2014 Toyota Corolla Review

The all-new eleventh generation Corolla. Even if the thought of a Toyota Corolla doesn't get your heart racing. This vehicle is very important to both Toyota and the compact car market. Turn a promise this new vehicle would have improved styling, better efficiency, and revised mechanics. I mean one look on the outside and it's obvious they've succeeded but the question remains is this Corolla just wearing a fancy new suit and underneath this sheet metal everything is the exact same or has Toyota really redesigned the whole car from the ground up. Well it's time to find out.

Under the hood remains the same 1.8 liter base engine as found in the old Corolla and develops 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. Joining this engine will be another 1.8 liter four-cylinder with Toyota's valve Matic technology. The boost horsepower and fuel economy by 5%. The new Corolla will be offered with three transmissions including a six-speed manual for the base and estra models as well as the resilient 4-speed automatic that like John McClane refuses to die. Thankfully the four-speed is only available in the base model most likely to be found at your local car rental lot as most 2014 Corollas that receive automatics will have a brand-new continuously variable transmission. With four trims two engines and three transmissions being offered to the new Corolla. There are a lot of different official fuel ratings for this vehicle. Toyota expects the more efficient LE eco model with the upgraded engine and CVT. Should push things up to 30 miles per gallon city and 40 miles per gallon highway. If you stick with just the 15 inch steel wheels. It will go up another two miles per gallon on the highway.

Pricing for the 2014 Corolla starts at 16,800 dollars with the top of the line s model starting at 19,000 dollars even the new Corolla is nearly four inches longer than the outgoing model and most of this newfound length comes from an extended wheelbase. It is also a little bit lower to the ground and a little bit wider which gives it a more upscale elegant look than the old Corolla. Standard on all Corolla's are LED daytime running lights and LED headlights which are exclusive for this segment. The s trim adds an angry lower grille which seems to be a theme with compact cars these days. The back end of the new Corolla however is not nearly as aggressive as the front end and could easily get lost in a sea of modern compact vehicles. Even with these optional 16-inch wheels the Corolla looks out of proportion from the side angle most likely due to that massive wheel gap front and back.

Inside the Corolla's makeover is just as dramatic as the outsides. A multilevel horizontal dash, dominates the center stack, and overall the general layout of this interior is far more modern upscale than the old Corolla. Now i know that's not saying much as anything would have been better the old Corolla's interior but Toyota has truly made an overall package that can rival anything in the compact car segment. The front seats are comfortable and the materials throughout the cabin or major upgrade as most materials in our soft touch and the knobs and switches feel very premium.

Of course the cruel is available with all the latest technologies such as push-button start, no key entry, heated seats and navigation. The rear seats have been pushed back three inches and if that weren't enough Toyota has actually made thinner front seatbacks this gives 41.4 inches of total rear legroom which nearly ties the Toyota camry a vehicle that's regarded as a spacious midsize in its own right. The trunk is also quite large as there is a total of 13 cubic feet worth of cargo room back there.

The Corolla drives well like a Corolla. Customers of this vehicle want something that's easy to drive predictable and going to be worry-free and the Corolla should check off all those boxes. Toyota however claims to have enhanced the handling and steering of the Corolla. I find the steering is still way too loose around city speeds but on highway it does stiffen up. Handling on the other hand there's not much i can really say it doesn't handle really bad and it doesn't handle great it's just a compact car and that's what it's supposed to be. Vehicles equipped with the CVT feature a noticeable lag when you first get on the accelerator pedal but power does pick up when you get into higher rpm.

Don't get me wrong though there's no point that the Corolla ever feels fast and what do you expect from 132 horsepower. This car is designed to save fuel not get you places in a quicker. The CVT transmission in the Corolla is constantly mimicking gears breaks up that drone that these one band transmissions are known for. The Corolla s model with the CVT also has paddle shifters that allows you to mimic manual transmission changes as well as a sport button that'll turn it into a close-ratio 7-speed stepped gearbox. Corolla owners love Corollas and as much as the manufacturer hopes to attract a new younger buyer the 2014 Corolla had to still be everything a current coral owner is looking for. Now the good news is i do believe current owners will be happy with the new car and despite Toyota's best efforts it isn't the most exciting vehicle however younger buyers may be attracted to it purely on a technological aspect which this car is full.