Skip to main content

2014 Toyota Corolla Revealed

Yesterday night, Toyota revealed the next generation of its incredibly popular Corolla. It is now in its 11th generation. 

The new Corolla is perhaps the most radically styled yet. At first, I was appalled by the design, but it grew on me after half an hour or so. The interior is just as stylish (or overstyled) as the exterior, with a stacked design that looks like a fusion of the Yaris's and Avalon's interiors. It does look to be of much higher quality than the current Corolla. 

More sounds deadening means a quieter interior, and a 3.9-inch stretch of the wheelbase translates to more legroom for the rear passengers. There is also heavier padding and foam inserts for the rear passengers, making it even more comfortable for them. 

The engine is carryover; you'll find the same 132-horsepower, 128 pounds-feet of torque, 1.8-liter four cylinder under the hood. There is a new LE Eco trim level that has the same engine, but with a higher compression ratio and better valve technology. The LE Eco in turn gains 8 horsepower and loses 2 pounds-feet of torque. 

There are three transmission options. The base L can be optioned either with the ancient 4-speed automatic transmission, or the new 6-speed manual (up one gear from 2013). The S and LE will come with a CVT transmission that mimics a 7-speed automatic. The S, being the sporty trim, can also be optioned with the 6-speed manual. The S with the CVT also comes with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles to control the 7 "gears".

In the LE Eco model, there is an Eco mode. That mode dials back throttle response for the first half of gas pedal travel and reduces the air conditioner's function. The LE Eco is said to get close to 40 miles per gallon on the highway. 

The other trims should get better fuel economy than the previous model despite a slight increase in weight. The CVT and aerodynamic enhancements should allow for more competitive EPA fuel economy ratings the the current model's 26/34 city/highway ratings.

Standard features mentioned include power windows with automatic up and down for the driver, power door locks, Bluetooth, LED low-beam headlights and daytime running lights (a first among compact cars), a 60/40 split folding rear seatback, air conditioning, 8 airbags, and 16-inch steel wheels. 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels are available on other trim levels, and the S trim comes with a stiffer ride if ordered with 17-inch wheels. 

If you go up the option ladder, you can get such niceties such as Bluetooth voice command for phones, Toyota's Entune multimedia system, SoftTex fake leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a Smart Key system. 

Other than dimensions and features, not much else was released for the new Corolla. Expect more information to be out out closer to the car's autumn 2013 on-sale date. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2003 Honda Odyssey EX-L Review

These pictures aren't of the actual vehicle, but the colors and trim level are correct. Those of you who have been following this blog since its inception know that my parents have two cars: a 2006 Nissan Sentra and a 2005 Mazda MPV. Well, we recently swapped our dear little MPV for a 2003 Odyssey.  The reason for that is, well, there isn't much reason. It's mostly to spice things up in our lives and have a different car for a change without spending any extra money. Our Odyssey came with every bell and whistle you could get in a minivan in 2003, including a factory-installed DVD entertainment system, leather seats, heated seats in the front, and dual power sliding doors.  First impressions were a mixed bag. The engine was very smooth, quiet, and powerful, apparently typical of Hondas, but there was a rough patch between 1000 and 1500 RPM or so. You can't feel the road textures at all while driving the car, but it crashed loudly over larger bumps. Loud can als...
Post a Comment
Read more

2014 Porsche Panamera

So yesterday, the refreshed Panamera was revealed, along with all the details of the upgrades. The big news are the styling updates, more power, a plug-in hybrid model, and a new long-wheebase model. Starting with the engine updates, the base 3.6-liter V-6 engine produces 310 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 10 horsepower. The 400-horsepower, 4.8-liter V-8 for the Panamera S and 4S trims makes way for a new twin-turbocharged V-6 that makes 420 horsepower and 384 pounds-feet of torque. The Panamera GTS looks and handles much like the Turbo, but it uses the S's engine. Meanwhile, the Turbo's twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter V-8 gets a horsepower bump of 20, to a good 520 horsepower and 516 pounds-feet of torque. The Turbo S is discontinued for now. All of the above engines are mated to Porsche's PDK dual-clutch automates manual transmission. Finally, there's the Panamera S E-Hybrid, which is a fairly significant upgrade from the previous S Hybri...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mini's Continuation of Expensive Little Cars

The John Cooper Works (JWC for short) moniker for Mini has meant high performance. Now, the Cooper John Cooper Works is supplemented by the bigger John Cooper Works Countryman. An all-wheel-drive, 1.6-liter turbocharged four cylinder powered fun little hatchback might lead you to believe it would be sensibly priced, but the JWC Countryman instead starts at $35550, and that's only the beginning of the story for more options.  At that point, you can get a lightly equipped sports sedan than is more powerful and far more refined than the JWC Countryman would be. If you really want Mini's British charm and relatively go-cart like handling with more space than a regular JWC Cooper and an even costlier JWC Cooper convertible, this is it for you. The JWC package does get you 19-inch wheels and red trim inside and out, though. If you're looking at competitors, the Volkswagen Golf R will have to be the sole car. Its starting price is within $200 of the JWC Countryman's, and...
Post a Comment
Read more