Researching the 2014 Toyota Corolla? Milton Ruben Toyota has assembled a grouping of third-party reviews from trusted sites such a s Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, among others, to help you make the most informed car-buying decision possible. Whats Experts Are Saying about the 2014 Toyota Corolla: “This Corolla looks more stylish and contemporary than its frumpy-looking predecessors, and there’s appreciably more stretch-out space inside…. Ride comfort is about as good as you’ll find in a compact sedan, with its suspension absorbing bumps very nicely. We’ve also noticed that wind and road noise are well suppressed. Engine noise can be a bit intrusive when you’re hurrying, but the CVT’s behavior is more refined than that of some competitors' such as the Nissan Sentra or Subaru Impreza. Our car’s trip computer says we’ve been averaging 34 mpg so far, which is very good….At 183-inches long, the Corolla is now one of the largest in the segment. The wheelbase also grew nearly four inches in the redesign. As a result, rear-seat passengers enjoy more space. In fact, the backseat is roomy enough to challenge even some midsized sedans, significantly adding to the car’s viability and appeal…. CR’s take: The newest Corolla is right on target—quiet, roomy, economical, and comfortable-riding—and it’s finally more interesting to look at and to drive. The Corolla also brings pretty good value. We expect it to prove competitive when we rank it against its peers.” ConsumerReports.org _________________________________ “One key improvement this year is fuel economy. Any Corolla you look at will sip less gas than last year thanks to a variety of tweaks and a new continuously variable transmission (CVT), which takes the place of a conventional automatic transmission on some versions. Also, there's a new fuel economy-themed trim level called the LE Eco…achieving an EPA combined rating of 35 mpg along with a highway rating of 42 mpg. Another functional upgrade on the 2014 Corolla is roomier seating. Rear passengers, in particular, enjoy nearly 5 inches more rear legroom, which will also make it easier to fit rear-facing child safety seats…. The company also used higher-quality interior materials and added a few new features, including keyless ignition/entry….The best thing about the new Toyota Corolla is that it never feels as if it's straining to keep up with traffic or unable to deal with the unexpected. In place of inspiring performance, the redesigned Corolla offers unpretentiousness that expresses itself as character, and that coupled with its legendary reputation for reliability should ensure that the latest version of Toyota's compact sedan finds a home in plenty of garages.” Edmunds.com _________________________________ “The most noticeable shakeup with the new Corolla is how it looks – it's rather handsome, even in base trim. Customers told Toyota that the current model "lacked the excitement" they desired, and the new "Iconic Dynamism" design language (first seen on the company's Furia concept) certainly fixes that… Around town, it never feels particularly slow accelerating from a stop, and while the inline-four can feel a bit lifeless during freeway passing, the smooth-acting CVT does a nice job of keeping the revs in the powerband without being overly wheezy. Nissan has some fine CVTs in its stable, but Toyota is to be applauded for its application here in the Corolla. Comparatively, I'd say this car's continuously variable transmission is more refined than what's found in the Sentra…. On the infotainment front, Toyota offers its Entune suite of apps – including optional navigation – housed inside a 6.1-inch touchscreen. Here, too, everything is intuitive and the display is well-organized with modern graphics. It's not as pretty as MyFord Touch, but it's certainly easier to use. That, right there, is what the whole Corolla package comes down to: ease of use.” AutoBlog.com report _________________________________ “The latest tech options have finally been implemented – Bluetooth connectivity, smart key, push-button start, heated front seats, navigation system, and rearview camera – as are three different audio systems, including two versions of Toyota's Entune system with App Suite. This highly customizable infotainment unit should please tech-loving consumers and comes loaded with apps like Pandora, MovieTickets.com, OpenTable, and iHeartRadio as well as informational data services like fuel prices, sports, traffic, and weather. It's not Tesla, but it's full service and solid…. As promised, Toyota did engineer a little more driver enjoyment into the new Corolla. Ride and handling have improved noticeably and overall the ride was softer over the bumpy stuff and feels more composed at speed…. In short, there was never any doubt we were driving a Corolla, but that's a good thing, because there's never been a better time to say that. The 2014 update continues this sedan's decades-long tradition: It's utterly predictable and guaranteed to deliver hundreds of thousands of worry-free miles.” Men’s Journal _________________________________ “A quieter, bigger with better seats, a smoother ride, crisper steering, a “seven-speed” CVT function that's actually preferable to a traditional automatic, and a special fuel-sipper model rated at 42 mpg. It’s all wrapped in styling that merits the use of the word, and it’s packed with the infotainment features modern marketing demands.” CarandDriver.com _________________________________ 2013 Top Safety Pick: 2014 Corolla rated “Good” (the highest rating) in Moderate Overlap Front, Side, Rear and Rollover Tests, as well as “Good” in Roof Strength and Head Restraints & Seats. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety at IIHS.org
