Test drive Toyota Corolla
Test Drive

Test drive Toyota Corolla

Is the glass exterior original, or is the Corolla wearing someone else's outfit? The AvtoTachki editors argued for an agonizingly long time about the appearance of the updated sedan and in the end decided to arrange a non-standard test drive

We've been arguing for so long about the glass exterior of the revamped Corolla that it might not end quite diplomatically. The most striking detail of the restyled sedan is the wide head optics, which smoothly goes to the radiator grill. No more cold and boring lines: sharp as a viral infection, a cut on the front bumper, hooligan stampings on the doors and immodest decorative air ducts - the Corolla finally began to dress brightly.

Each of us spent a week plus a weekend with the world's most popular car. And all for the sake of understanding: a glossy and slightly sophisticated Corolla is good, or the sedan decided to try on someone else's mask.

He drives a Ford Fiesta

At the presentation of the updated Corolla in the summer, I could not understand what was wrong with the car. It seems that she began to look more elegant than before, but the mouth of the bumper turned out to be too frank, and the optics turned out to be some kind of deliberately glass. In general, the exterior of the Corolla came out too Japanese even for Moscow. But on the road, the updated sedan no longer seems like an alien from the future. Especially when a Nissan Murano is driving by.

The C-class sedan is as archaic for the Russian market as a large minivan. "Are you kidding? Why should I overpay for the size if I can take a Polo with the same options as the Jetta, but 400 thousand cheaper, ”my old friend clearly set his life priorities and at the same time spoke about the reasons for the failure of the entire golf class.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

The whole difference is in the sensations. Even the average Corolla (the one with a 1,6 engine) rides orders of magnitude better than any Polo GT. She is more mature, more obedient and, finally, better brought up. Accurate steering response, solid suspension performance on bumps and no fiction on the country road: the Corolla can go very fast and does not bother the driver. With the top-end 1,8 liter engine, which appeared just after the update, the Corolla completely resembled the Honda Civic that left because of the evil dollar. Yes, it is already difficult to claim speed records with an atmospheric engine, but in terms of balance, such a Corolla has no equal.

In a small advertising brochure, the word “premium” is repeated several times in relation to the Toyota sedan, but I did not see any global changes in the cabin. Here a large and very glossy multimedia screen with touch buttons appeared, the climate control unit was changed, and a color monitor of the on-board computer appeared on the dashboard. The rest is still dominated by hard plastic and archaic rectangular buttons.

The Corolla is the perfect example of a vehicle that will make you happy. Yes, it does not amaze with its dynamics, does not offer original options and cannot even boast of large capacity. After all, the Corolla doesn't fall in love with itself. She is callous and too correct. But in a few years, the liquidity of the sedan will make fans of everything German ponder. This is the recipe for Japanese happiness.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

Despite the fact that Toyota Corolla survived only a restyling, and not a generation change, Japanese engineers have thoroughly refined the technical part of the sedan. The Corolla is based on the same platform as its predecessor: with typical C-class McPherson struts at the front and a semi-independent beam at the rear. The main difference compared to the pre-styling version is in the shock absorber settings, which have become even tougher. For the sake of handling, the silent blocks of the suspension arms, as well as the stabilizer struts, have been changed.

The structure of the body has not changed: high-strength steels with a large number of welding points are still widely used in it. This gives the Corolla some of the best torsional rigidity in the segment. With the curb weight, things are also not bad: even with practically no use of aluminum and light alloys in the construction, the sedan in the basic version weighs about 1,2 tons.

After restyling, a new 1,8-liter engine (140 horsepower) appeared in the Corolla line for Russia. The atmospheric engine is paired only with a continuously variable variator. You can order Corolla with two engines, which were equipped with pre-styling versions of the sedan. This is a 1,3-liter naturally aspirated engine (99 hp) and a naturally aspirated unit with a volume of 1,6 liters (122 horsepower). The latter can be equipped with both a manual gearbox and a variator.

 

Test drive Toyota Corolla

Drives a Citroen C5

Softness. This is exactly the feeling that envelops the Corolla even before you have time to sit in it. I drove this car for the first time in the summer, but the sensations remained, and under the Moscow snow in the warm interior it only intensified. The "stove" quietly rustles with a fan, the falling snow quickly melts on the heated windshield, soft armchairs gently accept passengers, and hands rest on the warm steering wheel. I don't even want to know if there is a 1,6 or 1,8 liter engine here. The car drives, it does it very smoothly, and on the variator lever I only use positions D, R and P. The variator can simulate six fixed gears, but there is not much excitement in this action. Too big "slippage" is allowed by the box, and the thrust seems to get stuck in them. It is easier and more reliable in "drive", when the variator gives a smooth start from a place and allows, by turning the engine into a ringing sound, to squeeze the maximum out of it during acceleration.

