2014 toyota Corolla Sport

2014 Toyota Corolla Sport: If you're going shopping in the compact-car class, gas effectiveness and price are most definitely amongst your leading priorities. Toyota's upgraded small sedan delivers both-- as long as you're OK with a few tradeoffs in comfort.

The 2014 Toyota Corolla is a large renovation, however it rates merely midpack versus various other compacts, especially in terms of cabin sound and ride quality.

Together with an outside styling transformation, the 11th-generation Corolla obtains a revised engine and also a more high end interior for 2014.

This is a big, hectic class with a lot of strong challengers and also a near-constant redesign schedule. The Corolla's major opponents include the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra and also Ford Focus.


2014 Toyota Corolla Sport


Outside & Styling

For 2014, the Corolla pulled a vehicle Miley Cyrus: Toyota took the sedan's exterior from Hannah Montana conservative to eye-catching starlet (unfortunately, Robin Thicke had not been entailed). Its typical LED-accented fronts lights, chiseled body lines as well as pumped-up grille make it one of the most dramatic-looking Corolla yet. Actually, nonetheless, any update would certainly've boosted the 2013 variation from the depths of its drabness.

Immediately noticeable are cues Toyota obtained from the Avalon big car (the grille as well as fronts lights especially look acquainted), and also although the words "big sedan" do not generally communicate excitement in the designing division, the impact deals with the Corolla. The car's fresh looks cannot match the hostile, stylish stance of the Kia Strong suit or the sweeping sophistication of the Hyundai Elantra, however it could remove "boring" from its checklist of issues.

Just how It Drives

Although the old Corolla's lackluster looks are gone, a sleek exterior can't hide a rugged driving experience.

Initially, the hits: Toyota did a great work with the constantly variable automatic transmission. It feels even more all-natural and also refined than the devices in the Subaru Impreza as well as Nissan Sentra. I drove the Corolla LE Eco model, and also power distribution from the 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder was also quicker than the various other two. Some CVTs in the course take their time building power and also cause their engines to grumble noisally, but Toyota's is both responsive and reasonably peaceful. It could obtain loud when pushed, however it's far from the most significant transgressor.

Various other versions (L, LE and also S trims) use a version of the 1.8-liter that benefits 132 hp. Criterion on the base L is a six-speed manual transmission, and also an old four-speed automated is optional; the CVT is basic on all other trims.

The LE Eco model's powertrain is one of the most efficient. During my 200-mile trek in the city and also on the highway, the Corolla returned stellar gas mileage: 38.3 mpg, which is better than the EPA's score of 30/42/35 mpg city/highway/combined. Base versions with the guidebook are still remarkable, with a 28/37/31 mpg ranking, which is midpack compared to base variations of the Civic (28/36/31 mpg), Focus (26/36/30 mpg) as well as Elantra (28/38/32 mpg).

Currently the misses: Although suitable pep places it at the top in terms of power, unreasonable noise levels drop the Corolla to the bottom of the sector. Noise gathers from everywhere. The mirrors cause a fair bit of wind ruckus, and also roadway noise will have you checking to see if all the home windows are shut, leaving the powertrain's raw note complementing circus-like levels of volume. This was a trouble with the previous variation, as well, as well as the redesign hasn't put a damage in it.

Though on the firm side, an even larger trouble with the car's trip quality is a lack of isolation. Excessive of the road comes into the cabin, so uncomfortable degrees of vibration and also violence are constant, unwelcome travelers. The flight itself typically verges on tense, with a bit too much hop over bigger bumps. Like the Honda Civic, the firmness is tolerable initially yet becomes exponentially unpleasant as the drive endures. The Kia Strength and also Ford Emphasis, however, ace flight high quality; both retain a comfortable level of composure over bumps.

The Corolla scores better in regards to handling, with natural-feeling guiding and confident roadholding capacities. It does not really feel sporty, but the car takes edges without sloppiness.

Interior

The remodeling is no much less extreme within. Toyota changed the previous generation's boring design and materials with an appealing mix of color and also appearance, in addition to a more horizontal control layout.

The Corolla I drove combined a dark environment-friendly outside with camel-colored tones inside and also was extremely inviting. It's an improvement over in 2014's budget-grade concept, but the cabin still can't match the Elantra's blend of high-grade materials and also advanced design. It does, however, offer even more top quality as well as design than the cabins of the squeak-and-rattle-prone Focus and also traditional Strength.

