2014 Toyota Corolla Says 'Hello, World.'
The 2014 Toyota Corolla has finally made a public appearance, and at first brush the redesigned compact sedan appears to have kept many of the styling cues first shown on the concept that appeared at the North American International Auto Show in January. This means that the dowdy appearance of the previous model Corolla has given way to a more striking look that should appeal to younger buyers enticed by competitors like the Hyundai Elantra and the Ford Focus.
Another element that works either for or against the 2014 Toyota Corolla - depending on your perspective - is its size. The sedan has been given a substantial boost in wheelbase, making it one of the largest models in its class. This translates into improved passenger room, but it also pushes the Corolla uncomfortably close to the mid-size segment.
What else does the revised Corolla have in store for buyers? The car now features a choice between four-cylinder engines, which maintain the older model's 1.8-liters of displacement but which make use of newer technology in order to improve horsepower to 140 for the more robust version of the two. A four-speed automatic gearbox lingers on in the base model, but a six-speed manual transmission and a continuously-variable unit join the equipment list as well, improving fuel economy for the car.
There is as-yet no word on the fate of the Toyota Matrix, which is essentially the hatchback version of the Corolla. A 2014 Toyota Corolla hatch - with its sleek new looks - could potentially help reinvigorate the small car's customer base in Canada.