2014 Toyota Corolla Takes Some Risks With Redesign

Edmunds.com

Read the full story here

kyolml

those wheel gaps are sure the new design features?

rbsrt

Wow Toyota really did it this time. The front looks like a cross between a Hyundai and a VW. the back looks like it was stolen of an older Honda Civic. Way to go if you can't beat them just mash up ideas from three different cars, ha.

mani_o_

I was thinking about getting a new Camry this year. But how am I going to do that with people in Corolla's lookin better than me! Every other Toyota now looks like at least they are trying, but not the Camry. The front looks like a mini Avalon. I like it.

corollamike

Have to say that this new generation reminds me of my wife's 2009 Ford Focus. In terms of overall shape, this 2014 Corolla looks--to me--as a refreshed version of her car. I am quite disappointed.

fortstring

^Doesn't look anything like that year Focus. Check out pictures on Toyota's website. These photos don't seem to be very good. Looks a lot better than before.

dfelix70

Like the RAV4 update, this is a good update considering the previous model, but the design already looks dated. Since it uses elements that have already been used for years by other brands/models, it doesn't come off as fresh. And the interior, again, like the RAV4, has taken a step backwards in design. It looks like it belongs in a car from the 80s.

agentorange

The front looks a bit like a Saturn Ion with a Mazda 3 lower jaw. Further back I see some Kia Forte in the window shapes and the back is mostly Civic with some more Ion thrown in. The wheelarch gap police are going to have kittens if the US production cars look like these pictures. That ride height looks just like the way Ladas were delivered in the UK, still sporting their Russian cart track suspension settings. This must be a market test model as carrying over that old 1.8 motor is a bad joke.

bayoujay1

That 132 hp engine is getting pretty long in the tooth, no? And the way those tires (don't) fill out the wheel wells reminds me of the current Versa sedan. At least this Corolla looks lightyears better than the one currently sold in Japan. That one is just sad....

robertfahey

So now the Avalon, Corolla and Camry are much closer in size than before. Seems a threat to Camry sales. Not to mention the Camry folk who migrate to new RAV. And then the Prius line. Hmmm. Makes me wonder how long the Camry will hold onto its annual sales crown.

darda71

OMG more hideous than before.. the side view looks like something from the 80's and whats up with Toyotas new dash layouts? not very flowing.. I am sure this will be recalled soon enough.

nsbio1

I do not believe the design will make any difference in sales. Corolla will still outsell anything else in its class even if they put a turd into every new car: most people do not consider any choices other than the Corolls when car shopping. The only item that will make a huge difference is the badge.

financeman2

I think the new design is refreshing...and more appealing than the outgoing model or even the Camry. I am surprised engine technology has not been updated however. 4 speed auto transmission....sounds like something from 10 years ago.

emajor

There are sharper cars in the segment, but the exterior is not bad. The dash is continuing Toyota's current design theme, which can be a bit jarring but is at least distinctive. Here's the show stopper for me: carryover 132 hp engine with 4 speed auto, or you can upgrade (!) to a CVT. One, two, three strikes right there. You're out. I don't care what you did with the interior or if you can squeeze 40 mpg out of this thing. If you attach 2 soul-sucking automatics to a weak old engine, I'm not buying it. Only the Jetta S makes less horsepower, and you can at least get 6 gears with that one.

wdrauch

Nobody does ugly better than Toyota! But the legions that make the current blandtastic Corolla a top seller won't care....

frank908

It's an economy car, thank God it looks like an economy car. That's the way it used to be and it was whole hella vo lot cooler to just be what it is instead of what it is not. You want a sideshow? get a Hyundai; you want smoke blown up ya butt? buy a Focus; you want an automotive mishap? buy the Civic; you want basic reliable decent looking transportation that's not trying set the world ablaze? buy a Corolla.

hank39

Like LED DRLs, this wave of black-accented rims is killing me. Seems like EVERY company has that now. Is it really that good looking? I don't get it.

fandsw

Wow, and I'm the one who usually hates cars that are slammed to the ground, but this has got to be the first 4x4 Corolla in existence. That ride height is WAY too high!

nukedetroit

It matters not one whit what all the little pro-Detroit apologists have to say about this car. The voice of the consumer is all that matters, and in that metric Toyota will continue to dominate this class.