Appeal is not skin deep in this situation. Not just does the inside appearance great, but it also feels excellent, as well. The door panel armrest is padded sufficient, and the seats strike a great balance: encouraging without being also strong, agreeable without being too mushy. One tiny missing thing is a moving sunlight visor, which lots of autos have and also work everyday.

At 182.6 inches long, the Corolla is one of the biggest cars in the course after growing a pair inches for 2014. Extra length indicates added passenger area, as well as legroom is generous in the front and rear seats. The rear seat padding, nonetheless, is well-founded.

Functional design & Electronics

Lots of controls and screens remain in a comparable area in the new-generation Corolla, yet the layout has actually been extended horizontally for 2014. It looks like Toyota was aiming for a more structured arrangement. The outcome is more appealing total, but the panel is still strained with buttons. Determining what they all do isn't really a trouble, nevertheless.

The 6.1-inch touch-screen sound system is once more common on the LE trim degree and also over however not available on base trims. The display size is suitable for menu legibility and also switch size. The system includes Toyota's Entune app suite, and also Bluetooth audio streaming with my Android phone was seamless. Attaching to my Pandora Internet radio application was also easy, but I 'd like to see more capability. You can make use of the touch-screen to play as well as stop briefly a track, however functions like missing a tune or filling a new station aren't available.

Cargo & Storage

Regardless of the gains in dimension, the Corolla's trunk is still fairly small, with simply 13 cubic feet of room. That's up from in 2014's score of 12.3 as well as larger compared to the Civic's trunk (12.5 ), but slightly smaller than the Focus (13.2) and also Elantra (14.8 ). Extra irritating is the Corolla's trunk design. Large steel hinges extend right into the luggage area; lots of automakers have upgraded to smaller, strut-like tools.

The backseat folds in a 60/40 split for additional freight area-- a beneficial function that isn't typical on the Civic or Emphasis.

In advance, there's a phone-sized cubby smoothly situated before auxiliary input and also USB ports, along with a small-ish facility console; the Civic's is much larger as well as includes a comfy moving armrest. For the rear seat, there are 2 flimsy pop-out cupholders (they would not last a week with my household) as well as one bottleholder in each door.

Safety and security

The 2014 Toyota Corolla is an Insurance Institute for Freeway Safety And Security Top Safety and security Choose, gaining Great ratings in all areas of screening other than the challenging new small-overlap frontal collision test. The Corolla racked up Low in this examination, only one action above the most affordable rating of Poor. The Strong suit scored Poor around, but the Civic, Elantra and also Emphasis carried out much better, gaining Top Safety Pick Plus standing. The National Freeway Website Traffic Safety Administration has yet to crash-test the Corolla.

A backup camera is not available on base L designs but typical on each trim. The only auto in this course with a typical cam throughout the schedule is the Civic, the base rate of which compares with the Corolla LE. The Corolla also comes standard with a chauffeur's knee airbag as well as both chauffeur and also passenger seat padding air bags that pump up under the knees-- uncommon functions in this course. Click here for a complete checklist of safety and security functions, and also see how well the Corolla fits child-safety seats in our Child seat Check.

Value in Its Class

The 2014 Toyota Corolla begins at $17,610, making it among the most cost effective automobiles in its class, rating just above the Ford Focus, at $17,105 (all rates consist of location costs). The Elantra begins simply higher, at $17,760, and the Civic covers the checklist at $18,955.

Buyers looking to upgrade to an automatic will additionally discover the Corolla inexpensive. The obsolete four-speed is an extra $600, less than the additional cost for the Civic's automated ($800), the Focus' awful automated handbook ($1,095) and the Elantra's six-speed system ($1,000).

We called the 2013 Corolla "sub-mediocre" in a section bursting with impressive lorries, so this revamped version has a hell of a hill to climb. Although the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Strength are kings of the mountain in terms of worth, features and also comfort, the new Corolla makes some strides in regards to gas effectiveness and interior materials.

Chances are, nevertheless, that few people will certainly care that it still fails. In spite of the previous Corolla's stinker status, people still bought it-- tons of individuals. Toyota has actually marketed greater than 40 million Corollas worldwide given that it took place sale for the 1989 version year. In the U.S., the sedan continually covers monthly best-seller listings, vying for the leading portable slot with the Honda Civic. It might not be as well-rounded as a number of cars in its class, yet the 2014 Corolla is absolutely a step up from the previous generation as well as will continuously bring in the masses.