I love that softness, although overall the Corolla is not my type of car at all. In the golf segment, my favorite is the sharp and responsive Skoda Octavia, whose controversial restyling visually made it even more technological. Toyota in this sense has always been perceived ambiguously: after the harmonious ninth generation car, the Japanese have from time to time obtained more and more pretentious outwardly sedans, while archaic inside and artless in terms of driving characteristics. And only the restyling of the eleventh generation suddenly brought everything in line: the sleek glass exterior looks quite modern and even technologically advanced, while it is in good harmony with the cozy warm interior and soft driving habits.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

I will not say a word about the spinelessness of the Corolla, because in the days of the New Year's bustle with their traffic jams, unfinished business and the vagaries of the weather, I wanted to relax in the car more than ever. And it was in it that I often thought about the convenience of unmanned technologies. But even in conditions when you still need to hold the steering wheel in your hands and keep your eyes on the road, the comfort of movement relieves the body a lot. Slightly dim the devices, connect the phone to the media system via Bluetooth, turn on the audiobook with a strong plot - and calmly alternate the "gas" with the brake, flying from traffic light to traffic light. Quite a normal rhythm for a Toyota Corolla. I wouldn’t slap my fingers on the touch panel of the media system - any disorder in this kingdom of tranquility and comfort causes some dissonance.

In the morning parking lot, the snow-covered and slightly dirty Corolla looks a little shapeless, but the first thing I do is unconsciously clean the front end of the glass. She turned out to be successful and is quite capable of being really liked. The frowning face quickly emerges under the strokes of the brush - the car does not really want to plunge into the sticky mud of Moscow traffic jams again, but I know for sure that she will be lucky without choking. Apparently, for this car and love - sincerely, for generations, me one Corolla for another, more recent. I, too, am captivated by this gentleness, but a couple of days later I am in a hurry to take my leave - before this deliberate calmness bores me and starts to annoy me.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

In the Russian market, Toyota Corolla is sold at a minimum price of $ 12. It will be a sedan in the "Standard" version with a 964-horsepower engine and "mechanics". The list of basic equipment for such a Corolla includes air conditioning, two airbags, heated seats and a four-speaker audio system.

Prices for a Toyota with a 1,6-liter engine and a manual gearbox in the Classic trim range start at $ 14, while a sedan with the same engine but with a CVT costs at least $ 415. In the popular Comfort version, you can order the Corolla for $ 14. with "mechanics" and for $ 903 with a variator. The equipment of such a sedan additionally includes side airbags, alloy wheels, LED lights, fog lights, steering wheel heating and a multimedia system with six speakers.

The most expensive and equipped Toyota Corolla is the one that is equipped with a 1,8 liter (140 hp) engine in the Prestige configuration. It features full LED optics, dual-zone climate control, power folding mirrors, a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors and a keyless entry system. The Japanese estimated this sedan at $ 17.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

Drives Mazda RX-8

When I was choosing my first car, I dreamed about the Toyota Corolla the most. Back then, car markets and advertisements were full of second-hand variants of the seventh generation of the model - something that rolled off the assembly line in 1991 and won the ADAC award for the most reliable car for the first time. I liked the Japanese with its powerful 114-horsepower engine and, most importantly, its design, which was both classic and modern.

The eleventh generation Corolla, of course, has nothing in common with the one I dreamed of. Yet the release of the two models is almost 25 years apart. Yes, and the guidelines for the designers this time, it seems, were different: to create the most modern appearance, in which the older model - Camry will be guessed at the same time. The resemblance to the business sedan is especially noticeable at the rear. At the front, there are fanciful LED headlights and a narrow radiator grill. Such a design would have been quite suitable for the concept five years ago. A bit lurid, but certainly attracts attention, which is a fat plus for a C-class car.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

Inside, everything is also decorated with a claim. Plastic, of course, is still not the softest, but the interior looks very modern, albeit not fully thought out in detail. The beautiful touchscreen multimedia screen, for example, is so glossy that on the second day of use, it is all covered with fingerprints.

Then, 16 years ago, I did not have enough money for the Corolla: all variants that were in good condition cost more than I could afford. I had to stop at the 10-year-old Hyundai Lantra. I am sure that many will face a similar problem even now. $ 17 - the minimum price of the option that we had on the test. Terribly expensive if you've spent the last three years in an information coma and haven't tracked car prices. In modern realities, it is quite normal, especially considering the 290-horsepower engine, a wonderful variator that works with it in tandem, and a well-tuned suspension.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

Toyota Corolla is the most popular car in the world. For more than 50 years of the model's existence, it has sold more than 40 million cars. The car is currently being sold in 115 markets, and in Russia, Corolla has the largest fleet in the C-segment, which numbers more than 600 thousand cars.

