Toyota’s Quest is for uber value
ROAD TEST/ Yes it’s bland, but the new Corolla Quest is an unbeatable package for the money, writes Denis Droppa
IT’S A SIZEABLE CAR WITH IMPRESSIVE CABIN SPACE, AND REAR-SEAT PASSENGERS ENJOY PLENTIFUL LEG ROOM
Keeping behind older-generation cars as cheaper versions to sell alongside their modern counterparts has proved to be a very successful strategy in the local automotive landscape.
The VW Citi Golf, VW Polo Vivo, Toyota Tazz and Toyota Corolla Quest have all been top sellers and become case studies for the power of budget price tags and great marketing.
Now, on the eve of the new 12th-generation Corolla sedan being launched in SA soon to join the hatchback version introduced last year, the 11thgeneration Corolla sedan is again being kept behind as the rebranded Quest.
A more powerful 1.8l petrol engine is now used across the board versus the previous Quest’s 1.6, and there are three grades on offer along with the choice of manual or auto continuously variable transmissions, making for six models in total.
And it’s accompanied by some attractive pricing.
The highest-grade Quest 1.8 Exclusive on test here retails at R307,400 in manual form compared with the R371,100 that was asked for the outgoing Corolla 1.8 Exclusive, even though it’s essentially the same car. This significant R63,700 price saving has been achieved with some specification snipping: the Quest no longer has front fog lights or auto-on headlamps, while the airbag count has dropped from seven to five.
The service plan has also been reduced from 90,000km to 45,000km, although the three-year/100,000km warranty remains the same.
Still, the Quest 1.8 Exclusive is hardly “poverty spec” and comes well appointed with items like cruise control, a touchscreen infotainment system and automatic climate control. There’s a reversing camera, but no beeping proximity alarm.
At this price point the new Quest offers an impressive value package against market rivals like the Hyundai Elantra, Honda Civic and Mazda3 that cost between 26k and 58k more.
At 4,620mm long it’s a sizeable car with impressive cabin space, and rear-seat passengers enjoy plentiful leg room, which is probably part of the reason it’s such a popular Uber car. The boot is a sizeable 452l, expanding further with the 60/40 split rear seats.
The car’s weak point is that it’s bland and vapid compared with the 12th-generation Corolla, which is more premium feeling and stylistically interesting.
The Quest’s interior finishes are mostly tidy and there are some stitched and soft-touch surfaces to raise the mood, but the styling is dated. The touchscreen icons are small too, making them difficult to select while the vehicle’s in motion.
The Quest Exclusive has leather seats, though in the test car this cowhide covering was wrinkled in places — a blot on the otherwise well-groomed environment.
In keeping with the car’s anodyne flavour, the normally aspirated 1.8 engine delivers efficient commuting pace rather than any thrills. It’s a linear power delivery without any low-rev lag, and the slick sixspeed manual and light clutch don’t make major physical demands of the driver in the urban bustle. The hill-start assist feature reduces the chore of stop-start driving, but those who want two-pedalled convenience can spend R10,300 more on the automatic version.
It’s a fairly decent cruiser on the open road, able to maintain the national speed limit on steeper inclines, but overtaking moves need to be planned more carefully as there’s no instant surge on offer.
Our test car averaged 7.3l/100km on the urban/freeway mix, which is decent fuel economy and just a snip higher than the 7l claimed by Toyota.
Wearing high-profile 20555-R16 tyres, the Quest Exclusive rolls through potholepockmarked suburbia with a relaxing, nonjittering gait. The handling’s clean and predictable too, with stability control as a safety net to quell any overzealous driving.
Rounding off the package is respectable refinement, with no unwanted wind or engine noise.
The Corolla has become a poster child for prosaic efficiency, and this latest Quest continues the heritage.
In contrast to the new 12thgeneration Corolla, which has added a shot of flavour and aspirational appeal to the mix at a higher price, the Quest remains a functional appliance with value for money as its main drawcard. Which is exactly what its target market expects, and why it will probably continue to sell in uber numbers.