But yeah, if you don't like it, by all means drive your Daewoo Cruzes and Fiat Darts.

gloss

This is an improvement, but I suppose it doesn't take much.

I do like the brighter color palette, though.

txreasonable

The very old 4 speed automatic is back again. This redesign is just lipstick on a pig. Really sad!

bankerdanny

Toyota hasn't built a Corolla that I would consider since the 1980's GT-S models and this one won't break the 25+ year long streak. But they have sold millions of Corollas without me and I would bet that there are plenty of senior citizens looking for a reliable compact that will buy this one too.

duck87

Speaking strictly from a specs standpoint, Toyota revised everything (except for the base model's powertrain combination... yikes), and it should ride and handle a heck of a lot better compared to the current car. I think the rear room and improved interior will mean more to consumers than the outside, but it's a pretty nice design- nothing overwrought. I'm not sure what's up with the fender flares. But overall, let's be real: The Corolla doesn't need a ton of updates to continue to be #1 in sales, and I don't think this generation will be otherwise different in that regard.

guano

I like this. Especially the interior. For Toyota, this is a risk. Now, fix the steering feel that you killed in 2008. What I really want from you is a wagon version to replace my aging Vibe. Make it the sport model. I have no interest in sedans. The beauty of the Vibe/Matrix was it was useful, attractive, sporty to drive and oh yeah, had absolute rock solid reliabilty for 200k miles plus. You don't need to make it a seperate model. Just a "Corolla Sport Wagon."

msminkck1

UGLY, UGLY, UGLY.

jederino

Better to look at inside and out, so kudos for trying!

stovt001_

So it has the drivetrain of the old car matched with a previous-gen Focus body, with front fenders that look like they took a hefty hit to a pole. Sadly, it will still sell like crazy here because Americans have awful taste in cars.

jbrown08

Now this is the Corolla I would drive ! great job Toyota!!!! All I heard was standard LED Headlights and that was the kicker, but the design is above mazda3 and Hyundai Elantra. Lets hope they deliver on steering, that numb steering is something I can't live with.

etanretla

the corolla basically evolved into a civic

hondabenz2

The new interior is really nice, but as far as style goes, that's the only thing that stands out. The Furia, which was the teaser of the new Carolla looked somewhat the same, but the confirmed version, shown above, is way uglier. Toyota needs to fix this in the midcycle refresh.

fortstring

A lot of people here are really biased against the Toyota Corolla based on preconceived stereotypes and are jumping the gun. Nobody even knows how she handles yet, and yet there are already people judging, calling it a "turd," a "lipstick on a pig," or whatever clichés their poor imagination can come up with. Toyota will still sell a ton of these and make bank while these people keep mindlessly whining. Under Akio Toyoda's earnest rehaul of the brand, it might even handle better and be fun to drive. SMH @ haters who just want to hate regardless of what Toyota does. But keep commenting, it's free advertising for Toyota.

fortstring

Some people call it bland, even when the design is a huge step up from the previous generation and is more interesting than a handful of current gen compact cars (Cruze, Jetta, for instance). And that style interior is touted/praised in Euro sedans but suddenly when it's found in a Toyota, it's bagged on? Image/badge-driven double standards much?

darthbimmer

Toyota carries over the underpowered 132hp engine and 4-speed automatic transmission? Those specs are 10 years out of date. Sure, Toyota will continue to sell a lot of Corollas because a lot of people out there don't care how the car handles. They buy because of the sterling reputation for reliability Toyota has built over the past 45 years. Too bad Toyota is resting on its laurels.

