan will be unveiled at the Chinese show, Toyota released an image of the three variants lined up together with the caption "A New Era for Corolla".

Based on the car-maker's latest TNGA modular architecture, the 2019 Toyota Corolla sedan has already been spotted testing.

Set to be introduced in early 2019, the small sedan is expected to be virtually identical from the front through to the B-pillars to the 2018 Toyota Corolla hatchback (pictured).

That includes incorporating the hatch's sporty, gaping-mouthed front-end.

Like the current sedan, the new Corolla four-door should have a larger boot and longer wheelbase, to the benefit of second-row passenger space.

It should also share the five-door's upgraded suspension that includes a new MacPherson front strut design and more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension.

Factor in a lower centre of gravity, similar 60 per cent improvement in body rigidity and better weight distribution, and the 2019 Corolla sedan should be more athletic than the old car.

Like the hatch, the next-gen Corolla sedan will get a 126kW/205Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and come with a six-speed manual and new CVT auto transmission.

Mirroring the hatch line-up, the sedan will come with unprecedented levels of safety kit including autonomous emergency braking.

Also expected is a petrol-electric version, powered by the same new-generation hybrid system as seen in the Corolla Hybrid hatch.

All will be revealed in China this Friday.