Topic: First Drive: 2014 Toyota Corolla

[Autos_Editor]

How do you make a boring car more exciting?  The new Corolla meets the challenge without sacrificing its traditional virtues.
Read More...

[northsparrow]

Greg Wilson is the only reviewer who ever mentions the RPM   at 100kmh.

Is this because he is the only reviewer who ever drives at 100 kmh?

[hemusbull]

The new Corolla is killer of Toyota's own hybrid philosophy for fuel efficiency. And being not a Honda, Valvematic isn't a mandatory powertrain. Pity. On top of this is the dino basic four gang auto! Plus something more - the Euro version's front and C-pillar look better IMHO!

[JohnM]

"1,700 rpm while cruising at 100 km/h on a level road." This is a brilliant cruising number and shows off the potential of CVTs.    The Corolla must be almost tomb-like for a "small" car.

But all these cars seem to grow every new model release and "small" really doesn't apply here.   Also, you can bet Toyota was putting major effort into fuel efficiency but the miniscule improvements here show how really tough it is to make improvements in this area unless vehicle size and weight are reduced.

I'd say the new Corolla has more than enough to keep it's legions of fans coming back.   Height reduction and lower seat will make the older demographic think a little bit though.

Cheers,
John M.

[Frontier1]

As my son is looking to dump the Rondo, the Corolla will be included in the test drive lineup in the coming weeks.  We will drive everything there is out there, twice if we have to, everybody gets a chance to sell us a car.

[dkaz]

I gave the Corolla a 3 minute look in the showroom last year lol. Left because it was tiny, I couldn't sit behind myself which meant my kids would have no legroom behind me in their car seats. The extra 4" will definitely help. The new one certainly looks more compelling although I expect it still has the same old Corolla handling. Hopefully they improved their manual transmission. The 2008 was too sloppy for any sort of sporty driving.

[Frontier1]

I gave the Corolla a 3 minute look in the showroom last year lol. Left because it was tiny, I couldn't sit behind myself which meant my kids would have no legroom behind me in their car seats. The extra 4" will definitely help. The new one certainly looks more compelling although I expect it still has the same old Corolla handling. Hopefully they improved their manual transmission. The 2008 was too sloppy for any sort of sporty driving.

My test drive in 08 the steering feel on centre was nasty, wonder if they fixed that.

[wing]

Greg Wilson is the only reviewer who ever mentions the RPM   at 100kmh.

Is this because he is the only reviewer who ever drives at 100 kmh?

Yes the rest of us drive at 120  lol

[Noto]

I gave the Corolla a 3 minute look in the showroom last year lol. Left because it was tiny, I couldn't sit behind myself which meant my kids would have no legroom behind me in their car seats. The extra 4" will definitely help.

...seriously?  Source - Edmunds.com

Corolla:  36.3 in.  (2014 will be 41.4 in.)
Civic:  36.2 in.   
Mazda 3:  36.2 in.
Sentra:  37.4 in.   
Jetta:  38.1 in.   
Cruze:  35.4 in.   
Elantra (sedan):  33.1 in.   

I guess you should return your Mazda 3 then if the rear seat legroom itself was enough to send you out of the showroom.

...or better yet, buy a mid-size.  You can't bash a car for being small when it's class is called COMPACT and its dimensions are average (and now above) for its class.
__________________________________________________


As for the 2014, I think they really hit the nail with styling, but I do think the dimensions are being pushed a wee bit too far...if I find the Corolla too big, then the Yaris is my next best option.  Yikes.  My parents' garage has about 3in. of clearance with the Corolla properly tucked - I'm not sure this new one would fit.

I'd be interested to drive the new Corolla CVT - but shame they don't have the eco engine set up across the board.  I wonder how much more it actually costs them - especially compared to the cost of having separate assembly lines.

[whaddaiknow]

I think Toyota generally did exactly what they needed to do to here.  The fact that air conditioning remains an option on any trim level surprises me, but that is a relatively minor gripe.  The Corolla continues to excel at what a huge percentage of the compact car buying public presumably care most about.

+1
And I really like the styling of this '14. Not screaming and pleasant . This is the sort of car I would buy my kids as a first car. Nice style, enough technology and sedate handling to discourage spirited driving. With excellent resale value it's just about perfect for a non-enthusiast.

[dkaz]

...seriously?  Source - Edmunds.com

Corolla:  36.3 in.  (2014 will be 41.4 in.)
Civic:  36.2 in.   
Mazda 3:  36.2 in.
Sentra:  37.4 in.   
Jetta:  38.1 in.   
Cruze:  35.4 in.   
Elantra (sedan):  33.1 in.   

I guess you should return your Mazda 3 then if the rear seat legroom itself was enough to send you out of the showroom.

