Topic: Test Drive: 2014 Toyota Corolla S

[Autos_Editor]

Significant exterior improvements coupled with a bigger, better cabin and a new CVT make for an all-new Corolla that is certain to maintain its position as a sales juggernaut in this class.


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[fixer]

The prior model was so outclassed they had to improve it and it does look good. However I would still rate it last against the competitors listed.

[JohnM]

"The CVT ... it’s actually a great transmission – period."

Please note this day, December 19, 2013 on which an automotive journalist finally referred to a CVT as downright great.   I've noticed the stigma of CVTs waning somewhat in reviews over the past year.  Testers no longer feel obliged to mercilessly hammer the hapless tranny without cogs.  But this is the first time someone has actually come out and broken the mold by declaring a CVT to be first class.

I've never disliked CVTs and really appreciated their ability to drop the RPMs to the minimum level.   The CVT in the Kizashi was the best non-manual transmission I'd ever experienced.

So maybe on our way to transmissionless EV cars, we can now be free to praise another step forward in the method of passing power to the wheels.  The CVT has arrived, it will be ubiquitous and it is pretty damn good.

Cheers,
John M.

[WRX_Pilot]

^^ haha... Well said.

http://youtu.be/LHpdgHTINik

[hemusbull]

Extraordinary car...for my wife! After Toyota "trashes almost everything that sucked" and forgot...the engine. And from here Toyota has the only one thing they never trashed: the engine. The most sold car around the world is Focus and the engine is one of reasons: they have it in many versions including in sport mode as well. Sorry Corolla!

[Snowman]

Corolla or Civic and my only choices in this segment. Toyota did an excellent job on this latest version and they fully understand the market they are targeting.

[Snowman]

Extraordinary car...for my wife! After Toyota "trashes almost everything that sucked" and forgot...the engine. And from here Toyota has the only one thing they never trashed: the engine. The most sold car around the world is Focus and the engine is one of reasons: they have it in many versions including in sport mode as well. Sorry Corolla!

False. The Corolla is the best-selling car in the world, with 1.02 million copies sold.


http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mkk45ekfi/1-toyotacorolla-201112/

[redman]

"The space under the hood is the only place where Toyota appears to have left well enough alone. Toyota kept the 1.8L four-cylinder as it is. Nothing exciting here; 132 hp at 6,000 rpm and 128 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm"

I think this says it all. The "S" in nothing more than a poor marketing ploy to leverage more money out of the consumer by adding a little dressing to the same mix !! May work for some but for everyone else if you want a sportier Corolla like vehicle the Mazda 3 in any format trumps the Corolla in engine and handling for a lower price.

[redman]

I think this says it all. The "S" in nothing more than a poor marketing ploy to leverage more money out of the consumer by adding a little dressing to the same mix !! May work for some but for everyone else if you want a sportier Corolla like vehicle the Mazda 3 in any format trumps the Corolla in engine and handling for a lower price.

You make it sound so sinister.  True, the Corolla lacks an enthusiast appeal.  True, the S package does not do much, if anything, to change this.  But that does not make it some kind of ploy.  The "S" trim level adds some sport oriented content for people who want a sportier Corolla.

Just as you stated "the Corolla lacks an enthusiast appeal" the "S" in all about enthusiastic appeal and is the wrong nomenclature used for the Corolla considering it's inferior and antiquated engine and handling versus many competitors especially the Mazda 3. If a buyer is looking for a A-B commuter car, I have no issues with the Corolla but if they want some sportiness in the mix the Corolla S in little beyond added marketing and fluffy content.

[Weels]

This Corolla does look pretty sharp, especially in that blue paint, and I like the S trim.  For the first time ever, I would take this Corolla over a Civic if those were the only two I could choose from.
The only things I didn't care for much were the vertical dash design and the numb brakes that feel the same as the previous model.

This was the best CVT i've driven, in fact I didn't realize is was a CVT until i looked at the spec sheet

[Nuttygent]

  This new Corolla is the perfect car for the majority of Canadians. Unlike people who read this website, they have no desire to drive with any passion. This is in part due to our collective police forces, if caught doing any spirited driving you will be pulled over so fast it would make your head spin. If accelerating from a set of lights briskly you run the risk of getting charged with "street racing".

[redman]

  This new Corolla is the perfect car for the majority of Canadians. Unlike people who read this website, they have no desire to drive with any passion. This is in part due to our collective police forces, if caught doing any spirited driving you will be pulled over so fast it would make your head spin. If accelerating from a set of lights briskly you run the risk of getting charged with "street racing".

Good handling, braking and acceleration are more than just spirited driving. There is a safety advantage with increased handling and braking. It's comforting to know that I can merge onto higher speed traffic when changing lanes with the added power. All this could be had for the same price and lower as the Corolla by other manufacturers. Toyota has to step up to call this an "S" package.

