Flashy on the outside, but same old under the hood
Overview Birthday celebrations mean a fancy package for a popular compact sedan Pros Sporty, boy-racer looks; well-contented; good handling Cons Looks fast, drives slow Value for money Good What would I change? Add much-needed sportiness to this car How would I spec it? Corolla S with six-speed manual ($19,365) At the risk of showing off my wrinkles, I remember a time when, in addition to its relentless quest for world domination, Toyota actually built cars that were sporty and fun. I know Millennials today may find that hard to believe, but when I was about their age, there were zippy compact runabouts such as the Corolla GT-S, Celica and MR2. It was a glorious period, those mid- to late-’80s.
Now, fast-forward to 2015 and the current reality: Celica and MR2 are moldering in their graves, and the Corolla, the second best-selling car in Canada — behind the Honda Civic — has long ago ditched the GT-S model (and rear-wheel drive) and its fun factor. Oh, Toyota continues to turn out consistently high sales numbers for its compact sedan, thanks to reasoned engineering that has resulted in bulletproof reliability. But the company’s stated goal with the Corolla is to “provide quality, dependable, reliable and fuel-efficient transportation plus tremendous overall value to millions of drivers.” Doesn’t exactly get the juices flowing for budding motor heads out there, does it?
There was a ray of sunshine for the 2014 model year when the 11th generation version debuted, Toyota designers waking up from a Rip Van Winkle-like sleep to pen a new look that’s both bold and aerodynamically effective, with a drag coefficient of just 0.28. That boldness didn’t migrate to the powertrain, however, with a 132-horsepower 1.8-litre four-cylinder mated to a choice of six-speed manual, four-speed automatic or continuously variable transmissions — safe, efficient and uninspiring.
But, what’s this? To celebrate its half-century in this country, Toyota Canada has offered up a 50th Anniversary Special Edition ($22,180) of its made-in-Ontario 2015 Corolla S, available for a limited time only. And doesn’t it bring back the warm and fuzzy feelings of yesteryear? A cheeky shade called Absolutely Red (the signature colour among several other choices) pleases the eye. Gloss black alloy rims on 17-inch rubber, an upgrade to rear disc brakes, red interior stitching inside. Dig a little deeper for the Moonroof Package and Toyota throws in automatic air conditioning to go with a power tilting/ sliding sunroof. It’s all a little boy racer for my tastes now, but, were I still in my 20s and wanted to disguise truly geeky persona with a much cooler facade, I’d be giving the 50th Anniversary a long look.
Better yet, under the hood is a … oh, crushing disappointment! It’s the same 132-hp mouse motor as in every other model of Corolla. Talk about all flash and no bang.
Imagine the 50th Anniversary as a GT-S with a 2.0 to 2.5L engine and something in the neighbourhood of 170+ hp to play with. (It’s not like that’s a big stretch. Look at a few of the Corolla’s competitors — Mazda3 GT, 2.5L/184 hp; Civic Si, 2.4L/205 hp; Elantra GT, 2.0L/173 hp.)
Beyond the flaccid tones emanating from the Anniversary’s exhaust and the limpid response when trying to coax some sportiness from the tester’s paddle-shifted continuously variable transmission, the car is not bad to drive. Shifts are crisp and the manual mode has seven builtin “gears” for context. There’s also a genuine lively nature to its ride and handling, at least when mixing it up in city traffic. And what the car lacks in urge — zero to 100 km/h takes an unhurried 10.5 seconds, even with Sport mode engaged — it makes up in reasonable fuel economy. My test average of 8.3 litres per 100 km for the week is frugal enough for an even mix of highway driving and suburban commuting.
Credit where due, Toyota knows how to craft a stylish cabin; even in its lower-priced products. The Corolla’s layout is both functional and attractive, with decorative stitching and piano black gloss trim with metallic touches. As an S model, the 50th Anniversary comes with air conditioning, the usual power items, a sport speedometer, sport front and rear fascia and rear lip spoiler. Additional features include heated front seats, chrome exhaust tip, 6.1-inch audio display, 3.5-inch multi-information display, leather-wrapped steering wheel, integrated signal lamps, fog lamps and automatic headlights.
So, for the majority of motorists out there who don’t give a fig about performance — my wife will be the first to raise her hand — and clearly the people Toyota is trying to entice into the Corolla, the 50th is a nicely wrapped-up package. One thing, though, for those of shorter persuasion, is compromised rearview visibility. The missus — 5-feet tall on her tiptoes — liked her ’ 06 Corolla because the car’s flat rear deck provided a less obstructed view. The wedge-shape of the 2015 model has more pronounced blind spots toward the rear. The backup camera, then, is a welcomed feature.
It is a slam-dunk certainty Toyota has reams of marketing data justifying why performance isn’t a big selling feature for its products, at least those wearing the Toyota nameplate (some Lexus and Scion cars are a different story). That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t pull the stick out of its butt once in a while and give the motor heads among its loyal clientele a bit of a thrill. A car as flashy as the 50th Anniversary Corolla deserves something other than the same old, same old under its hood. And those of us with grey hair and long memories will cheer.