The 2019 Toyota Review

Toyota's third-longest-serving nameplate behind the Land Cruiser and the not-for-the-U.S. Crown. Given its decades-long residency, most Americans—and purchasers crosswise over a significant part of the globe—know quite well what a Corolla is. It's a reasonable and practical little auto, durable and dependable however completely without ornamentations and rushes.
Pleasantly completed inside, calm ride, respectable directing, generally pleasing CVT.
Cramped back seat, little load hold, not as snappy as generally contenders.
In spite of the fact that offering exhausting yet dependable autos has been a triumphant procedure for Toyota, it's additionally an unexciting one, and CEO Akio Toyoda has been pushing for all the more intriguing items. The consequences of that exertion have now achieved the hatchback adaptation of the Corolla, which has been upgraded for 2019. An up 'til now inconspicuous upgraded rendition of the undeniably prominent vehicle is not too far off.



The hatchback show replaces the Corolla iM (née Scion iM) and, similar to that auto, is sold under the Auris name in Europe. The new auto is longer and more extensive than the iM, and it sits on the back of a somewhat longer wheelbase and has more extensive front and back tracks. Consolidate those updated extents with appealingly collapsed sheetmetal, and you have a forceful looking reduced bring forth. Two trim levels are offered: SE and XSE. The last is all the more outwardly engaging, with sharp-looking 18-inch haggles changed outside trim; our test auto was the more fundamental SE, moving on 16s and with an incubate top spoiler that, honestly, is the one forceful component that watches strange.

Who You Callin' CVT?

In spite of the fact that the Corolla hatchback offers—in the two its trim levels—a six-speed manual with rev coordinating, our test auto was prepared the manner in which most by far of Corollas will be: with a programmed. All the more particularly, the transmission is a ceaselessly factor programmed (CVT), however it's one that goes to uncommon lengths not to carry on like a conventional CVT. As a matter of first importance, it's supplemented by a genuine settled proportion first rigging, past which the constantly factor part of the transmission assumes control. All things being equal, its writing computer programs is intended to mirror a regular gearbox, rearranging through 10 preset proportion steps.

The settled first rigging implies that the reaction when pulling far from a stop is precisely the same likewise with an ordinary programmed, as it never sends the needle zooming over the tach to stop itself close to the redline while the motor sits tight for the auto to get up to speed. What's more, even once you're out of first rigging, the transmission completes a generally persuading activity camouflaging its compose, with revs rising and falling in steps. This novel setup predominantly kills the flexible throttle reaction and simultaneous motor rambling that torment generally CVTs.

Draw in the Sport mode by means of a catch close to the shifter and the motor invests more energy in closer closeness to its torque top, which in this normally suctioned inline-four is up at 4800 rpm. That further guides throttle reaction yet in addition bolts out the tallest proportions, keeping the motor turning at 3000 rpm at 75 mph, while turning off Sport mode brings that down to 2400 rpm or thereabouts. Drivers additionally can utilize the standard move paddles or the shifter's in addition to/less entryway to practice more control over the procedures. Yell out, incidentally, to that customary, mechanical move lever, which is so straightforward, so natural, thus desirable over the out of control electronic wands and weirdo move designs found in such huge numbers of different Toyotas. How did the Corolla get away from that thing?

Four with More

The CVT distils the yield of another four-barrel motor. Dislodging 2.0 liters, it's greater and more intense than the 1.8-liter weakling in the Corolla iM. Strength remains at 168 versus the past 137, while its 151 lb-ft of torque is 26 lb-ft more noteworthy than previously. (Read more about the new motor and CVT here.)

In our testing, the 2.0-liter sent the Corolla hatchback hurrying to 60 mph in 8.3 seconds, 0.8 second speedier than the past CVT-prepared Corolla iM and simply behind the 8.0-second Hyundai Elantra GT incubate. In any case, it's still far away from home of the all the more intense, turbocharged, programmed prepared contributions at the leader of this class: the Honda Civic Sport (180 pull, 6.9 seconds) and the Volkswagen Golf (170 torque, 7.7 seconds). It likewise trails the Chevy Cruze hatchback, with its 153-hp turbo 1.4-liter, at 7.7 seconds. Furthermore, hard increasing speed in the Corolla uncovers a motor note that is genuinely dirty, in spite of the fact that the four-banger is all around muted in gentler cruising.

