Although in recent years we have known Toyota's compact as Auris in Europe, the Japanese firm has decided to recover for our market the global name of Toyota Corolla with this new generation. This model reached the market for the first time in 1966, already accumulating nothing less than twelve generations if we count the newcomer.
I was able to test it briefly during its international presentation, a few months ago, getting on the five-door and family bodies, and driving both the 125H and 180H mechanical versions. For this test I have opted for the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports family body and by the 2.0 hp 180 Hybrid engine. I tell you all the details in writing and also on video. Accompany me!
First of all, I wanted to mention that the Toyota Corolla is available with three bodies: hatchback hatchback (from 20.850 euros), familiar (from 22.100 euros) and sedan (from 21.350 euros). The brand anticipates that the most demanded is the traditional five-door, not expecting too many sales in our country of the sedan.
If we talk about engines, to Spain only hybrid versions arrive not pluggable. On the one hand we have a 1.8 hp 122 Hybrid (commercially known as 125H) and on the other the 2.0 hp 180 Hybrid (commercially known as 180H). Anyway, I will talk about this in depth later.
An exterior with personality
Starting with its exterior design, the Japanese firm wanted to maintain its design philosophy in this Toyota Corolla. It does not resort to extravagant aesthetics, but they have managed to create a model that does not resemble the rest of the cars on the market. Like it more or like it less, I consider that it is something to value positively, because the truth is that many of the vehicles are too similar to each other.
Our unit is dressed in the color "Expresso Brown", a tone that, in my opinion, camouflages too many features of the new Corolla, especially in the front. The main hallmarks of this compact here in front are the narrow slanted headlights with LED lighting, the logo of Toyota with the outline in blue and the large lower air opening framed in a quite marked hexagonal shape of the bumper. The fog lights are discreet and circular in shape.
If we change our position towards a point of side view, on the side there are no major features to highlight. Simply to mention that both the headlights and the taillights are timidly integrated into the side, that there is an ascending beltline above the handlebars that begins in the front wheel arch and ends in the taillights, and that it has a large glazed area. On the roof it has chrome rails and at the end of it there is a discreet and elegant spoiler.
Meanwhile, the rear of the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports is not as flashy as that of the Corolla 5-door. In the family body it is more elegant, while in the compact it is committed to greater sportiness. The marked lines, a voluminous bumper and the boomerang-type pilots with LED lighting stand out. The loading mouth is large. As a curiosity, this Touring Sports body is the only one that can leave real exhaust outlets visible, being double, circular, chromed and well integrated. Let's go inside.
An interior that increases its quality, but with details still to be polished
Once in the passenger compartment, the Toyota Corolla welcomes us with a better impression than we found in its predecessor, the Toyota Auris. The generation gap is noticeable here inside Now we find a instrument panel totally new with a 7-inch TFT screen in its central part for typical trip information, which is combined with three clocks, one on the left as a tachometer and two on the right, one for the water temperature and another for the level made out of fuel.
It also changes a lot overall dashboard design. Now there are more fluffy materials in the upper and central part of it, with a better quality impression and it looks cleaner. The infotainment screen it has been relocated, not being integrated in the design but it is in a higher position and it forces less to divert the view. It is tactile and 8 inches; improving compared to its predecessor but far from the best both for fluidity and for graphics. Luckily, the climate control has not been integrated into this screen.
Further down, a traditional lever appears for the management of the automatic transmission e-CVT, replacing that small lever that is still present in the Toyota Prius. Next to it we have a command to select the driving modes and activate the EV operating mode. The push-button parking brake has also been relocated.
I wanted to emphasize that this new Corolla already incorporates a wireless charging pad for smartphones, something quite interesting today that we live so attached to our mobiles. what yes I have missed is something more than slide holes in the even central area, as there are only two holes to leave bottles and in a compartment under the armrest. By the way, this central armrest can be adjusted in length, but its height cannot be adjusted.
If you are looking for space, the Touring Sports is better than the hatchback
If we talk about habitability and space, the Toyota Corolla not one of the biggest of the category, especially at the rear. The front seats, of course, are more than enough for two medium-sized adults. In this finish Feel! we have height, tilt and length adjustments for the front seats, but I have missed the lumbar adjustment. The steering wheel is also adjustable for height and depth, so it's easy to find a good driving position. The belt can also be adjusted on the pillar.
The rear seats, as I said before, they are not very spacious in the five-door Toyota Corolla. In the case of the familiar Touring Sports, as the wheelbase is extended a few centimeters more, a more room for the knees, leaving in my case about 6 fingers. In this unit, as it has a panoramic roof, the distance for the head is not enough. I measure 1,76 and I do not touch, but very little. The central square is not too usable And here I do hit the roof with my head. Therefore, for adults less than 1,80 meters tall, it is fine, but they will not be comfortable if they exceed that size.
As for other details, in this second row of seats we find Air vents in the central zone, which we can open or close, but we will not be able to adjust its temperature. I have missing a USB socket here behind. The backrest of the central seat becomes an armrest, also housing two cup holders but not leaving a hatch to communicate with the trunk and that allows loading long and thin objects, such as skis.
