With all the pomp and circumstance gives a brisk-selling Toyota Camry and the Prius nameplate, it is easy to forget that the brand’s all-time sales champ is the humble Corolla. Since its introduction in 1966, more than 32 million Corollas have made their way in the world, surpassing Ford F-Series trucks (30 million since 1948) and venerable Volkswagen Golf (25 million since 1974).
- Corolla
The secret of success of the Corolla is a relatively simple cocktail of reliability and frugality, which will continue for the 2012 model year passenger car as the four-door, wait a real adjustment in 2013 to help prevent contenders Honda Civic and Mazda 3. With prices ranging from $ 15,900 to $ 18,600 (manual 5-speed automatic model for S), all Corollas in the same package of 1. 8 liters, 132 horsepower four-cylinder engine is good for 26/34 mpg city / highway for the four-speed automatic and 28/35 mpg for the five-speed manual. While the base price and mileage figures are likely to play well with a nation still struggling with high unemployment and fuel prices. There is also good news for people who build the Toyota Corolla has dusted naphtha plant of the company in Tupelo, Mississippi, and recently began taking job applications for positions in a line devoted largely to put out unconditional model.
“It may seem a basic car, but packs a lot of features that you really do not mind, but I certainly appreciate,” said Luis Duran, sales manager at Toyota Marin, north of San Francisco, where the rules of the Prius with a conscience organic chicken, but Corolla runs a close second to those looking for a gas-sipping, passenger car with no problems. “There will be a vehicle with lots of bells and whistles, but certainly full of safety features.”
Perhaps key among them are new to the Smart Stop Corolla, comes from the unintended acceleration problem debacle of the company, which eventually showed that users of error and not vehicle. The feature automatically reduces engine power in a case where the driver is braking, but without realizing it has kept the pressure on the accelerator pedal.
Smart Stop complements a series of other security features high-tech low-budget car, including brake assist (keeps pressure on the brakes for a stop difficult, even if the driver begins to lift a bit) and strength electronic brake distribution (which factors in the weight balance of the car inside to put pressure on each wheel). If you have the money to spring for the Corolla S, which is rewarded with a machine that is further reduced slightly as a Camry, with its pointed nose, side skirts, rear trunk chrome strip and optional 16-inch alloy wheels . Inside, notable improvements include a sport steering wheel S, horizontal cut at the bottom like something out of a Ferrari 599, with extra padding at 10 and 2. There are now commands integrated entertainment system on the steering wheel, which also operate a new factory Bluetooth system with voice control. Addicted to appreciate music portable USB port that can be added to the board.
But the only thing I do not usually see in any Corolla is a leather interior, but is offered as an option for nearly $ 2,000.
“When you’re looking at a car that is characterized by being accessible, which is not normally something people are interested in adding” says Duran.
It’s hard to argue with the strategy of Toyota upholstery, when they have sold tens of millions of these babies. The next version of the Corolla also may come with some more upmarket touches, but above all look for the Japanese automaker to keep things simple with success.