The 2016 Toyota Corolla is this year's version of car that has epitomized basic, trouble-free, and relatively comfortable transportation for 40 years now. And a new effort to keep its technology up to date and add at least a bit of flair to the design has made it more appealing. While the current version isn't what you might call charming, it's more interesting and engaging that its anodyne predecessors in earlier generations.
The company stepped up its game when it launched the current Corolla as a 2014 model. The compact four-door sedan that has been at or near the top of U.S. sales charts for decades got crisper, sportier looks, a quieter cabin, and a healthy dollop of the in-car technology today's small-car shoppers expect. It's still priced low for the high value it delivers, but now you might pick the Corolla for reasons beyond the bottom line and watching your dollars. This year's model is essentially unchanged from last year's.
Toyota says the new Corolla's shape is "more athletic," and indeed its lines are crisper compared to its bland predecessors. We see bits and pieces of various other current models in its overarching design as well as some of the styling details, so we're not sure that the core design concept--"Iconic Dynamism"--is entirely justified. Less iconic, more iterative, perhaps.
A longer wheelbase stretches the center section--this Corolla is 3 inches longer than its predecessor--and puts the wheels toward the corners of the body. The windshield and roof pillars are slightly more angled, and the car is a little more wedge-shaped, with angled frontal shapes and a turned-up beltline at the back of each rear door. The sportier stance benefits from LED headlamps and running lamps on all models; the sporty Corolla S model gets a blacked-out grille with fog lamps flanking a more aggressive airdam, plus an integrated rear spoiler that visually raises the tail.
Two different four-cylinder engines, both of 1.8 liters, can be paired with different transmissions. The one in L, LE, and S models is rated at 132 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque; the variant used in the more fuel-efficient LE Eco trim comes in at 140 hp--but you won't see much difference between the two n the road.
Most buyers will opt for the continuously variable transmission (CVT), which is tuned to provide a reassuring, almost linear feel during light and moderate acceleration, while minimizing the 'drone' that plagues CVTs used in other small cars. Base and S models can be ordered with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the base model forgoes the CVT for an ancient and slow four-speed automatic. The CVT in the S is tuned to mimic a seven-speed automatic, complete with paddles
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