A trunk that varies depending on the engines
If in the rear seats the Toyota Corolla is not the best in its segment, pay attention to the trunk, which varies in size depending on its bodywork (logically), but also on the chosen engine. Yes, depending on the engine we will have more or less cargo space, and that all versions are front-wheel drive. I explain the reason:
As I said at the beginning, there are two mechanical versions; one 1.8 Hybrid 125H and another 2.0 Hybrid 180H. In the case of the first, the traditional battery for the thermal engine and its auxiliary systems it is located in the engine compartment, but in the most powerful engine there is no space left and they have had to move it to the trunk.
In the case of the Touring Sports (always talking about the 2-liter engine) they have been able to place it behind the right rear wheel arch, losing very little space, but in the 5 doors they could only place it under the floor, in the center. In this case they have had to raise the height of the floor, losing a lot of cargo volume -practically 50 litres-. I leave each capacity in the following table:
1.8 Hybrid 125H | 2.0 Hybrid 180H | |
---|---|---|
1.8 Hybrid 125H | 2.0 Hybrid 180H | |
5 doors | 361 liters | 313 liters |
touringsports | 598 liters | 581 liters |
Sedan | 471 liters | version not available |
As for the trunk of this tested unit, as you can see, the volume is generous and the shapes allow it to be used well. The trunk floor can be placed in two heights and, in addition, under it there is a huge hole in which we can even place a cabin-type suitcase. Total there are 581 liters of trunk, being able to fold down the seats with practical handles and thus reach up to 1.606 liters.
Two mechanical versions, both hybrid
Focusing in depth on the mechanical versions of the Toyota Corolla, as I said before, we have two engines, both being self-recharging hybrids and receiving the Eco label from the DGT, with the advantages that this entails, especially in large cities and on days of high pollution.
motorization of access is the 1.8 Hybrid 125H, which develops 122 hp at 5.200 revolutions. This motorization is available in the three bodies of the Corolla. On the other hand, the version 2.0 Hybrid 180H is the most performant, giving 180 hp at 6.000 rpm, but in this case it is not offered with the sedan body. Below we leave you the performance data of each variant:
Toyota Corolla five doors
125H | 180H | |
---|---|---|
125H | 180H | |
Maximum speed | 180 km/h | 180 km/h |
Acceleration 0 to 100 km/h | 10.9 s. | 7.9 s. |
mixed consumption | 3.3 l / 100 km | 3.7 l / 100 km |
Toyota Corolla Sport Touring
125H | 180H | |
---|---|---|
125H | 180H | |
Maximum speed | 180 km/h | 180km/h |
Acceleration 0 to 100 km/h | 11.1 s. | 8.1 s. |
mixed consumption | 3.3 l / 100 km | 3.7 l / 100 km |
Toyota Corolla Sedan
125H | |
---|---|
125H | |
Maximum speed | 180 km/h |
Acceleration 0 to 100 km/h | 11 s. |
mixed consumption | 3.4 l / 100 km |
At the wheel: More comfort, more poise, more confidence
And now it's time to talk about his behavior, how the new Toyota Corolla feels. In this section, first of all, I have to clarify that the Japanese compact is developed on a new platform, which is known as TNGA platform -Toyota New Global Architecture-. This means that, at its base, it changes a lot from the Auris.
The first thing we notice while driving the Corolla is that, thanks to the new platform and tuning, it now feels like a more poised car on the highway, but also more stable and dynamic when we face a section of curves. The suspension contains the inertia better than in the previous model, but it still has a tare focused on comfort. After all, whoever buys a hybrid car is looking for comfort and not sporty dynamic behaviour.
All this translates into a perception of greater stability for the driver, more impression of security and confidence, something that is always very positive. And that despite the fact that its direction is still too assisted and filters practically everything that happens under the front end. In that sense, it would not have been out of place to have a little more "information" in our hands through the steering wheel.
When we drive through town, the Toyota Corolla shows a lot of smoothness of ride and ease of driving. Depending on the situation, what we step on the accelerator and the battery charge, the heat engine will remain off and will only use electrical energy to propel itself; or it will be the gasoline engine that is in charge of the movement of the car. In any case, unless we accelerate strongly, the gasoline engine will go unnoticed, because even if it is started, it barely revs.
La suspension It absorbs well the happy bumps that populate our towns, so the passengers will feel quite comfortable. The, to my liking, excessive steering assistance makes maneuvering easy and effortless, the main advantage of having so much assistance. Something that does not finish convincing me is the brake, because when going from regenerative braking to braking by the conventional system, the proportion changes and we must modulate a lot, something to which we must adapt. The hybrid Honda CR-V is much more successful in that regard.
Meanwhile, if we hit the road, the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports 2.0 Hybrid 180H it does not seem to develop the 180 CV that it declares, but this does not mean that it is solvent enough. At the international presentation I was also able to test the 125 hp 122H version, which seemed to me to be too fair and with a worse performance for driving on the road, since it takes considerably longer to accelerate and, in addition, the engine revs too much, which translates into bigger noises. For urban tours it is enough, but for the road it is better to bet on the 2.0 Dynamic Force 180 hp engine.
