2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco Full Test

Edmunds.com

2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco Full Test

Edmunds drives the all-new 2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco. Our test includes driving impressions, test data, photos, specs and more.

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7driver

Worst redesign since InsideLine became Edmunds Whats Hot.

emajor

Reviewing this car evenly would be difficult and Mark did a very respectable job of it. Because what else can you write about this car that hasn't been said of most new Toyotas of the last decade? Bulletproof and practical to a fault, with creeping hints of cheapness that were not present in the tangible quality of past Toyotas. Does nothing wrong from a utilitarian perspective, but comes off as incredibly lazy to anyone who wants personality in their car. Appreciated by most owners who use their car as a tool rather than a statement, but hated by enthusiasts, who don't make much of a contribution to new car sales anyway and are therefore rightfully ignored by Toyota. From pictures anyway, the interior looks to be a significant improvement and is no longer awash in that awful rental car grey. Acceleration is identical to the Civic, but the Mazda3 and Focus will walk away from it on the onramp and still get similar mpg. The only thing to really recommend it is a backseat large enough to legitimately postpone even negate the need for a midsize sedan. As someone with two kids in car seats, I can say this counts for a lot and prevented me from looking seriously at a Mazda 3, Focus, or Cruze regardless of their superiority in other areas. Didn't end up with a Corolla, though

isaacl

7driver, that was funny. thank you.

but seriously, even though i would never buy a corolla for myself, i can see why people do. Shoot, i bought a Pontiac Vibe in '06 just because it had Corolla internals.

piredon

Nothing says I hate driving and know nothing about cars quite like a Toyota Corolla. I think they should adopt a new slogan: "the Ultimate Transportation Appliance"

tim_boo

Although Corolla has never been the most exciting car sold, it has in the past offered decent power, better than average fuel economy, great fit/finish and decent ergonomics. All of this, plus low price and the promise of great dependability enabled Toyota to sell 40 million Corollas, however all the other car companies have similar cars that excel in those same areas and are more exciting to own.

40 million buyers were not wrong, but the next 40 million might be!

shatner

"Nothing says I hate driving and know nothing about cars quite like a Toyota Corolla. I think they should adopt a new slogan: "the Ultimate Transportation Appliance""
==============

Actually I think it says more "I actually get laid and just want a reliable car to take me places and not try to overcompensate for my sexual insecurities"!

lions208487

@ shatner- You must own the SE model.

gofortheneck

"We just happen to think there's more to driving than strict sensibility!"

Really Mark Takahashi ?????!!!!!

"What's Hot"s type of "sensibility" is what kills people on the road!

greenpony

There's nothing wrong with having an appliance car. Just like there's nothing wrong with using a cell phone camera instead of an SLR; there's nothing wrong with drinking Smirnoff instead of Ketel One; there's nothing wrong with writing with a ballpoint instead of a fountain pen; there's nothing wrong with listening to music on mp3 instead of on vinyl. But for people who have acquired some level of taste, "vanilla" just doesn't cut it.

greenpony

That green looks pretty slick. I like it a little better than the Corvette lime rock green, at least in these photos.

stovt001_

I hear people justify purchases like this saying they just need basic transportation that gets them from A to B reliably, but they're making it a false choice. Almost every other competitor in this segment is every bit as reliable and drama-free, because that's simply the price of admission into this super competitive market segment. On top of that, they add performance, character, size, efficiency, style, and/or feature content. It isn't either/or. You don't have to sacrifice reliability for any of those other things, they come free of charge.

stovt001_

@shatner - you assume people only look for features in a car in order to impress others. Isn't it possible that some people look for more than mediocrity not because of what others think, but because they want to enjoy themselves? I drive a Miata - that i

quadricycle

I haven't got that much interest in the car, but I am enjoying all the pseudo-psychology about Corolla ownership in the comments page!

camrydriver69

@stovt001 Disagree about the comment on reliability. Of course new cars are reliable because they are new. However as they start to age over 7 or 8 years and break down it's what separates bad cars from good cars. Sure, a lot of auto makers are making imp

skw0123

Actually I can't get over that they didn't ace the small overlap (offset) test. It completely baffles me. This is a NEW model (supposedly) and it followed the RAV4 also flunking this test.

