A better Corolla with less beige
by Mike Schlee
Over 40 million Corollas have been sold worldwide since 1966. That makes it the number one selling nameplate in history; more than the Volkswagen Beetle, more than the Ford F-150.
It’s safe to say it’s a pretty popular vehicle. Or at least it is with the car buying masses.
But ask a self-proclaimed ‘car person’ and chances are they’ll roll their eyes at the thought of a Corolla.
Toyota needn’t worry too much about this small demographic. Still, even the Japanese auto giant knows shedding the ‘beige’ image in favor of something (anything) more interesting wouldn’t hurt.
TIME TO TURN DOWN THE BORING
To do that, the 11th generation Corolla required a complete redesign from the ground up, and, for the most part, received it. A few months ago we first laid eyes at the new Corolla and it was obvious the 2014 model finally had a little style behind it.
The front-end receives standard LED headlights and a large, gaping lower grill that adds an angry look to the car; a theme with compact sedans these days. The sportier S model receives an even larger, angrier grill as well two-tone 17-inch wheels. From the rear the design is admittedly less dramatic and viewed from that angle it could easily get lost in a sea of modern compact sedans like the Hyundai Elantra or Honda Civic.
Viewing it from a profile doesn’t do the Corolla any favors either, with vast amounts of wheel gap that throw the overall proportions of the vehicle off, even with the optional 16-inch or 17-inch wheels.
Still, the 2014 Corolla does exude a more upscale appearance thanks to revised body proportions that have the car slightly lower, slightly wider and nearly four-inches longer.
NOT SO COMPACT
Most of the new-found length in the Corolla comes courtesy of a stretched wheelbase. This not only adds a dollop of rear legroom, but also translates into a better ride down the road.
It’s softer over bumps than the old model and better composed on the freeway. Cabin isolation has also been increased and the new model matches-up well with the best of the segment for interior sound (or lack thereof).
Toyota also engineered a little more driver enjoyment into the new Corolla and claims to have made improvements to its handling and steering. We didn’t really notice any more ‘sport’, but did find the Corolla tracks straighter on the freeway than the outgoing model.
Apart from that, it basically drives like a Corolla. It’s predictable, easy to drive and is guaranteed to deliver hundreds of thousands of worry-free miles. It’s what the Corolla has based its reputation on for decades, so why change it now?
Read the complete 2014 Toyota Corolla Review at AutoGuide.com