2011 Toyota Corolla S Review

 Exterior photo in red S trim (Picture is property of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.)

Interior S trim with 5-speed manual (Picture is property of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.)


In a freshly designed, competitive small car market, the Corolla does not stand out as it use to. With new designs from Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet, and Kia the Corolla and the increasingly dated Honda Civic have lost a tremendous amount of market share. The current trend in this segment is to pump as many extras as possible into a vehicle to make it attractive to potential buyers. This strategy has worked well form Hyundai who cannot, as of this date, match the demand it is receiving for its Elantra. Even the American brands are taking notice and adjusting their strategy. While the new Focus and Cruze are both elegant cards when it comes to styling, there is an obvious focus on comfort and technology from the cabin perspective. Although the Corolla is down on market share it is still the worlds best selling car of all time selling over 33 million units in the last 35 years. You would be hard pressed to find someone who does not own or know someone with a Toyota Corolla. The main reason for this is quality. Although the recent "sticky gas peddle" has hurt Toyota's reputation, the idea of quality is still the first thing to come to mind when people hear "Corolla".

The Car:
The 2011 Toyota Corolla has been redesigned for this year as a mid-cycle refresh (The car was updated for the 2009 model year) and the new front and rear fascias attempt to make the vehicle seem classier as well as aggressive. All trims recieve the same 1.8L four cylinder VVT-i engine with 132 b-hp at 6000 RPM and 128 lb.-ft at 4400 RPM. Gone is the 2.4L engine found in the XRS models of the past.


Trims:

Base: (MSRP $15,900) This is the standard model available with a 5 speed row it yourself box or a 4-speed conventional automatic. The base Corolla lacks creature comforts such as automatic locks/windows, ipod connectivity, cruise control, etc. As your standard "my life is dull" commuter car, the base Corolla will satisfy your A to B needs. The standard model does include a height adjustable drivers seat, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, and a 60/40 split rear seat. Although standard iPod connectivity is not included, the base audio system of the 2011 model included an auxiliary port for your music. The 2012 model has been modified slightly with a new stereo unit providing standard bluetooth and iPod connectivity.

LE Trim: (MSRP $17,600) This model adds power locks and windows, key-less entry, variable intermittent wipers, cruise control, and an extra two speakers for the stereo bringing the total to six.

S trim: (MSRP $17,770) the aggressive skirts placed around the vehicle help to boost its "get out of my way" attitude. In addition to the aggressive skirts, the S model includes upgraded cloth sport seats, steering wheel controls on a flat bottomed wheel, fog lights, and standard 16"alloy wheels wrapped in Goodyear RS-A all-weather rubber.

On the LE and S models there are options for a sunroof with an overhead console as well as audio upgrades with iPod connectivity, Bluetooth, and six speakers. Also optional are iPod integration kits, Bluetooth kits, and XM Satellite radio kits if you choose to leave the option box unchecked.

This review will focus on the S model

With the top of the line model, you do receive those extra features, however there is no performance boost to the vehicle. The 0-60 time for the vehicle is a bottom of the class 10.1 seconds and the fuel economy, although on the top third of the segment, still trails the Hyundai Elantra's 40mpg by 6mpg. Through my first 10,000 miles behind the wheel, I have noticed the observed fuel millage is actually higher than estimated which is astounding because of the high revs the engine produces to get up to and maintain speed.


Safety: The corolla comes standard with Toyota's new STAR system which includes vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-lock breaks, and front/side airbags for the front row and curtain airbags giving it 4 out of 5 stars in 2010 ratings.


Interior Design: The interior of the Corolla leaves a lot to be desired. The cabin is full of hard plastics which can make the cabins of the Cruze and the Focus feel like a German car. What the car lacks in material selection, it makes up for in ease of use and convenience. Everything is exactly where you expect it to be so you do not find the need to look down in traffic to change radios only to find that the massive SUV in front of you has break checked.

The seats, while comfortable so lack support after they have been broken in and for those who are not of Japanese decent, you will have difficulty squeezing into the driver seat even at the furthest position. This is also a car to avoid on long journeys as you will be more comfortable cutting off the lower part of your legs then sitting rush hour traffic for two hours. Those in the rear will find a good amount of room and more comfort than a 328i from BMW.

Trunk space is rather accommodating at 12.3 Cubic feet. Although this will not sound like much, you would be surprised as I was when you find your two siblings playing hide and go seek while hiding in the trunk. In more practical ways, you will have no trouble fitting three sets of golf clubs or four normal sized suitcases.

Drive Feel: For those use to hydraulic power steering, the Corolla will take some adjustment with its electronically assisted power steering. There is relatively no steering feel and the Corolla feels unresponsive because of it. The independent MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion bean rear suspension does provide a comfortable ride on most road surfaces but I have found Tacoma's to have a smoother ride and that was with an 800lb snow plow on the front.

The lack of power does become an issue at highway speeds when it takes over 10 seconds to reach 60mph and the amount of effort involved with cruising at 70mph limits is frustrating because of the amount of cabin noise combined with a moaning engine producing 3200 RPM.


Service Factor: You will find a more inexpensive maintenance plan on most Toyota models and the Corolla is no different. The quality of Toyota service, however, is an issue. The quality you expect from the vehicle is not something you should expect from your local dealer. Although your first two years or up to 25,000 miles of service is complementary, in the long run you may be better off with your local favorite grease monkey. The first time in they installed an iPod integration kit, a Bluetooth kit and some other stuff for me. When I got the car back there were three deep scratches on the driver rear door and another deep scratch on the deck lid. They attempted to fix but they are still noticeable and frustrating. In addition they forgot to reconnect the antenna to the radio after installing the kits. Finally they installed a smokers kit which is not compatible with my car and while trying to get the cigarette lighter to work, they removed the fuse and did not put it back in. 10 hours of them trying to find the problem before i suggested checking the fuse. Amazingly I was out of the dealer 10 minutes later with a working power adapter.