In the case of the most powerful version, the motor it does not revolutionize so much before the minimum slope that we find on the road or if we want to gain speed quickly, although it will exceed 4.000 rpm and will show the typical slipping sound due to the CVT change if we accelerate hard enough. Of course, unlike the 125H, with the 180 hp we notice that the car really gains speed quickly.
Where we most take advantage of its hybrid status is in the city and on flat roads between 70 and 100 km/h. Maintaining a constant speed, the heat engine will turn off when the battery has enough charge and the electrical system will be in charge of keeping up. In addition, when the gasoline engine is running, it turns at very low revolutions, going completely unnoticed.
If we talk about comfort in the sense of noise and insulation, in city and medium speed highways, the Corolla is well insulated. Nevertheless, at 120 km / h (or a little above said speed), noises are noticed aerodynamic and rolling. They are not worrying, but if we pay attention or if we drive with the audio equipment off, they are more noticeable than in other similar vehicles.
Consumption contained in all situations
Last but not least - far from it - let's talk about the consumptions. In the more than 700 kilometers that we have traveled with this car, the average consumption recorded has been 5,6 l / 100 km, which is not bad at all. On the highway or motorway, at legal maximums, it is normal to be between 5,6 and 5,8 liters.
In the city it depends a lot on the type of routes and driving, but it is rare to see it above 6 liters if we drive normally. On roads such as the M-40 or similar ring roads with a maximum speed limited to 100 km/h, it is easy to obtain consumption of around 4,5 or 4,8 l/100 km. As you can see, it is not a very โgreedyโ car in any situation.
Conclusions
Well, it's time to draw conclusions. The first thing, as I told you before, if you like the Corolla and want space go for the Touring Sports, both because the rear seats are a tad larger and because of the trunk, which grows a lot. If you are also going to hit the road, I I would go for the 180 hp. Today, as a self-charging hybrid, it has hardly any rivals when it comes to compact family bodywork.
If we talk about prices, the family part of the 23.350 euros. In this car it is also remarkable that it comes with a lot of standard equipment, which logically expands as we go up the finish. This unit corresponds to the Feel! finish, which is the second most equipped. For carrying the largest engine, browser and panoramic roof is around 28.500 euros according to the configurator.
As a product, it has the advantages of not spending too much gasoline, having a differentiated design and, of course, being โawardedโ with the DGT ECO Label. Of course, some materials and the infotainment system can be improved, as well as the space for the head in the rear seats.
Equipment Toyota Corolla Touring Sports
Active
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Tire repair kit
- Body-color door handles and mirrors
- Darkened rear windows
- Shark fin antenna
- Headlights with โFollow me homeโ function
- light sensing
- Electric and heated exterior mirrors
- Roof bars
- Rear view camera
- Pre-collision safety system with pedestrian and cyclist detection
- automatic high beams
- Smart cruise control with signal recognition
- Speed โโlimiter
- LED pilot lights
- integrated indicators
- E-call emergency call
- Toyota Touch 2 with 8-inch screen
- Radio with six speakers, USB and AUX sockets and bluetooth
- 2 12 volt outlets
- Leather multifunction steering wheel and gear lever
- electric parking brake
- Fabric armrests
- Dual zone air conditioning
- keyless start
- 60:40 folding rear seats
- 4,2 inch TFT screen in box
- Trunk with double bottom
- Roll-up boot tray
- load separation network
Active Tech (adds)
- Front grille in piano black
- Electrically folding exterior mirrors
- LED fog lights
- wireless smartphone charger
Feel! (Add)
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Bi-LED headlights
- Multi-link rear suspension
- Electrochromic interior mirror
- Instrument panel with 7-inch TFT color screen
Advance (add)
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Multi-LED headlights with dynamic adjustment
- hands-free entry
- paddle shifters on the steering wheel
- smart parking system
- JBL sound system
- Front grille in piano black with chrome trim
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Blind spot detector and rear cross traffic alert
- heated front seats
- Sports seats
- Driver's seats with electric lumbar adjustment
Toyota Corolla Touring Sports Prices
mechanical version | Finished | Price |
---|---|---|
mechanical version | Finished | Price |
1.8 Hybrid 125H | BusinessPlus | 23.350 โฌ |
1.8 Hybrid 125H | Active | 22.100 โฌ |
1.8 Hybrid 125H | Active Tech | 22.400 โฌ |
1.8 Hybrid 125H | Feel! | 23.650 โฌ |
2.0 Hybrid 180H | Feel! | 26.000 โฌ |
2.0 Hybrid 180H | Advance | 29.450 โฌ |
Editor's opinion
- Editor's rating
- 4.5 star rating
- Exceptional
- Toyota Corolla Touring Sports 180H Feel!
- Review of: Diego Avila
- Posted on:
- Last modification:
- Exterior design
- interior design
- front seats
- rear seats
- Trunk
- Spring Suspension
- Consumption
- Comfort
- Price
Pros
- differentiated design
- Adjusted consumption in all circumstances
- driving smoothness
Cons
- Infotainment system not up to scratch
- braking feel
- Insulation on highways that can be improved