6shooter

College students and young professionals drive Toyotas just as much as "grandmas," which is the most inaccurate misconception out there propagated by interweb netizens, self-proclaimed "enthusiasts" who are, on many occasions, not even old enough to drive or afford the cars they glorify. Some professionals rely on cars to take them to their jobs and internships and would rather not take a (list historically unreliable make here) into the shop for a $1200 repair. Does that make them boring or old? Hell no. It's not the several customers who are mindless, it's the contrarian bashers who have a limited scope of reality.

fortstring

A flat underbelly to help with aerodynamics & LED headlights? Does anyone NOT see the innovation in this? These are firsts for compacts, let alone any car under 20k. Do wish that they did away with the 4 speed and just offered the six speed manual and the CVT w 7 simulated gears. Someone also mentioned on perhaps this or the Forbes forum, but that Toyota can attain 40mpg without direct injection and with an old engine is remarkable and shows their ability to engineer.

shatner

This car is still so much nicer and feature laden than the cars around when I got out of high school. Hell, this is quicker than some of big block V8 pigs of the 80's.
Toyota knows that not everyone wants to pay 27k for an entry level car like a loaded Cruze, and this will last much longer too.

arrdub

Brilliant - increasing the wheelbase and rear legroom - I don't think the Focus competes in this area, having prioritized handling and drivability. When I was getting my first car, economy and ROOM were first. Baffling - having a base model with LED low beams and a 4-speed automatic. I would gladly trade the LEDs for even a 5-speed, much less a 6 or CVT.

dhope

I'm sorry...but can you say UGLY?!!!!! Toyota has completely lost it's way when it comes to car design!! This 2014 Corolla is the worst looking yet!!!

camrydriver69

I love the redesign. It's much better than the model it replaces.

I would have liked to see a drivetrain update myself. The current engine may seem dated but in terms of power (132 hp) is not that far off from other 1.8Ls (138 hp - Cruze, 140 hp - Civic).

There may be cars with more powerful engines, aggressive styling, more features, but let's see in 10 years how their reliability and resale values compare to this Corolla.

I wouldn't judge people based on the kind of car they drive. Some people do not want lost money, lost time, and productivity due to car repairs. People may have other priorities in life. If you don't respect that, and you call the most reliable cars "crap", I think that's really shallow.

rogern1967

Me think Toyota needs to hire a designer.

fortstring

Edmunds fails to report that the eco model, in addition to mpg, actually boosts hp to 140, so it's pretty much on par with the Civic.

mrbacon

Oh...

engineer_mba

The Toyota Corolla has always been a sturdy, reliable, fuel efficient economy car that I greatly respect. My mom owned one when I was growing up and I have driven several of them as rental cars. With that said, I have never really been a fan. When I drove this car, there was never enough leg room for the driver. I am over six feet tall and when I moved the driver's seat as far back as it would go and adjusted the steering wheel , my legs still seemed to be "scrunched up" underneath the steering wheel and dashboard. This car always seemed to be designed for women and small men. For this reason, I have preferred the Honda Civic in this market segment because the driver's seat has much more travel with better room for tall people (I have probably driven a half dozen Civics as loaners or rentals). I hope that Toyota improved the driver's leg room this time around.

jimmd

Did I read that right? A 132 hp 1.8L with a 4 speed automatic?! That sounds horrible.

It seems Toyota has not been putting much effort into their drivetrains lately. All these redesigns, but the engines and transmissions seem largely the same. Not sure if it is residual effects of the earthquake that has slowed them down, but it is disappointing. Or, maybe they are putting the majority of their efforts into hybrids and internal combustion alternatives.

ks55

4 spd automatic when most are 6spd's and a carry over engine at 132hp aint ah gunna cut it Toyo ta.........bring it out with a 6spd auto and about 150hp

windsor5

On a sunny may afternoon a doge dart married a chevy cruze.

the two read their nuptuals an shortly there after this monstrosity of blah was born. a freak of nature it tried its hardest to be both "stylish" and "conservative" simultaneously thus it became an outcast and the townsfolk screamed BURN IT BURN IT

bobnc3

Don't need another oversized, over gadgeted car.

I'm glad I bought my Corolla before it got a new image.

themandarin

I think we can all agree this is the worst car ever made

jeffinoh

Okay. So I had a 93 Corolla (Geo Prism actually) and a 2003 Corolla which now has 250,000 miles. Both had class-leading style and features when new. So I'm thrilled with this new Corolla. The freshened one of the last few years was so dreary looking. Great update! I actually prefer the looks of the cheaper versions so I won't feel cheated on looks.

john326

darda71, AGREE COMPLETELY. Looks like a Kia - doesn't know what it wants to be. the current version is much more good looking than the new one! What were they thinking?

ne1butu2

In so many ways, this isn't very good.