Toyota Corolla?

[Flyn]

I thought the Toyota Corolla was supposed to be the cheap, plain Jane of the line up. Where did this come from? It's still a bottom of the brand econobox but it finally looks like a car that people who think of cars as more than appliances might want to own.

Surprisingly similar to the carbon fiber-trimmed Corolla Furia concept from this year’s Detroit Auto Show, the production version sheds the frumpy profile from the existing car by stretching the wheelbase and overall length by almost four inches. With chiseled lines and sculpted creases on the outside and a sportily svelte cabin within, it’s the best-looking Corolla yet. Nonetheless, the smallish tires tucked into cavernous wheel wells show it’s still an economy car at its core.

And while the fundamentals of the car won’t change much — there’s still a 1.8-liter, 132-hp engine, a four-speed automatic (in addition to a six-speed manual and CVT) and a torsion beam rear suspension — Toyota promises a more engaging drive. Steering has been slightly quickened to 3.19 turns lock-to-lock similar to the pre-refresh 2012 Honda Civic, and the electronic power steering unit touts better road feedback and accuracy. The S trim traditionally has little frills and no thrills, and for 2014 it’ll see a stiffened suspension setup as well as a 140-hp engine.

All-new 2014 Toyota Corolla goes from bland to bold | Motoramic - Yahoo! Autos

Click to read more...

 

[Mook]

It looks like a kia forte and a civic had sex.

 

[10sec]

And then had a baby.

 

[Mook]

Its like we finish each others sentences.

 

[Flyn]

Compare the new one and the old one. I can see my kids buying the new one. There's no way they'd look twice at this old version. Amazing what a little bodywork can do to a car's image.

 

[Angus]

Its like we finish each others sentences.

sandwiches

 

[radioguy6]

Holy wheel gap. Looks like a decent interior though..

 

[10sec]

Its like we finish each others sentences.

 

[Flyn]

$17K base price.

Fuel economy 40-45 mpg.

Corolla will be offered with Toyota's CVT trans which will include 7 simulated shift points to avoid the "rubber band" feel. "Let's make a trans that doesn't have to shift and then make it feel like it's shifting." LOL!

More info at Motor Trend's First Look:

2014 Toyota Corolla First Look - Motor Trend

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

kinda reminds me of ford too

oh and that purple is hideous on a corolla

 

[EmersonHart13]

I LOVE WHAT YOU DO FOR ME, TOYOTA!

 

[Jfrost]

Much better than previous models, still wouldn't buy though.

 

[Theautoguy]

I have an 07' and it's one of the best cars I've ever owned... but I didn't buy it for how it looks. 140K miles later and I'm still getting 30 mpg in city driving. If I want fast I have my truck.

 

[SRT41320]

not horrible... but that front end is almost as ugly as all new lexus front ends that they put on everything!

 

[RICH17]

Yawn.


Looks like the last gen Focus too

 

[Rebel]

Interior looks nice. the exterior,(mainly the front) I think was a nice try but gross. I sort of like the boring old style better. Still wouldn't buy though.

 

[Blood on Blood]

Improved looks from the previous generation.

 

[bikrboy128]

the people that buy these, buy them as an appliance. not for looks
the corollla is probably the most boring car on the road, but they last forever and cost next to nothing to keep running. on a side note, that interior looks really nice. a huge improvement over the last gen

 

[Flyn]

I could see my daughters buying one to have dependable, cheap transportation. The better looks are a bonus.

I'd drive a POS like this if I had to commute an hour a day and wanted to save gas. It's not a sports car, it's a washing machine with wheels.

 

[Blood on Blood]

Back in the day a washer machine was reliable. Now a days, they are made to break.

I hope this Corolla follows previous generations (cheap to maintain and reliable).

 

[wolfe]

I think it looks like a vw. Much better than the older ones. Would dd.

 

[YoushallgoFo]

was also going to say it reminded me of a previous gen focus.

 

[RareGMFan]

I thought the same thing on the Focus Factor as soon as I saw it.


I'm not surprised at all that it looks a bit more "upscale", both in appearance, and amenities. If anything, I'm a bit surprised it took this long to happen to some of these cars. The standards are constantly changing for automobiles. The bar is raised around every 5 - 10 years for what equipment and features are expected to be standard. A few decades ago, power steering and brakes were an option mostly on elite cars. Then it became an option on all cars, and finally, they were standard on all cars. Power doors and windows followed the same pattern, as did CD players, and more recently, radios with MP3 and/or AUX in jacks, etc. Now it's the turn of these touch screen multi-media/bluetooth systems. Only a handful of cars had them a few years back. Now most get them as an option, even compact/entry level cars, and it will only be a matter of another 5 - 10 years before they become standard on everything.

This will only help Toyota's sales IMO. You'll still get those loyal to the Corolla nameplate due to its reputation of reliability and fuel efficiency. At the same time, you may lure in a few others who otherwise would not have considered it because it's more "modern" now.