Road Test: 2013 Toyota Corolla LE

Story and photos by John LeBlanc It’s time to say goodbye to the Corolla. And not just the 2013 model, but the Corolla as we’ve known it for decades. As part of Toyota’s overall brand image makeover, the new 11th-generation 2014 Corolla arriving at dealers this fall will attempt to attract the type of customers that have shied away from the Toyota compact sedan for decades; primarily buyers who like to drive, are interested in the latest in comfort and infotainment features and don’t mind a car that doesn’t look like a loaf of white bread. In other words, the polar opposite of the current, 10th generation 2013 Corolla, known more for its solid reliability and good resale value than state-of-the-art engineering or driving thrills. While you'll find dozens of varieties of multigrain or whole wheat bread, grocers still sell plenty of white bread. Similarly, the current front-wheel-drive, five-passenger Corolla sedan remains popular. Although its fallen behind the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra on the sales charts, the Toyota Corolla was the third-best selling new passenger car in Canada for the first six months of 2013. With 21,969 units sold through to the end of June, Corolla sales remained virtually the same as in 2012. Now, I can understand the basic transportation appeal of the base model 2013 Corolla CE, which starts at $15,450. That price is competitive with the starter versions of the Civic and Elantra. However (and as per the case with most media fleet vehicles), my 2013 Corolla LE came loaded with features and options. On top of my LE’s $21,170 MSRP (which includes an automatic transmission, cruise control, power windows and other goodies) a $3,635 Premium Package added a navigation system, leather-wrapped steering wheel, wood grain trim and infotainment features like voice recognition, SIMS text and email-to-speech, satellite radio and hands-free Bluetooth, among other details. With a $1,520 freight and PDI fee, my Corolla LE came in at $26,325. That may be $80 less than a similarly equipped Civic Touring, but the Honda gives you leather seating, more room, better fuel economy and a more upscale driving experience. The inside the 2013 Corolla LE is a great argument to wait for the 2014 model. While the Toyota’s driver’s controls are simple to read and use, every interaction with a button or knob feels like the automaker has pinched the Corolla down to the last penny. The various shades of grey plastics lack any chrome trim to soften the hard edges and the wood grain trim looks particularly fake. And while its 12.3 cubic-feet of trunk space is competitive with the Honda’s 12.5 rating, rear passenger hip room in the Corolla is noticeably tighter. Mechanically, the Corolla LE also lags behind the competition. An aging 1.8-litre four-cylinder gas engine powers all Corollas. It makes a barely competitive 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque, and instead of the six speeds found in the automatic gearboxes of the Honda and Hyundai, the Toyota only gets four. The result is a hit at the fuel pumps. The Corolla LE is rated at 7.8 L/100 km in the city and 5.7 on the highway, not as miserly as the Hyundai Limited’s respective 7.2 and 5.2 numbers, or the even better Civic Touring’s 7.1 and 5.0 estimates. At the unveiling of the forthcoming 2014 Corolla, Toyota officials promised a more fun-to-drive Corolla. As the 2013 Corolla LE is one the least engaging compact sedans to drive, that fix shouldn’t be too hard. The complaints with the 2013 version start with the Corolla’s wheezy four-cylinder. It complains when asked to react to most requests for more power. Then there’s the suspension. It’s as soft as a pillow and not very interested in keeping the sedan under control when pitched into corners. The brake pedal feels soft for the first half of its travel, only biting at the end. Most disappointing for those who like to drive (or even those who simply want to end up where they are pointing their vehicle) is the Corolla LE’s steering feel, or lack thereof. Back in 2009, Toyota introduced electric power steering to the Corolla, mainly to save fuel as the steering pump only engages when called upon. But the result is an unsettling level of unpredictability from the Corolla’s helm. Turn slightly, and the power steering engages quite abruptly. Turn back to the centre position, and there’s virtually no feel. I found myself constantly correcting the Toyota’s steering simply driving down a straight highway — not good. So the 2013 Toyota Corolla LE is a dud if you like to drive, its interior feels about as up to date as a Sony Walkman, and the list of rivals that offer better value is longer than the TransCanada Highway. But for a whole bunch of Canadian compact car buyers, that doesn’t seem to matter. White bread shoppers continue to make the 2013 Corolla a sales success. My only question is: Where will these buyers go when the snazzier-looking, better-driving 2014 Corolla shows up? Road Test: 2013 Toyota Corolla LE Type of vehicle Front-wheel-drive compact sedan Engine 1.8L DOHC four-cylinder Power 132 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 128 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm Transmission Four-speed automatic Brakes Front disc/rear drum with ABS Tires P205/55R16 Price: base/as tested $21,170/$24,805 Destination charge $1,520 Natural Resources Canada fuel economy L/100 km 7.8 city, 5.7 hwy, 7.4 as-tested Standard features 16-inch aluminum alloy wheels, six-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA with steering wheel audio controls and iPod and USB inputs, Bluetooth, 6.1-inch display audio system, power moonroof, fog lamps, air conditioning, heated front seats, multi-information display, six-way adjustable driver's seat, 60/40 split/folding rear seat, cruise control, tilt/telescopic steering

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