Jeff Griffiths with the 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid in Calgary.Brendan Miller/Postmedia Toyotas 2020 Corolla is all new from top to bottom and front to back. Now in its 12th generation, the Corolla platform first launched way back in 1966. Since then, the car has been a perennial best-seller for Toyota with more than 45 million examples sold worldwide.While overall design of the compact sedan has been revised and driving dynamics have been improved thanks to Toyotas New Global Architecture (TNGA) underpinnings, the big news for 2020 is the fact that for the first time ever Toyota is offering the Corolla as a hybrid. Theyve taken the Hybrid Synergy Drive system from the Prius and placed it in the Corolla to give the model maximum fuel economy.So, does it live up to its miserly expectations?Calgary driver Jeff Griffiths says he spent $10.26 on gasoline for the week he spent driving the compact sedan. Which is, frankly, quite amazing, he explains of the money invested to add 325 kilometres to the odometer. In the Corolla Hybrid, a 1.8-litre four-cylinder internal combustion engine is paired with two motor/generators. Combined output of all three is 121 horsepower, and that power is put to the front wheels and ultimately to the road through a continuously variable transmission. Electrical power is stored in a nickel-metal hydride battery that lives under the rear seat and takes up very little real estate. Plus, the batterys location lowers the Corolla Hybrids centre of gravity, something the automaker claims helps to improve overall agility.Ive driven a Toyota before, Griffiths says, adding, Back in the Seventies, I had a Land Cruiser and it was indestructible. My opinion of the company is theyre one of the best automakers on the planet theyre all about quality.While certainly aware of the nameplate, Griffiths had never before driven a Corolla. Of his first impression of the 2020 Corolla Hybrid, he says the car was bigger than hed expected it would be.He adds, One of the most striking things about the car is the bucket nose on the front end, it certainly makes the car noticeable.Getting into the drivers seat, Griffiths was immediately impressed by the fit and finish. It feels like they cared when they put it together. Everythings soft that needs to be soft and there are no hard edges sticking out anywhere its very refined looking.With the door closed, it took Griffiths only a few moments to make a couple of small adjustments to the seat and mirrors. Ergonomically, he says, the car fit him nicely and the switchgear was all where hed expected it to be.Basically, I was just able to get in the car and drive, and thats a good thing in my opinion, he says. I didnt need a course to drive it, but it does take a few minutes to learn the various menus in the touchscreen and what they all do. When he was ready to roll, Griffiths hit the start button.And, nothing happened, he chuckles. The engine doesnt start, but everything lights up and the electronics take over. Thats a bit of a different feeling because thats all new to me Id never driven a hybrid or electric vehicle before.You hit the accelerator pedal and off you go. With very little road noise and no engine noise you at first feel like youre floating along.When you demand more power, the gas engine kicks in when it needs to. Its got all kinds of poop when you get the electric motors and the gasoline engine going, itll really get up and dance.For the most part, Griffiths kept the Corolla in the city. He commuted and ran errands, but he did get out on a country road to judge how well it would handle some curves.Its a confident, sure-footed car, he says. And the brakes were very efficient. When you lift off the throttle, thanks to the regenerative braking system, the car felt like it was being slowed by engine braking.While Griffiths says he experimented driving in different modes, including Eco and Sport, he couldnt feel too much difference, and wondered what part of the driving dynamic might have changed.He says the trunk has plenty of room and he didnt have any difficulty lifting objects in or out of the cargo space. The rear seat offers a 60/40 folding back and that further increases carrying capacity.His two adult sons, 5-feet 8-inches and 6-feet tall, each found room in the back seat and thought it comfortable for a short ride.The Corolla Hybrid, he thinks, would best suit someone using the car to commute on a daily basis or to have as a second vehicle. It was easy to drive, and offered worry free, fuss free, economical convenience.While I personally might not have found the car that exciting to drive, he says, It is really, really good at what it does. DRIVER’S JOURNALDay OnePicked up the car first thing in the morning. First impression: quiet. On the drive into downtown Calgary it was difficult to tell if the engine was running. Very smooth. Driving home in the evening; feels isolated theres very little feedback to the driver. It
Origin: Reader Review: 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Corolla
Car Comparison: 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2020 Toyota Corolla sedan