The first generation Corolla debuted in August 1966. Moreover, the model began to be produced in two bodies at once: a sedan and a three-door hatchback. From the very first years of its existence, Corolla became very popular: it was supplied to three continents. The successor to the "first" Corolla debuted four years after the first generation of the model. The model received new, more powerful engines and another body - a coupe. Corolla III came out in 1974, and it was this generation that began to be sold in Europe. The model did not become a bestseller in the Old World - it was more expensive than local classmates and was inferior to them in many respects, including spaciousness.

The "fourth" Corolla came out at the end of 1981, and it is with it that the history of the model in Russia begins: in the early to mid-1990s, used Corollas began to be imported from Europe and Japan. The fifth generation debuted three years later. It had economical diesel engines, but at the same time Corolla stopped producing a station wagon, which Europeans liked. Three- and five-door hatchbacks, as well as a sedan, remained in the lineup.

Test drive Toyota Corolla
1966 Toyota Corolla

The sixth generation Corolla appeared in early 1988. This generation is remembered for the fact that it was based on a front-wheel drive platform. Toyota has used a similar architecture before, but rear-wheel drive modifications remained on the assembly line. In 1991, the next, "seventh" Corolla was released, which was performed in a very European style. The eighth generation made its debut only seven and a half years later - a huge time frame for the Corolla, which has taught the world to update quickly. She was scolded for the controversial design with round optics, but this did not affect her popularity in any way. By the way, it was from the eighth generation that Corolla began to be officially sold in Russia.

The ninth generation finally received rich equipment and powerful engines: in the top versions of the Corolla, they were equipped with 213-horsepower engines. The shiftman entered the assembly line in 2006 and immediately fell in love with the Europeans thanks to the stylish design: never before has the Corolla looked so grown-up. The model was produced, including in the station wagon, but in Russia only a sedan was available. The Corolla hatchback, which was in great demand in Europe, was singled out as a separate model - Auris.

The current, "eleventh" Corolla appeared in 2012, but appeared in a number of markets, including the Russian one, a year later.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

He drives a Volvo C30

The fuel crisis once helped the cheap and economical Corolla conquer the American market. Now Corolla is the most popular car in the world, but in Russia it has lost its leadership, even in the segment of used cars. The weak dollar hit C-Class sales hard, especially imported cars. It is useless to argue over the price with the bestsellers of the junior segment "B". So, you need to go towards the premium. That's what Toyota decided.

A sly squint of the headlights, the smile of the lower air intake - just a few touches, and the Corolla goes over to the evil side. It is possible that some of the heroes of the next episode of Star Wars will try on the Toyota mask.

On the front panel, which consists of many layers of different textures, there is another one - soft leather with stitching. Stylish round air ducts around the edges are similar to aircraft turbines. The steering wheel is lined with leather and is now heated. Instead of a scattering of rough buttons from the last century, there is a convenient and modern climate control panel with rocker keys. All power windows now have an automatic mode - a major achievement.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

The multimedia system with touch buttons has become a single unit with a glossy black trim. But there is nothing special to watch on the big screen, except for a movie from a rear-view camera. Navigation for "Corolla" is not offered in principle.

Toyota won't be itself if it doesn't keep saving. The rear passengers have only an impressive amount of space and a folding armrest at their disposal: there are no heated seats or additional air ducts here. And the boot upholstery is flimsy and downright cheap.

All this is unlikely to radically change the final impression: the car has become more expensive, brighter and better quality. Including due to reinforced sound insulation and reconfigured suspension. The ride is impressive even on broken asphalt. Sharp road joints are clearly visible, but this is the price to pay for handling, which also added. Under such driving ambitions, a more powerful motor is needed, but here the choice is not great. The top 140 hp engine, which appeared after the update, looks preferable, especially since only a little over 30 thousand will have to overpay for it. It provides acceptable dynamics, but still works in tandem with the variator, which means, no matter how hard you try, the acceleration will still be smooth. However, for a slippery winter, this character is best suited.

Test drive Toyota Corolla

The top version of the Corolla costs as much as $ 17. Moreover, we are talking about a car with a cloth interior and 950-inch wheels. But you sit in a quiet, comfortable and surprisingly spacious Toyota cabin and get used to the thought of a C-class sedan worth under one and a half million.

Toyota Corolla                
Body type       Sedan
Dimensions (length / width / height), mm       4620 / 1775 / 1465
Wheelbase, mm       2700
Ground clearance, mm       150
Cargo space       452
Curb weight, kg       1260
engine's type       Petrol, R4
Working volume, cubic meters cm.       1797
Max. power, h.p. (at rpm)       140 / 6400
Max. cool. moment, nm (at rpm)       173 / 4000
Drive type, transmission       Front, variator
Max. speed km / h       195
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s       10,2
Average fuel consumption, l / 100 km       6,4
Price from, $.       17 290
 

 

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