2016 Toyota Corolla S
Before I start to rant about the new 2016 Corolla, I would like to ask you to take any vision or impression you have of the Corolla and throw it away. Forget the bland, unexciting, and rather basic old Corolla, this new 2016 model is an entirely different story. The old corolla looked like a boring lump of metal, lacking any form of passion or excitement. This new model tries very hard to recover from the old chronic Corolla disease, sporting a much sharper and sexier body. From the boldly sculpted LED headlights to the subtle but attractive lip spoiler and 17 inch alloys, the new Corolla is one hell of a looker. It's the same story inside. Gone is the old dash, a boring block of plastic with some air vents and knobs on it. In it's place, there is a attractive new soft touch dash with air vents that are sculpted into the curve of the dash. The piano black accents and faux stitching add a sense of class to the cabin often found is higher level vehicles. The black softex seats with cloth inserts are comfortable, and they provide plenty of support, especially bolstering. The view out is clear and unobstructed by large pillars or a high windshield. The 6.1 inch
Entune display fits well and brings a modern touch to what used to be a interior from Fred Flintstone's car. Controls are simple and are easy to reach from the drivers seat. Sporting 13 cubic feet of cargo space, the Corolla's trunk has enough room to haul your family's luggage, and has 60/40 split rear seats for oversize loads. Other notable features include
Bluetooth, a backup camera, a six speaker stereo, paddle shifters, high beams powerful enough to blind god, and automatic climate control capable of temperatures so cold that you could freeze out even the most hardcore AC fanatics. The backseat also provides ample space with comfortable appointments, although headroom may be tight for anyone 6'2 or taller. Moving on to the powertrain, the 1.8 liter DOHC 4 Cylinder provided much more oomph than expected. This engine puts out 132 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 128 lb ft of torque at 4400 rpm. I know that most auto enthusiasts will cringe upon hearing the word CVT, but Toyota has cracked it with the Corolla. The CVT in the Corolla was silky smooth and made the most of what the engine had to offer. There was no obtrusive whine to be heard, and the engine revved smoothly as the tranny worked to eek out the best performance and fuel efficiency.
The best bit about the Corolla's CVT are the paddle shifters. They allow you to change gears manually and select between 6 pre-defined ratios. They shift quickly, and the transmission will hold any gear right up to redline. You also can't run away from the fact that the CVT helps the Corolla S achieve 29mpg city and 37mpg highway. Back in the day, driving a Corolla was a similar experience as driving a potato. Luckily, they've turned that potato into a decent chip. Starting with power, the engine may have low figures, but it preforms well. Under half throttle, the Corolla sprinted off with spirited performance. It certainly isn't what you'd call fast, but for a compact economy car it is surprisingly peppy. Most enthusiasts would say that electric power steering like the setup in the Corolla chases all the fun out of modern cars and I would disagree. Sure, you might not feel the "genuine connection" that you felt with a hydraulic setup, but is it really that big of a deal? The Corolla's steering is light around town, but push the sport button and is stiffens up with decent weight. On backroads, the Corolla handles nicely, with controlled body roll and a firm but comfortable ride that soaks up most bumps and road imperfections. A thick, meaty steering wheel only adds to the experience. Maybe the steering does lack a little bit of on-center feel, but it is still quite a bit of fun to blast around backroads in. The Corolla is also a good highway companion with a quiet cabin and an overall substantial feel. Some road noise can leak in, but it is sill a super quiet and comfy highway cruiser. To sum up, the 2016 Corolla S has completely changed the way the I view the Corolla. Toyota hit a home run for 2016, providing a car that looks sexy, has a upscale, comfy interior, is fun to drive, and has competitive fuel economy. My test car stickered at $21,795, but with typical sales events and rebates you could expect to pick one up for around $20k. If you are looking at a compact car that wins in almost every field, the Corolla is a car to keep an eye on! Still not convinced? Take a look at the Hyundai Elantra, a review on that one coming soon!
Before I start to rant about the new 2016 Corolla, I would like to ask you to take any vision or impression you have of the Corolla and throw it away. Forget the bland, unexciting, and rather basic old Corolla, this new 2016 model is an entirely different story. The old corolla looked like a boring lump of metal, lacking any form of passion or excitement. This new model tries very hard to recover from the old chronic Corolla disease, sporting a much sharper and sexier body. From the boldly sculpted LED headlights to the subtle but attractive lip spoiler and 17 inch alloys, the new Corolla is one hell of a looker. It's the same story inside. Gone is the old dash, a boring block of plastic with some air vents and knobs on it. In it's place, there is a attractive new soft touch dash with air vents that are sculpted into the curve of the dash. The piano black accents and faux stitching add a sense of class to the cabin often found is higher level vehicles. The black softex seats with cloth inserts are comfortable, and they provide plenty of support, especially bolstering. The view out is clear and unobstructed by large pillars or a high windshield. The 6.1 inch Entune display fits well and brings a modern touch to what used to be a interior from Fred Flintstone's car. Controls are simple and are easy to reach from the drivers seat. Sporting 13 cubic feet of cargo space, the Corolla's trunk has enough room to haul your family's luggage, and has 60/40 split rear seats for oversize loads. Other notable features include Bluetooth, a backup camera, a six speaker stereo, paddle shifters, high beams powerful enough to blind god, and automatic climate control capable of temperatures so cold that you could freeze out even the most hardcore AC fanatics. The backseat also provides ample space with comfortable appointments, although headroom may be tight for anyone 6'2 or taller. Moving on to the powertrain, the 1.8 liter DOHC 4 Cylinder provided much more oomph than expected. This engine puts out 132 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 128 lb ft of torque at 4400 rpm. I know that most auto enthusiasts will cringe upon hearing the word CVT, but Toyota has cracked it with the Corolla. The CVT in the Corolla was silky smooth and made the most of what the engine had to offer. There was no obtrusive whine to be heard, and the engine revved smoothly as the tranny worked to eek out the best performance and fuel efficiency.