...or better yet, buy a mid-size.  You can't bash a car for being small when it's class is called COMPACT and its dimensions are average (and now above) for its class.
__________________________________________________


As for the 2014, I think they really hit the nail with styling, but I do think the dimensions are being pushed a wee bit too far...if I find the Corolla too big, then the Yaris is my next best option.  Yikes.  My parents' garage has about 3in. of clearance with the Corolla properly tucked - I'm not sure this new one would fit.

I'd be interested to drive the new Corolla CVT - but shame they don't have the eco engine set up across the board.  I wonder how much more it actually costs them - especially compared to the cost of having separate assembly lines.

The numbers displayed don't necessarily reflect actual observed legroom. The Focus was the smallest car of the ones I looked at, I was crushed, then Corolla and Cruze, very snug and ok. Elantra and Jetta were the largest, both roomy and comfy. My 3 was in between the Corolla/Cruze and Elantra/Jetta, it's snug but comfy.

BTW I just typed that all up without looking at your numbers. You have to experience the cars for yourself and not just base it on numbers. Not sure where you got those Elantra numbers from but it's midsize like in there. Headroom is limited but there's plenty of legroom to slouch down a bit.

[Ravenorxs]

Am I missing something here?

The Corolla S trim is $19,215 vs the LE trim at $19,500 but

The S includes the same standard features as the LE, but adds a unique grille and rear fascia, front fog lights, 17-inch tires and sporty machined alloys, rear spoiler, front sport seats with premium fabric seat cloth and heated front seats, a unique two-gauge instrument cluster with a digital TFT information display, and leather-wrapped steering wheel.

So what is the incentive for the LE? It seems you need to upgrade the LE with the upgrade package to get at least most of the features the S get's standard (and the S get's it cheaper to boot).

[dkaz]

LE is CVT and S is 6 speed manual? The S CVT is $20,200.

[dkaz]

No incentive to get an LE for me, auto only. I'd get an S Premium Package 6 speed manual if I went back to Corolla.

[conwelpic]

I read a review on the new Corolla a few days ago and what stuck out at me was the extremely high claimed rear seat room of 41.4" (as what has been mentioned), as I found this far fetched as if someone didn't calculate something right as it seemed so out of step with most other vehicles in the compact market segment and for that matter even the large market segment.

As what has been mentioned in some of the competition rear seat room, but out of curiosity I checked (from the manufacturers websites) figures from full size vehicles.  So according to Toyota the Corolla (42.3/41.4) has more rear seat room than two of his much larger vehicles, the Camry at (frt/rr) 41.6/38.9 and the Avalon at 42.1/39.2 - that doesn't make a lot of sense.

2014 Impala - 42.1/36.8
2013 Taurus - 41.9/38.0
2013 La Cross - 41.7/40.5
2013 Genesis - 44.3/38.6
2013 Maxima - 43.8/34.6
2013 Passat - 42.4/39.1
2014 Cadenza - 45.5/36.8

Its only a guide line and it all depends on the movement of the front seat, I can only comment on the Cadenza because its the only one of that group that I have actually sat in.  In this vehicle I set the driver's seat for my height (about 6') and then I found there to be about a foot of room between the back seat base and the driver's seat.

However, having said all that, late yesterday I went back to the Toyota Canada website to recheck on the dimensions again, and guess what - they have removed the rear foot room figure of 41.4 - its just blank, so its looks like a possible typo or they are doing a recheck, who knows but something is not right 

check for yourself http://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/vehicles/corolla/specifications/dimensions

[dkaz]

I'm trying to figure out if there is a standard on leg room measurements.

http://blog.extendmyseat.com/how-to-measure-legroom-in-cars/

Any others?

[hemusbull]

Yes, there are standards used even in popular magazines like Europe's #1, the German Auto Bild, which has local editions in many other countries under their own names. Over there everything - from output power and torque, through noise level inside to the dimensions of front and rear seats - everything has methodology and the comparison is in tables. Oh, I forgot, they as well measure the fuel efficiency instead to read vehicle's fuel consumption gages. No need to explain all measurements are independent from any manufacturer's involvement.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I'm trying to figure out if there is a standard on leg room measurements.

http://blog.extendmyseat.com/how-to-measure-legroom-in-cars/

Any others?

CR does their own measurements. I'm not sure if they've done the Corolla yet.

[dkaz]

((British accent)) And here we have a rare species, the Lexus SC430. Originally conceived to be a competitor to the S2000, it turned into an overweight and overpriced breed. Unable to match the athleticism of its Honda rival, you are more likely to find the SC430 grazing on grass at your local country club or receiving a manicure on a glamourous high street.

[Fobroader]

((British accent)) And here we have a rare species, the Lexus SC430. Originally conceived to be a competitor to the S2000, it turned into an overweight and overpriced breed. Unable to match the athleticism of its Honda rival, you are more likely to find the SC430 grazing on grass at your local country club or receiving a manicure on a glamourous high street.

  Nice work Richard Attenborough......