I've been in the new-car criticizing business for nearly 13 years. In that relatively short period of time, I've witnessed a great many things take place. Of those, three stand out in my mind: The collapse of the Big 3, the rise of the Koreans and the stagnation and partial fall of Toyota. Yes, Toyota was and is a big deal.
When I started out, Toyota was the shiznit. For 5 1/2 of those years, I was a consumer counsellor, helping the average Joe and Jane with their car questions, be them legal or about purchasing. In the late '90s and early 2000s, the answer to two out three “What car?” questions was Toyota. Camry, Corolla, Sienna, Tercel, 4Runner, they were all good – or just about. Today, um, not so much.
Forget about the recalls, the tsunami and whatever mistakes the company may have made in the recent past, the steady decline of the Japanese giant started some time ago, and Toyota President Akio Toyoda admitted to it. It's called complacency, cutting corners, saving a penny just to save a penny and sacrificing quality. The collapse of the Big 3? That's how it happened. Toyota should have paid closer attention. Honda is in the same boat, but that's a story for another day.
Enter the newly redesigned, 2011 Corolla. What? No one noticed? There it was and there I was at the 2010 L.A. Auto Show... walking right by without a second glance. This tells me something, but I'll let you figure it out.
Let's carry on with the car itself. The face-lifted '11s got a little more visual appeal over the 2009-2010 car. The front end's got more bite, but I would have left the taillights well enough alone; the new ones look like LEGO blocks. As a whole, the car's styling is questionable, but that's obviously a matter of personal taste.
I hate to point out the obvious, but should you be in the market for a compact car, there are many other choices to consider. The question you need to answer is this: “What is most important to me?” As far as modern styling is concerned, the competition's got the Corolla licked. As you surf the web for inspiration, ideas and information, swing by our galleries on the new Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze, and you'll see what I mean.
It's more of the same on the inside. The design and layout in the compact Toyota is good, in general. The controls are all in the right places, but Toyota and quality materials and craftsmanship are no longer complementary. The plastics are dismally hard and panel fit is no better than average.
Of the few other cabin-related niggles I found, the biggest culprit is the location of the circa-1995 quartz clock at the very bottom of the centre stack; it is impossible to consult with your eyes without completely leaving the road. Also, the audio display screen is practically invisible the moment it's sunny outside. Next in line are the seats that lack thigh support for most body types. Once again, swing by Ford, Hyundai and Chevrolet to compare.
Unfortunately, it doesn't get much better from here on in. The car's standard 1.8L 4-cylinder is not a happy revver. It'll do the job in most instances as it provides a fair dollop of torque down low. Its 132 hp rating is the second-lowest in the segment (behind the 2011 115-hp, 2.0L Jetta) and does what it can well enough.
Regrettably, the little lump is handicapped by a 4-speed autobox which, I must admit, works smoothly but is geared from here to Siberia and slow to react. As you read these lines, the Corolla and the 2011 Subaru Impreza are the last compacts to offer such a transmission. Come October 2011, the Corolla will be the only one.
Most others have moved on to 6-speed or CVT 'boxes with a minority sticking to 5-speed automatic transmissions. What the 4-speed does is sap the life out of the engine in exchange for reasonable fuel economy. My returned average was of 8 L/100km. Better get used to being patient when passing as well...
More bad news: The tested Corolla S' brakes were unresponsive at the top-end of the pedal's travel and generally weak. To be safe, and not be the only person to think so, I randomly handed the keys to four other people at the office, and they all reported the same. The car will stop though, once enough pressure is applied to the pedal.
And so on and so on. Steering is light with little or no feedback. The ride is unrefined, the car is noisy overall, especially when mildly pushed as then the engine gets buzzy. Thankfully, handling is decent, but it falls short compared to many other compacts.
The week I drove the Corolla, we had a Mazda3 GX with 5-speed auto in our test fleet. I took this opportunity to double-, triple- and quadruple-check every note I had made on the Corolla and wanted to make sure that I wasn't out of my mind. Miranda kindly agreed to complete back-to-back identical 15-minute loops with me. The results were conclusive: the Corolla was louder, less composed and comfortable, and far less enjoyable to drive. We'll skip the whole “in-and-out” design discussion we also had.
I know this all sounds bad, and that Toyota will end up black-listing me for life, but they shouldn't blame me; they should be upset with the competition. Same goes for Honda and their ‘new’ Civic; these two cars have had an amazing run, but because they were ahead for so long, their makers forgot to look back and got lost in the process.
Yes, the Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and Volkswagen Jetta have all surpassed the Corolla. And the Kia Forte and Mazda3 are easily its equal.
Pricing remains competitive as the Corolla's base price is of $15,450. As tested, my S model with 4-speed auto, leather and sunroof retails for $24,550. A comparably equipped Mazda3 GS with automatic carries a sticker price of $22,890, while a Civic EX-L goes for $24,390. Pricing similarities can be found across the small car segment. The “hooks” are always found at the entry level; however, the moment some kit is added, prices level out.
Although sales remain good, I believe they are only indicative of the present based on the past. What I mean to say is that it's selling because of its name. Fast-forward 18 to 24 months and if Toyota has done nothing to improve the Corolla, I predict that sales will drop as the younger crowds buying these cars will want something hip and cool – the Corolla is neither.
Now, before anyone goes off saying I've been bought out by the Chinese, know that the Corolla is still a good car. It's like an ex-girlfriend; she's still attractive (sort of), and there are still good things about her, but she just doesn't make the cut anymore.
By Mathieu St-Pierre
Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com
Auto123
