What year was the Toyota Corona discontinued?
There isn’t a single global discontinuation year for the Corona—the nameplate was retired at different times by market, with the final Japanese sale winding down around 2001.
Across regions, Toyota retooled its mid-size sedan lineup based on market needs, shifting away from the Corona to other models such as the Camry in North America and the Allion/Premio family in Japan. Below is a regional breakdown of how the retirement played out and what it signified for Toyota's strategy in a changing global market.
Regional retirement timelines
North America
In the United States and Canada, Corona sales were phased out in the early 1980s as Toyota refocused on the Camry, which debuted in the United States in the 1983 model year and became the core mid-size sedan for the brand. By the mid-1980s, the Corona name had largely disappeared from showrooms in North America.
Japan
In Japan, the Corona persisted longer and was maintained as a domestic model through multiple generations until the early 2000s. The nameplate was gradually retired as Toyota shifted its lineup toward the Allion and Premio sedans and other modern mid-size models, with the final traditional Corona ending around 2001.
Europe and other markets
European, African, and many Asian markets saw the Corona leave showrooms through the 1990s, as the Corolla's platform and newer mid-size sedans filled the void and as Toyota consolidated its global model naming strategy. Last sales in several markets occurred by the early 2000s, though some markets carried remaining inventories into 1999–2002 depending on local regulations and dealers.
What replaced the Corona
As the nameplate faded, Toyota leaned on the Corolla platform for many markets and introduced Japan-specific successors such as the Allion and Premio to target mid-size sedan buyers. In North America, the Camry became the default mid-size sedan that supplanted the Coronas in dealership lineups.
Why the retirement varied
The staggered discontinuation reflects regional demand shifts, regulatory changes, and strategic branding decisions. Toyota gradually unified its mid-size sedan strategy around the Corolla/Camry family in many regions while keeping a Japan-oriented lineup that evolved into the Allion/Premio family before the Corona name was finally retired.
Summary
The Toyota Corona did not stop production in a single year worldwide. The last Corona in Japan ended around 2001, while North American sales ended earlier in the 1980s and many other markets exited during the 1990s or early 2000s. The nameplate’s retirement marks a transition to newer Toyota mid-size sedans and a broader global platform strategy.
