Toyota Corolla: Return Of An Old Friend

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 05:39

Success did not materialize after the name change. That's why the Toyota Auris becomes the Corolla again.

Customers would have classified the name Corolla as “unattractive” and “old-fashioned”. That was the opinion of the marketing experts at Toyota in 2006. That is why they decided for the European market to rename the compact Auris after 40 years. That didn't bring the hoped-for success and so the Corolla is now returning to the showrooms. The twelfth generation of the world's best-selling car will debut at German dealerships at the beginning of April. The classic five-door compact starts at 20,990 euros.

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In addition to the hatchback, Toyota also has a station wagon on offer for Europe. It costs 1200 euros extra and offers not only more space in the trunk, but also in the rear: thanks to the new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform, the wheelbase has been extended by six centimeters to 2.70 meters compared to the five-door model. Upstairs, however, it is still tight for giants in the back seat.

Station wagon with 598 liters of luggage space

The trunk volume increases compared to the hatchback from 361 to 598 liters, folded down the station wagon takes it with 1,606 liters and offers a flat loading area. The rear seats can be laid flat from the trunk, the loading floor can be positioned and turned on two levels: one side is covered with fluffy carpet, the other has an easily washable plastic surface.

Third in the group is a sedan (surcharge: 700 euros), which also uses the extended wheelbase and is visually different from the other two. In general, the Corolla looks pleasing and no longer as extroverted as Toyota models of the recent past; thanks to other aprons and lights, the sedan should exude a little more elegance. That will not help her to great success in Germany: Of the around 20,000 customers, only a good seven percent will opt for the notchback this year; Station wagon and hatchback, on the other hand, are almost equally popular.

Solid cockpit

The relatively narrow cockpit with the not too large seats is identical in all three, looks tidy and solidly processed. Most of the surfaces are covered with soft materials, and even the little hard plastic feels good to the touch. In the partially analogue instrument cluster, there is a seven-inch information display with a digital speedometer and a colored head-up display. The infotainment system works with an 8-inch touchscreen and has been completely redeveloped. In terms of operation and graphics, however, you don't notice that and Apple Carplay is not available for the time being; the smartphone connection should come at the end of the year. The reversing camera has as much to do with contemporary HD resolution as the lens of an old Nokia cell phone.

The range of engines, on the other hand, is up-to-date: After the quarrels about diesel, Toyota has completely dispensed with a compression-ignition engine and relies primarily on two hybrid drives: The weaker one combines a 98 hp 1.8-liter gasoline engine with 53 extra Kilowatts of an electric motor and brings it to a system output of 122 hp. Although the Corolla is quite light at just under 1.3 tons, it will not be dynamic with this drive - although the finely balanced, rather stiff chassis and the neatly working steering would definitely do with it. It accelerates to a hundred kilometers in a long eleven seconds, accompanied by loud shouts. As usual with Toyota, a continuously variable transmission manages the hybrid power and forces the gasoline engine to high speeds and annoying yowling when asked about performance.

Two-liter hybrid with 180 hp

The two-liter hybrid is a bit quieter: petrol and electric motors both have a little more power and together have 180 hp. Accordingly, the double heart unit does not have to be as strenuous and becomes a little less loud. Clear differences in the driving dynamics are not noticed - despite three seconds less for the standard sprint - but not. The surcharge for the strong hybrid is 2000 euros, but both start in the second equipment line and thus at least 27,290 euros.

If you want to pay the price for the properly equipped basic version - including air conditioning, LED lights, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and emergency braking function, which now also detects pedestrians on the street at night - you have to go for the only petrol-only car grab: a 1.2-liter turbo four-cylinder with 114 hp, 185 Newton meters and either manual or continuously variable transmission.

Electrically only two kilometers

Little Otto, who was not yet available for a test drive, ranks among the hybrids with a sprint time of just under ten seconds, but beats them at the Vmax. While the part-time Stromer is only allowed to run 180 km / h, the 1.2 T manages 200 things.

Apropos Stromer: The two hybrids cannot really drive electrically, the energy is only enough for one or two kilometers. Nevertheless, the Otto should have little to do, especially in city traffic, as the battery is constantly charged when rolling and braking. It remains to be seen whether the specified standard consumption of 3.3 or 3.7 liters can be achieved. During our overland test drive, the on-board computer certified both hybrids with a six before the decimal point. According to the paper, the turbo gasoline engine should be satisfied with 5.6 liters. (SP-X)