Toyota Corolla Touring Sports wagon debuts

Toyota has pulled the drapes off a wagon version of its all-new Corolla hatch — dubbed the Touring Sports — months before it makes its global debut at the Paris motor show.

Set to come with two hybrid powertrains, plus a conventional internal combustion petrol engine, but no diesel, the new small wagon — like the hatchback — is set to top its class for efficiency.

The new Toyota's technology will be hard to match too. The small wagon gets semi-autonomous driving aids that match more expensive models, enabling it to steer, brake and accelerate by itself.

Featuring the same struts up-front and sophisticated rear multi-link suspension, complete with stabiliser bar, the new wagon will be the first Toyota ever to come with adaptive dampers.

That means it's likely to be better to drive than ever before and Toyota's high-performance division Gazoo Racing could spin-off a wagon version of the Corolla GR hot hatch it's rumoured to be readying secretly behind the scenes.

Despite packing a sharply raked rear-end design, cargo space remains impressive for the small wagon, with the Touring Sports boasting a decent 598-litre capacity.

Although it goes on sale in early 2019 in Europe, the lack of demand for small wagons Down Under is likely to rule out the Corolla Touring Sports for Australia.

"While we would never rule out bringing in a Corolla wagon if the market demand was there, at the moment there are no plans," said Orlando Rodriguez, Toyota Australia spokesman.