I’m sure everyone can agree that the Toyota Corolla and the term “driving excitement” aren’t normally associated together. What it does do well is bring together a practical blend of fuel economy, reliability, features and safety into an affordable compact car.
The Corolla line has been around for 50 years, has sold over 40 million copies across 154 countries, and is a dependable set of wheels to haul the family or yourself solo around in compact, reliable, and sensible style.
The Corolla’s standard engine delivers 132 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque, and is made further efficient with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Less efficient transmission pairings, but available, are the 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. The Corolla LE ECO model gets a 5 percent edge above its siblings with 140 horsepower and 126 lb-ft of torque. Each model has slightly different mpg estimates that are affected by wheel and tire size, but combined city and highway fuel economy is 31 mpg or better for all the 2016 Corolla models.
Acceleration is sufficient for the sub-2,900-pound car that really is leaps and bounds better than former generations, and 140 horsepower once upon a time would have made an early generation hot hatch envious. Today, it’s just sufficient in world of cars that have gotten bigger, heavier and faster.
The Corolla’s interior layout is both functional and attractive. Quality of materials used throughout the cabin are so-so, with a little too much hard plastic used on some of the touch points. A notable feature is backseat legroom comparable to a Camry. Rearview backup camera is standard across the line except for the base L model.
In this video Tommy and Roman play a game: which car would you buy if you played the lottery and won a million dollars? Ride along with the pair as they test drive the 2016 Toyota Corolla and pick their dream car of choice.