Clayton Seams: The Volkswagen Jetta and the Toyota Corolla have been fighting with each other for a long time. These nameplates are both so old that they were each designed to replace air-cooled predecessors. Toyotas Corolla replaced the Publica, and Volkswagen Jetta, the Beetle. The Corolla is on its 12th generation, which debuted in 2018 and the Jetta is in its 7th iteration which debuted this year in 2019. Both are compact FWD sedans, powered by four-cylinder engines. Both have shown up to the party in mid-level trim and both retail for $28,000 and change as tested. Representing team Jetta was this Tornado Red Comfortline tester with the R-Line appearance package. Alex, what did you bring to the party?Alex Reid: In the blue corner is a 2020 Toyota Corolla XSE, and its stuffed full of tech. Its come along way from its humble beginnings, and beyond its revolutionary water-cooled engine, the Toyota Corolla is truly a grown up vehicle for the 2020 model year. These two vehicles have evolved to become more than just small-engined runabouts designed to pinch sales away from yank tanks, theyre now at the top of their reasonably-priced game. These two brothers from another mother have grown up at the same time, but which one of them can claim to be the more mature sibling? I would argue that the Toyota is wise beyond its years, even if hesitant to react to changes around it. First of all, the amount of technology that you get in the Corolla greatly surpasses the Jetta, having navigation, satellite radio, heated seats and steering wheel, and a host of safety features for almost the same cash means that the Corolla is a seriously strong contender for some of the best value on the market. CS: Its true, the Corolla packs an impressive list of equipment that you dont get in the Jetta for the same money. A heated steering wheel, SatNav, Satellite radio, and a digital dash are all found in the Corolla but not in the Jetta. But you could have those in a Jetta if you choose a more loaded model its worth noting. Also worth noting is the styling of the Corolla, yikes. I dont know why it has a Super Duty-sized grill or why its so angry at me. The Jetta, meanwhile, looks rather dashing in that aforementioned red paint and 17 alloys. That clean look continues to the interior where the Jetta wears a smart white/black two-tone interior. The touch screen display is neatly integrated into the dashboard and the sporty D-shaped steering wheel looks great but feels out of place in a car that lacks a sport mode or paddle shifters. Unfortunately it seems that the nice-looking seats were designed for the hard, square butts of Lego people and human butts may not find it very comfy. The seats seem unnecessarily hard and just oddly shaped if their purpose is indeed to support a human body. AR: I guess you pay a price premium for the VW to have all those features because I agree, the Corolla has a face only a mother could love, although I dont have to see it when Im driving it, so its a moot point, really. Another thing that I cant see but I can definitely feel on the Corolla, is the 18 wheels and low profile tires, which translates to more sporty handling, if thats something you care about in your daily commuter. While youve got a sporty steering wheel, the Jetta doesnt actually have the handling prowess to back it up, and its the Corolla that has a sport mode, and paddle shifters, even if its connected to a CVT. The Jettas good looks inside also dont translate to comfort, those seats are flat, square, and almost downright uncomfortable, theyre also manually operated, which is pretty lame considering the almost $30k price tag.However, I think the money is really well spent in the Corollas interior, which has electrically operated seats with lumbar support, and a super cool blue-stitched pattern, the digital dash is also miles above the dials you get in the Jetta, which looks like Volkswagen raided Ataris arcade game warehouse, Asteroids anyone? I think the Corolla also has the Jetta licked when it comes to size, it feels compact, like the segment should suggest, the turning radius is small and its extremely easy to park. The Jetta, even though VW claims its a compact, feels more like a mid-size. While the size should mean that the Jetta has more space, it really struggles to offer more than a few millimetres more rear headroom than the Corolla, and a negligible legroom advantage. CS: While its true the Corolla is the more sporty of the two, (CVT and all!) the Jetta is a little more quiet when driving along at highway speeds. The Corollas 2.0L naturally-aspirated I4 feels more sprightly than the Jettas 1.4L turbo I4. The Jetta makes more torque at 184 vs 151 but the Toyota makes more power at 169 vs 147. On paper, the smaller turbo engine of the VW has a clear fuel economy lead over the larger-engined Corolla. Also worth mentioning in the interior is that the VW has a more modern-looking infotainment system and
Origin: Car Comparison: 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2020 Toyota Corolla sedan
Toyota re-recalls Corolla and Matrix cars over airbags
Toyota has expanded its Takata airbag recall to cover the 2008 Matrix and Corolla, as well as the 2008 to 2010 Lexus SC430.Toyota Toyota is re-recalling more than 55,000 cars for a problem with their airbags, even though the vehicles had already been recalled before, to have their Takata airbag inflators replaced.Exactly 55,399 vehicles Corolla cars from model years 2003 and 2004; and Matrix hatchbacks from model years 2005 through 2008 may be affected by the issue, which can cause the front passenger airbag to not inflate properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.Affected owners will be notified by the end of October, and dealers will replace the airbag units for free.This recall is about a new and different issue where the airbag may not deploy as designed in certain vehicles that received a remedy as part of previous Takata recalls, Toyota said in a