As a point the Corolla "S" is the slowest version of the car. More weight without added power.
"The S trim model got slightly heavier, gaining 25 kilos – it tips the scales at 1,295 kg (2,865 pounds)"

Here is an example on how G.M. uses the letter "S" it's so S that they doubled it. !!http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/ss/2014/road-test.html

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Extraordinary car...for my wife! After Toyota "trashes almost everything that sucked" and forgot...the engine. And from here Toyota has the only one thing they never trashed: the engine. The most sold car around the world is Focus and the engine is one of reasons: they have it in many versions including in sport mode as well. Sorry Corolla!

False. The Corolla is the best-selling car in the world, with 1.02 million copies sold.


http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mkk45ekfi/1-toyotacorolla-201112/

That was for 2011. For 2012 it was the Focus.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2012/12/19/the-worlds-most-popular-cars-a-new-champ/

[Snowman]

I think this says it all. The "S" in nothing more than a poor marketing ploy to leverage more money out of the consumer by adding a little dressing to the same mix !! May work for some but for everyone else if you want a sportier Corolla like vehicle the Mazda 3 in any format trumps the Corolla in engine and handling for a lower price.

You make it sound so sinister.  True, the Corolla lacks an enthusiast appeal.  True, the S package does not do much, if anything, to change this.  But that does not make it some kind of ploy.  The "S" trim level adds some sport oriented content for people who want a sportier Corolla.

Just as you stated "the Corolla lacks an enthusiast appeal" the "S" in all about enthusiastic appeal and is the wrong nomenclature used for the Corolla considering it's inferior and antiquated engine and handling versus many competitors especially the Mazda 3. If a buyer is looking for a A-B commuter car, I have no issues with the Corolla but if they want some sportiness in the mix the Corolla S in little beyond added marketing and fluffy content.

Then there is the Elantra GT...vroom vrooom

[Snowman]

Extraordinary car...for my wife! After Toyota "trashes almost everything that sucked" and forgot...the engine. And from here Toyota has the only one thing they never trashed: the engine. The most sold car around the world is Focus and the engine is one of reasons: they have it in many versions including in sport mode as well. Sorry Corolla!

False. The Corolla is the best-selling car in the world, with 1.02 million copies sold.


http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mkk45ekfi/1-toyotacorolla-201112/

That was for 2011. For 2012 it was the Focus.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2012/12/19/the-worlds-most-popular-cars-a-new-champ/

Opps...stupid Google.

[fixer]

Basically this car will appeal only to people who no nothing of the competition. Nice to still have the 4 spd auto option HA HA

[opg210]

I think this is a great car, perfectly aimed at its target market. Sport might be a bit of a stretch, but if it's an upgrade compared to the base it's not a crime to call it that. Would be a great commuter car and then something to hand off to the kids in 8-10 years, when you know it will still be running.

No complaints about the engine either, 99.9% of purchasers, and the people that will be very happy to buy it used 5 years on, will be quite interested in the near-bulletproof reputation than the use of the latest technology to eke out a few more tenths in the km/l race. Might satisfy a lot of other folks if they offered an option, but they seem to know what they're doing well enough.

[johngenx]

I've seen lots of them on the road, and I like it.  It's certainly a step away from "bland" for Toyota and I'm actually surprised given the sales success of the previous vanilla models.  However, they are facing pressure from brands that are offering more dynamic styling and experiencing sales success with it.

The "old" engine is pretty new in terms of Toyota.  Toyota doesn't change out engines every few years.  They build a high quality product that has a lot of investment in engineering and then they exploit it for as long as possible.  The old 3.5L V-6 is a perfect example.  It's still an awesome engine, so why replace it?  The Corolla mill might not be making big power, but for consistent fuel economy and reliability, it's still at the front of the pack.

Toyota builds the best CVTs, period.  While I believe this is a conventional CVT as opposed to the planetary unit in the hybrids, Toyota puts a lot of energy into things like transmissions.

[bombastic]

Extraordinary car...for my wife! After Toyota "trashes almost everything that sucked" and forgot...the engine. And from here Toyota has the only one thing they never trashed: the engine. The most sold car around the world is Focus and the engine is one of reasons: they have it in many versions including in sport mode as well. Sorry Corolla!

False. The Corolla is the best-selling car in the world, with 1.02 million copies sold.


http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mkk45ekfi/1-toyotacorolla-201112/

False, the link you show is for Dec 2011. Old data presented as facts? Hmmm.

[ChaosphereIX]

perfect for its target market, which are people who don't give a damn about cars - if they did, they would buy a Mazda3...the Corolla is a slushbox by every definition of the word. Anemic power, 4 speed auto, it is for doddling around in perfectly reliable vanilla-ness.

these cars exist to remind us just how awesome other cars are - you have to have something as a baseline, after all

as a car enthusiast, I have no interest in even riding in one as a passenger, but then again I am not at all the target market