Still Drinks like a Corolla

One region where the Corolla does not stray from its picture is in its sparing hunger for fuel. The SE hatchback acquires EPA evaluations of 32 mpg city, 42 parkway, and 36 consolidated. (The XSE, with its greater haggles elastic, comes in at 30/38/33.) The SE's numbers trounce the Golf's EPA figures by 8 mpg in the city and 9 on the thruway, and it edges the Civic by a smaller 1 to 2 mpg. On our 75-mph thruway mileage test, we saw 40 mpg, which is somewhat more regrettable than the Corolla's EPA rating yet superior to anything we accomplished in the lower-evaluated Civic (37 mpg) and Golf (36 mpg).

The new Corolla flaunts a calm ride, which gives a recently premium feel. At a relentless 70 mph we quantified 69 decibels, tying the Cruze as the calmest in this fragment. The suspension of swaggers in front and a refined for-this-class multilink game plan at the back completes a genuinely great job of veiling potholes, in spite of the fact that ice hurls are recognized with a fast upkick. Most knocks scarcely enroll, however, and the structure's apparent strength loans trustworthiness to Toyota's claim of a 60 percent expansion in body unbending nature contrasted and the iM.

The Corolla likewise rises above its picture and history in its directing. Albeit still electrically helped, it's never again limp and overboosted however rather feels properly weighted and sensibly exact. Twist the Corolla into a corner, and the body does not cover its eyes in fear at seeing the bend, rather reacting gamely and appearing to turn in more forcefully the all the more enthusiastically the auto is driven. Toyota guarantees the focal point of gravity for the 2019 Corolla is 0.8 inch lower than for the iM and that both the front and back suspensions have been amended to diminish contact. That the Corolla recorded an average 0.81 g of hold on our skidpad is increasingly an element of its eco-centered elastic than any constraint of the body. Those tires additionally added to a disillusioning preventing separation of 183 feet from 70 mph.

VIEW PHOTOS

Decent yet Cozy

The inside—a sullen warren of hard plastic in late Corollas—is very alluring and elegant in the new hatchback. The dash and entryway boards are upholstered, not simply stamped out of plastic, and both the entryway armrests and the customizable focus armrest are pleasantly cushioned. The guiding wheel is enclosed by smooth calfskin, and the inside comfort looks upscale with shine dark and brushed-metal accents. Our auto's inside was strong dark, however a dim and dark two-tone plot is accessible. A 8.0-inch focal touchscreen with pointedly rendered illustrations is standard on the SE, and it's supplemented by handles and catches, all of high caliber. It's a lodge with more spirit than you'll discover in many contenders—not something that has ever been valid for past Corollas.

In the event that lone there were more to it. The Corolla throws a shadow 2.4 inches longer than a Golf and sits on a relatively indistinguishable wheelbase, yet it feels unquestionably confined inside. The front of the lodge isn't too terrible, in spite of the fact that the quick slanting windshield and rather soak tumblehome get the A-columns genuinely close. However, raise situate leg-and kneeroom scarcely take into account a grown-up to press in behind a six-foot driver, and access to the back seat is through a thin entryway opening. Thick B-and C-columns, a smallish backdrop illumination, and a beltline that kicks up at the back scheme to confine the view out of the sides and back. The exceedingly adapted back quarters remain rather than boxier hatchbacks, yet pop the liftgate and the drawback to the Corolla's expressive outline ends up self-evident. There are only 18 cubic feet behind the back seats, short of what you'll discover in the Golf, Cruze, Civic, or Mazda 3. The space can be extended by dropping the seatbacks, yet the heap floor is shockingly high, relatively like that of a SUV.


All things considered, this current Corolla's tight quarters are much more wonderful than was the situation for any past Corolla. There's nothing in here that feels modest in spite of the way that this auto is moderate: $20,910 to begin and $22,010 with the CVT. In truth, that cost isn't exactly as cheap as previously; the past Corolla iM could be had for as meager as $19,770. However, the new auto is vastly improved prepared, with standard highlights that incorporate vicinity section and push-catch begin, programmed atmosphere control, LED head-and taillights, the previously mentioned 8.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, versatile voyage control with path keeping help, pre-crash cautioning with person on foot and cyclist identification, robotized crisis braking, and path takeoff cautioning. Our test illustration had all accessible SE choices, including the CVT, $395 Blizzard Pearl paint, and the $1400 Preferred bundle that includes blind side checking and a further developed rendition of the Entune infotainment with an overhauled sound framework, satellite radio, and greater availability capacities.

In spite of the fact that the Corolla hatchback doesn't have the beans to challenge the fragment's hot-bring forth first class and it's a long way from the roomiest in this portion, its inside complete and level of hardware are shockingly useful at an auto at this cost. This model radiates a recently discovered refinement and style up until now obscure for the unassuming Corolla. That refinement reaches out to the surprising programmed transmission, and keeping in mind that the manual still would be our inclination, this CVT winds up being superior to expected—much like the Corolla hatchback itself.