Super TestCar reviews - Toyota - Corolla - rangeToyota modelsOverviewToyota’s 10th Corolla chases youth and premium small-car buyers as well as loyalists18 May 2007 By CHRIS HARRIS THE best Corolla ever? Barring 1986’s wonderful Twin Cam version, as well as the seismic impact of the 1967 1100 original, the 10th generation 150 series sees Toyota getting deadly serious about toppling the Volkswagen Golf in Europe, so you'd better believe it. But we’re really only talking about half of the range here, because the latest Corolla is really the story of two distinct vehicles, as well as Toyota’s plan to dislodge the Holden Commodore as Australia’s best-selling car. Model release date: 1 May 2007 to 1 September 2012 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelTHE previous Corolla shared its front-wheel drive platform with the last Celica sportscar and 2000 RAV4 II SUV, so it felt as light in weight as it was to drive. Available in a very Euro-centric five-door hatch, pleasant four-door sedan and boxy four-door wagon, the 120 series Corolla was a fast, smooth and economical small-car proposition, powered in Australia by a 100kW/171Nm 1.8-litre twin-cam VVT-i four-cylinder engine (down-rated to 93kW/161Nm to meet 2006 emissions legislation) and mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. Aided by keen marketing and spiralling fuel prices, the 120 series became increasingly popular as it aged, even though refinement, space and dynamic levels started to trail the opposition. There was also a 141kW/180Nm 1.8-litre Sportivo hatch with a six-speed manual. Some of the Corollas were built in South Africa as well as Japan. |
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