20/08/2026
A Filipino Motoring Icon: The Toyota Corolla E100
In the history of the Philippine car industry, few cars have had the honor of being both ubiquitous and iconic at the same time. Ask anyone about these cars and they will most likely say their dad, or their uncle, or their grandparents, or anybody in their family had one when they were growing up. As these cars age out and depreciate, enthusiasts soon pick up on their potential and give these cars a new purpose, whether for setting them up as show cars or for grassroots motorsport. Such is the case for mundane commuter cars that have become classic icons of Filipino motoring. In the modern era, we can see this pattern slowly taking its effect on cars like the Toyota Yaris and Vios of the 2000s.
But let's rewind the clock a little bit, back when the country was picking itself up from the turbulence caused by decades of sociopolitical struggle.
Toyota's return to the local market in 1989 was marked by the arrival of the AE92 and EE90 Toyota Corolla. Following the success of the E90 Corolla platform, Toyota kept the momentum going with the launch of the seventh generation Corolla, designated as the E100.
The E100, locally narrowed down into the AE101 and EE100 chassis, marked a significant step forward in the Corolla's evolution. With its sudden increase in body dimension, curb weight, and rounded shape, the E100 Corolla earned the local nickname "Big Body". In retrospect, the previous generation was then comparatively nicknamed the "Small Body".
The Big Body Corolla was available in three main variants. The Corolla XL was the most basic of the bunch with manual windows, manual mirror adjustment, no power steering, steel wheels, and a carbureted 1.3-liter 12-valve 2E engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. This utilitarian combo made it a favorite among taxi operators, company fleets, and government agencies.
Positioned in the middle was the Corolla XE which retained the same powertrain with the addition of power steering, a tachometer, and classier alloy wheels.
Meanwhile, seated at the top of the lineup was the 1.6 GLi which boasted all the bells and whistles an early 90s Philippine market car could show off. Among others, this included power windows, power mirror adjustment, a digital clock, and the best part: an electronically fuel injected 1.6-liter twin cam 16-valve 4A-FE engine which could be had with a 5-speed manual or, for those with more cash to spare, a 4-speed automatic transmission. In later years, various special editions and limited-production trims spawned from these three variants, including the XE Limited and the GLi Limited which boasted their own perks.
With its sheer customizability, practicality, variety of options, and the Filipinos' penchant for all things Toyota, the Big Body Corolla quickly became a fan favorite. So much so that multiple generations of Filipino car owners hold the Big Body dear to their hearts even to this day. From parents in the 1990s buying their child their first car to drive to university, to their grandchildren buying one as their first project car in the 2020s, there's a Big Body Corolla for everybody. Likewise, from full OEM catalog builds to restomod projects, from show cars to be**er race cars, there's a Big Body Corolla for every niche.
Truth be told, I've been planning to feature the Big Body Corolla on this page for a while. Given its emotional significance to me as a large part of my early childhood and now in my first foray into the project car life, I felt the need to pay tribute to the car that has singlehandedly become a quintessential summary of the 1990s Philippine automotive landscape. By a stroke of luck, we didn't have to go far for this; in fact, parking my Corolla GLi alongside this pristine Corolla XE was a coincidence and completely unplanned while we were working on a separate photoshoot. In contrast to my project car sitting on coilovers and aftermarket wheels, this Corolla XE continues to fulfill its role as a practical daily driver with its standard equipment. Still, despite their differences, they highlight the significance that the Big Body Corolla has carved out for itself within Philippine car culture for over 30 years.
The Big Body Corolla was not extraordinary because it was exotic. In fact, it was not particularly revolutionary even for its time. Instead, the Big Body Corolla was extraordinary because it was ordinary, and so many Filipinos' lives revolved around it. For some, the Big Body Corolla was a source of leisurely joy. For some, a source of livelihood. And now, over three decades later, the same car continues to fulfill many roles. It could be someone's daily transportation, a family heirloom, a show car, or a grassroots motorsports project.
Perhaps that is the greatest legacy of the Big Body Corolla. More than thirty years later, it still has a place in the lives of Filipinos.