Origin: Toyota re-recalls Corolla and Matrix cars over airbags
Car Review: 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback
2020 Toyota CorollaDerek McNaughton / Driving OVERVIEW Four-door hatchback with a desire to break from its staid personality PROSGood looks, reliability, value CONSEngine is a bit noisy, CVT still feels like a CVT VALUE FOR MONEYExcellent WHAT TO CHANGE?Add a turbo to the XSE and push output to over 220 horsepower HOW TO SPEC IT?Manual transmission XSE My 1977 Toyota Corolla liftback — a two-door, small wagon of sorts — got me through college. When the silver paint faded from so much Alberta sun, I repainted it navy blue. The little hatch with the manual transmission and desirable SR5 package carried my girlfriend and I across Canada in an epic, cross-country drive. The same Corolla became my daily commuter for work until it was finally supplanted by a company car. And during all those years, it never broke down or resulted in any major repairs. I don’t recall ever changing the oil. Today, the Corolla has come a long way since the first generation in 1966, and for 2019, a new hatchback replaces the former iM. The new hatch rides on an revised sport-tuned suspension built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform that will underpin the coming 2020 Corolla sedan and hybrid. A sport-tuned suspension does not, however, automatically equate to a sporty car, but the XSE hatch in Blue Flame (Far better than the dark beige Corolla hatch in our comparison test. —Ed.) brings Toyota as close as it as ever come to building a hot hatch. That does not mean it will subjugate buyers of GTIs, Veloster Ns or Mini Coopers — but it will broaden the Corolla’s appeal to those looking for a car with a sense of style mixed with historically excellent reliability, bundled with an agreeable price. At $21,000 to start and $28,000 all loaded up with an automatic transmission, the XSE hatch has a lot going for it, aside from that sassy exterior. The transmission, a continuously variable automatic, has what Toyota calls a launch gear for quicker jumps off the line. Indeed, mash the throttle, and the front tires will rotate a little as the 2.0L inline-four dumps its 168 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque through the gearbox. Acceleration feels plenty brisk, and the CVT tries hard to simulate a 10-speed, aided by paddle shifters that almost make it feel like driving an automated manual. Well, almost. There’s quite a bit of buzz and commotion as the engine and transmission team up to deliver full performance, but the CVT does a good job of not embarrassing itself, and paddle shifting does alleviate the otherwise mundane nature of the CVT. For those who want more intimacy in their ride, the six-speed manual will undoubtedly feel more engaging, and the manual is available on the XSE. Actually, the Corolla does offer intimacy — in the back seat, where legroom disappears unless the front seats are pulled forward. Cargo space, hampered somewhat by the angled slope of the hatch, improves from a meager 17.8 cubic feet behind the 60/40 split-folding rear seats to an acceptable 23.3 with the rear seats down. The normal utility of a hatch, however is mostly lost on the Toyota due to its design. Some of that can be forgiven, however, by a ride that is more sharp and more defined than any Corolla before, much of it thanks to a rear suspension that abandons the old torsion-beam setup for a more sophisticated multi-link configuration. Crappy roads do not send shudders into the driver’s seat; the car feels tighter, and handling is surprisingly stable up to the point where the tires begin to lose grip. Steering is sharp with moderate feedback, and braking comes with a firm pedal with minimal dive. It’s the point and shoot of compacts, even if it lacks turbo power. Available in S, SE or XSE trim levels, the Corolla hatch comes plenty well equipped in the XSE form, gaining a heated steering wheel, LED headlamps and fog lamps, LED turn signals (finally!), 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, an eight-inch colour touchscreen display, and push-button start with SmartKey access, along with an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. The seats, made of fabric and leatherette, are on the firm side but comfortable. The backup camera is clear, and wireless charging is a bonus. Entune 3.0 offers a large suite of apps, from weather to NPR radio. Instrumentation could be more interesting — it turns from blue to red in Sport mode — but behind the multi-function leather wrapped wheel nests a seven-inch TFT multi-information display in the instrument cluster that shows turn-by-turn navigation and various vehicle settings. Apple CarPlay is standard, but not Android Auto, meaning those with Samsung smartphones won’t be thrilled. An electronic parking brake is standard, as is contrasting stitching in the seats, dash and doors. A host of safety equipment as part of Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0 package, including automatic high beams, is included. Sadly, there won’t be any two-door manual
Origin: Car Review: 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback
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