Failure of the small overlap test means (typically) the crash dummy's head misses all the airbags and hits the dashboard, and it can very often mean structural intrusion into the driver side wheel well, potentially resulting in crushing injuries to legs and feet.

Small overlap crashes account for less than 10 percent of frontal crashes, but they are responsible for a big share of accident fatalities.

In 2014 a *new* model that can't pass this test is not a safe car as far as I'm concerned.

agentorange

@skw0123 The small overlap test is not a mandated DoT test, so Toyota and every other manufacturer can invite the IIHS to enjoy some sex and travel whenever the subject comes up.

stovt001_

@camrydriver69: I worked at a Toyota dealer in 2007, the Summer of Endless Recalls except we didn't call them recalls, they were "Warranty Enhancements". I'm not talking about the overblown stuck throttle debacle, I'm talking shot transmissions,

shatner

@shatner - you assume people only look for features in a car in order to impress others. Isn't it possible that some people look for more than mediocrity not because of what others think, but because they want to enjoy themselves? I drive a Miata - that i

kyree_williams

My vote for "Best Compact Sedan" goes to the Cruze, but in the Corolla's defense, I think it has most or all of what matters in this segment. The vast majority of compact-car buyers don't care about the things that car-enthusiasts do, so kudos to Edmunds for regarding this car in that scope. You may scoff when you see someone driving a Corolla, but I'm sure Toyota is laughing all the way to the bank.

ne1butu2

From my non-scientific observation, these are already selling well. During my 150 road trip this weekend, they're already on the roads clogging up the left lane. What is it about Corolla, Prius and Camry drivers that makes their owners enter an expressway, then immediately move into the fast lane?

This is probably the least impressive redesign I've seen in quite a while.

ne1butu2

From my non-scientific observation, these are already selling well. During my 150 road trip this weekend, they're already on the roads clogging up the left lane. What is it about Corolla, Prius and Camry drivers that makes their owners enter an expressway, then immediately move into the fast lane?

This is probably the least impressive redesign I've seen in quite a while.

camrydriver69

I think the difference in price is significant. When we bought our Corolla, we also looked at the Mazda 3, and the Civic and it was enough to make a difference. I disagree with the comment on Toyota not trying - the new one is an improvement in every single way. It's bigger, interior is better in every way, styling is a lot more modern, you have a CVT, a 6 speed manual. The engine is carry-over but I don't see anyone criticizing Honda for doing the same thing. Sure it's not best-in-class, but it's on par with a lot of it's competition, and you make it sound like it's the Jetta 2.0. This Edmunds article also falsely assumes that people buy the Corolla solely on the reputation. The Corolla is a very practical car. The fact that the new Corolla is cheaper and larger than it's competition gives it a big advantage. Not everyone cares about sporty handling - to some people a sporty ride feels harsh and uncomfortable. The new Corolla is a lot more comfortable, and drives like a bigger car than the old one. The review doesn't mention anything about this, and instead Edmunds complains about it's twist-beam rear suspension. Seems like there is some pre-conceived notions to fill.

nanapat2

Picked up a 2014 Corolla LE lease car in 12/2013 car only has 480 miles on it & already problems not only with car but with dealer "again" (nothing new about that with Toyota).. Went to dealer on Thursday 2/20/14 when the check engine light went on & the service manager told me he would 'call' me on Monday 2/24/14 they don't have the part (?) but to drive the car anyway Hmmm... OK sent an email to SE Toyota about both things the car & the dealer so I will do a wait & see..

toyotasucks1

I purchased a brand new Toyota Corolla on 3/31/14 from Cherokee Toyota of Canton, Ga. only to have in break down on 4/2/14 with 189 miles. The check engine light was on, the traction control light was on, the engine idled abnormally high and the engine skipped/cut out going down the road. This made me absolutely sick as my wife had only babied it and no gas had been added since leaving the dealer. I considered it a bad omen and asked the dealer to take the car back. They flatly refused. As for the Toyota customer care number, good luck. They told me the GM is the decision maker and there is nothing they can do. BUYER BEWARE!