There’s a new Corolla in town
Forty four million sales can’t be wrong – the Toyota Corolla is a hatch with heritage. Now there’s an all-new model, writes
New Zealand is now moving into driving the 12th generation version of the world’s most popular car – the Toyota Corolla.
Supplies of the all-new 2019 Corolla have started arriving – in fact more than 200 of them have already been sold, even though the car’s official launch date isn’t until October 1.
Make me an instant expert: what do I need to know?
The new hatch is longer, lower and wider than the 11th generation model, the petrol versions are powered by an allnew 2.0-litre engine which is mated to a new ‘‘dynamic shift’’ CVT auto, and a pair of hybrid models feature the same Hybrid Synergy Drive system as that aboard the Prius.
Thanks to Toyota NZ’s new Drive Happy retail system, pricing for the Corolla begins at $29,990. That’s real value for a smallmedium hatch with such a strong level of specification. For example, even the GX has satellite navigation with the Suna traffic channel, and an 8-inch TFT touchscreen display.
A new Corolla is an important occasion. Since the first Corolla was launched in 1966, more than 44.1 million of them have been sold in a total of 150 countries. Even today when there are far more different types of cars available for motorists, the Corolla continues to sell at the amazing rate of one every 15 seconds.
In New Zealand it is estimated there are currently 155,000 Corollas on our roads, making it the biggest contributor to this impressive statistic: one in every four cars in New Zealand today is a Toyota.
Little wonder then, that at the media launch of the new Corolla at TNZ’s head office in Palmerston North, the company’s general manager of product and new vehicle sales Neeraj Lala described the model as ‘‘without question an incredible gamechanger for Toyota’’. $29,990-$38,490. 2.0-litre petrol four (125kW/200Nm), 1.8-litre petrolelectric hybrid (90kW total system output). Fuel consumption 4.2-6.0 litres per 100km. Continuously variable transmission, FWD. Five-door hatchback. Now.
He continued with this quip about the Corolla’s heritage: ‘‘I’d say that nearly every family in New Zealand has a Corolla story.’’ Ain’t that the truth. It’s certainly the case with this writer’s family.
The petrol models are powered by a new direct-injection 2.0-litre engine that has 21 per cent more power (125kW) and 15 per cent more torque (200Nm).
This engine really does go well, and the good news is that average fuel consumption has been reduced to 6.0 litres per 100km. CO2 emissions are 139g/km.
A major contributor to the engine’s performance credentials is the new dynamic shift CVT that features a gear and belt drive system to help improve transmission efficiency in the lower gear ratios.
Thanks to the fact it uses a gear drive when starting from a full stop, it has good acceleration and has got rid of the momentary sluggish feeling that can be present with CVTs. And then when a bit of pace has been achieved, this latest CVT moves from gear drive to belt drive.
All the petrol models also have a 10-speed manual shift mode. With the entry GX this can be operated using the gearshift, while the SX and ZR models also have paddle shifters.
Where did you drive it?
During the media launch for Corolla we took the fleet on a long drive from Palmerston North to Woodville over that awful Saddle Road, then down through a variety of Wairarapa country roads to Martinborough, and back again via the Pahiatua Track.
A solid drive in very wet conditions, things made difficult by wet and slippery road surfaces.
But the car handled it. And that brings us to something else Toyota has done with the 12th generation Corolla that will help get rid of any boring image. It’s made the ride and handling a lot better.
This car is built on Toyota’s TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform that we’d already seen in the likes of the latest Camry and the C-HR – in fact the platform is identical to the C-HR’s.
While the front suspension is essentially the same MacPherson strut system as before, the rear setup has gone from torsion beam to a trailing wishbone independent system.
Add in the fact that the TNGA platform gives a lower centre of gravity anyway, and it’s quickly obvious the new Corolla does have superior handling and stability.
What’s the pick of the range?
TNZ has doubled the number of hybrid variants... to two. There are entry GX and top ZR levels, that use the upgraded Hybrid Synergy Drive system from the latest Prius. The system, which features a 1.8-litre petrol engine, offers a combined output of 90kW.
The previous Corolla hybrid ran on 95 octane fuel, but this new model uses 91. Its average fuel consumption is 4.2 L/100km, and CO2 emissions 97 g/km.
The previous model was TNZ’s best-selling hybrid. The company expects sales to grow further.
Why would I buy it?
Because it’s a Corolla. The world’s most popular car, made better. It looks good even though it remains unmistakeably a Corolla. It drives very well, offers hybrid options, and pricing starts below $30,000 and finishes well below $40,000.
Even at the GX level it offers an array of active driver assistance and passive driver protection features including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, all-speed dynamic radar cruise control, lane tracing assist with lane departure alert and steering assist, lane centering and sway warning, and road sign assist.
Toyota Corolla Price range: Powertrains:
Why wouldn’t I buy it?
Because it’s a Corolla. Darling of the rental industry, and because of its popularity it’s as common as anything.
Year-to-date to the end of August the Corolla has been New Zealand’s most popular passenger vehicle with 3214 registrations – 1522 of them as rental cars. But TNZ argues that not only is a sale a sale, but also that the rental business acts as a very good foundation layer for the used car market.
Body styles: On sale: