I figured I would review the rental Toyota Corolla I got to drive while the minivan was in the body shop again. I was rear ended for the second time this year. This time, Enterprise provided me with a Toyota Corolla instead of another minivan, so I figured I would share my overall impressions. Let me preface this review by saying that I view most Toyotas as “transportation appliances,” meaning they are perfectly competent cars that are lacking in soul or excitement. In other words, they are adequate, competent cars for people who don’t enjoy driving. I drove the LE model, which is the middle trim level.
Exterior styling: Not bad. The previous Corolla looked like the transportation appliance that it was. The 2014 Corolla, based on the Furia concept, is sleeker, and has some nice touches, like the LED headlights and upward character line on the sides of the car. S “Sport?” models get a blacked out grille. Overall, a huge improvement over its predecessor.
Interior styling: Again, not bad. There are lots of different shapes and materials that make up the interior, and it is evident that they tried to inject some style into the car. The result is a little busy, but is, once again, a major improvement. There are many soft-touch surfaces throughout the interior. However, the fake stitching on top of the dashboard moulding looks cheap. Gauges are clear and easy to read.
Performance: Meh. The 132 hp four carries over from the previous model. Acceleration is merely adequate, and this car is easily outrun by others in its class. This car has a “gearless” CVT (continuously valuable transmission), which is obviously designed for fuel economy and not performance. The base model comes with a conventional 4-speed auto, and a 6-speed manual is available on some trim levels. The S has paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Despite the sporty trim of the S model, the car still comes with the lowly base engine. The only optional engine is on the LE Eco model, which has 140 horsepower. There is some steering feel, and the car handles reasonably well, but will never be mistaken for a sports car. I am sure the handling on the S is better on 17-inch wheels. Finally, all models except the ones with 17-inch wheels have rear drum brakes. As far as I am concerned, drum brakes, which tend to fade (lose effectiveness) quickly due to friction and heat, are outdated technology which shouldn’t be on any car, and this was Toyota doing too much cost cutting. Finally, the car rides well, absorbs bumps in the road, and is quiet, smooth and refined.
Fuel economy: Thanks to a fuel-efficient engine and CVT, I averaged a very impressive 34.8 miles per gallon. It only cost me about $30 to fill the tank, and the 2-hour trip through beautiful Pennsylvania from the State College area to Lancaster only used about 1/4 of a tank. I don’t know how people justify buying a Prius, because the mileage on this car is almost as good, the Corolla costs thousands less, and looks like an actual car.
Safety: All models come standard with a full complement of airbags and stability control. The LE, which I drove, had a backup camera. Models with the multimedia system come with a backup camera. The Corolla did well in most IIHS tests, but earned only a “marginal” rating in the front overlap crash test, which puts it behind other cars in its class. Again, no car should have drum brakes.
Space/utility: The wheelbase was stretched for the 2014 model, so there is a lot of rear-seat room for its class. The 13 cubic feet of trunk space is competitive for its class, and held several bags and boxes I was transporting from Lancaster to State College.
Features: All Corollas come standard with power windows, power locks, and Bluetooth, which allows your phone to connect to the car wirelessly, allowing you to use the phone hands-free and listen to music through the phone. The LE, which I drove, had a 6-inch infotainment screen which displayed audio information and detailed fuel economy information. The system is very simple and intuitive, much more so than the infotainment system in my Dodge Grand Caravan. It connected to my iPhone and imported all of my contacts and call history in a matter of seconds. I was easily able to listen to Pandora through my phone. The hands-free phone system worked very well, and the audio system sounded good. The LE had automatic climate control, which was easy to use and worked well.
Value: Pricing starts at $16,900 for the base model. A/C, power windows, power locks and Bluetooth wireless are included. The LE that I drove adds nicer interior trim, the 6-inch multimedia display, backup camera and automatic climate control for about $18,500. Considering the amount of equipment offered, this is a good value for the money.
Would I buy it? I loved the car’s multimedia system. Still, if I needed to buy a car in this class, I would say no. I stand by what I say about Toyota. The Corolla is a perfectly competent, well-made car that is designed for people who want a car to get them from point A to point B. This is not the car for me, but I certainly would recommend this car to other people. I would pass on this car because I would like the utility of a hatchback, and the Corolla only comes as a sedan. Although the Corolla is by no means unpleasant to drive, I would prefer a car that is a little bit more fun, and I don’t like the rear drum brakes. In this class, I have driven the Ford Focus, which is more sporty and is offered as a hatchback. The Mazda3 is supposedly more of a driver’s car, and is also offered in a hatchback. Another car I would consider is the Volkswagen Golf, but the Golf can get very expensive very quickly as you add options. Finally, there is the Subaru Impreza, which offers all-wheel-drive, and I love my current car, the Legacy, even though my wife drives it most of the time. However, I would recommend this car to people because of its good value, outstanding fuel economy, refinement and reliability.
Overall:
What’s good:
Fuel economy
Multimedia system
Good value
Roomy for its class
What’s not good:
Needs more power
Rear drum brakes
Not a driver’s car
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