And so on and so on. Steering is light with little or no feedback. The ride is unrefined, the car is noisy overall, especially when mildly pushed as then the engine gets buzzy. Thankfully, handling is decent, but it falls short compared to many other compacts.
The week I drove the Corolla, we had a Mazda3 GX with 5-speed auto in our test fleet. I took this opportunity to double-, triple- and quadruple-check every note I had made on the Corolla and wanted to make sure that I wasn't out of my mind. Miranda kindly agreed to complete back-to-back identical 15-minute loops with me. The results were conclusive: the Corolla was louder, less composed and comfortable, and far less enjoyable to drive. We'll skip the whole "in-and-out" design discussion we also had.
I know this all sounds bad, and that Toyota will end up black-listing me for life, but they shouldn't blame me; they should be upset with the competition. Same goes for Honda and their 'new' Civic; these two cars have had an amazing run, but because they were ahead for so long, their makers forgot to look back and got lost in the process.
Yes, the Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and Volkswagen Jetta have all surpassed the Corolla. And the Kia Forte and Mazda3 are easily its equal.
Pricing remains competitive as the Corolla's base price is of $15,450. As tested, my S model with 4-speed auto, leather and sunroof retails for $24,550. A comparably equipped Mazda3 GS with automatic carries a sticker price of $22,890, while a Civic EX-L goes for $24,390. Pricing similarities can be found across the small car segment. The "hooks" are always found at the entry level; however, the moment some kit is added, prices level out.
Although sales remain good, I believe they are only indicative of the present based on the past. What I mean to say is that it's selling because of its name. Fast-forward 18 to 24 months and if Toyota has done nothing to improve the Corolla, I predict that sales will drop as the younger crowds buying these cars will want something hip and cool - the Corolla is neither.
Now, before anyone goes off saying I've been bought out by the Chinese, know that the Corolla is still a good car. It's like an ex-girlfriend; she's still attractive (sort of), and there are still good things about her, but she just doesn't make the cut anymore.
The week I drove the Corolla, we had a Mazda3 GX with 5-speed auto in our test fleet. I took this opportunity to double-, triple- and quadruple-check every note I had made on the Corolla and wanted to make sure that I wasn't out of my mind. Miranda kindly agreed to complete back-to-back identical 15-minute loops with me. The results were conclusive: the Corolla was louder, less composed and comfortable, and far less enjoyable to drive. We'll skip the whole "in-and-out" design discussion we also had.
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| The ride is unrefined, the car is noisy overall, especially when mildly pushed as then the engine gets buzzy. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
I know this all sounds bad, and that Toyota will end up black-listing me for life, but they shouldn't blame me; they should be upset with the competition. Same goes for Honda and their 'new' Civic; these two cars have had an amazing run, but because they were ahead for so long, their makers forgot to look back and got lost in the process.
Yes, the Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and Volkswagen Jetta have all surpassed the Corolla. And the Kia Forte and Mazda3 are easily its equal.
Pricing remains competitive as the Corolla's base price is of $15,450. As tested, my S model with 4-speed auto, leather and sunroof retails for $24,550. A comparably equipped Mazda3 GS with automatic carries a sticker price of $22,890, while a Civic EX-L goes for $24,390. Pricing similarities can be found across the small car segment. The "hooks" are always found at the entry level; however, the moment some kit is added, prices level out.
Although sales remain good, I believe they are only indicative of the present based on the past. What I mean to say is that it's selling because of its name. Fast-forward 18 to 24 months and if Toyota has done nothing to improve the Corolla, I predict that sales will drop as the younger crowds buying these cars will want something hip and cool - the Corolla is neither.
Now, before anyone goes off saying I've been bought out by the Chinese, know that the Corolla is still a good car. It's like an ex-girlfriend; she's still attractive (sort of), and there are still good things about her, but she just doesn't make the cut anymore.
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