TOYOTA Corolla 2020

Body, cabin and cargo space

The 2020 Toyota Corolla adopts a new platform but maintains the same overall proportions as its predecessor, including wheelbase. There is a 2 cm reduction in height, but all interior measurements are practically identical to those of the 2019 model, at least on paper.

What the numbers do not indicate is that the more sloping roofline hampers rear access. Our tall testers also found the ceiling to be too low. On the other hand, they appreciated that the engineers pushed back the dead pedal and added more scope to the telescoping steering wheel; the driving position is much more natural than before. All things considered, passenger space still ranks on the good side of average for the segment.

Front-seat comfort did not win overall acclaim: some of our testers thought the seats were too soft and short, while others appreciated their good lateral hold. The power feature provides more personalized seating but it is restricted to higher trims (XLE, XSE and Hybrid with Premium package).

As on most recent Toyotas, the dashboard displays a variety of angles, protuberances and materials. Soft-touch surfaces offset the impression of lightness of materials, such as the shiny leatherette seat trim.

The complicated styling makes it difficult to access certain controls; the seat heater controls, for example, are placed far under the centre stack. Worse still, the touch screen proves hard to read and a hindrance to visibility; it is high perched, too close to the occupants and not angled towards the driver. A logical interface and physical buttons offset these inconveniences somewhat, as does the integration of Apple CarPlay. For the time being, Android Auto is conspicuous by its absence.

Other highlights

Rear seats: low, short-cushioned bench with poor thigh support. Inadequate padding. 60/40‑split seatbacks form a considerable angle with the trunk floor when folded. Centre folding armrest standard on all but L model. Outboard seat heaters restricted to XLE, XSE and Hybrid with Premium package.

Cargo space: average volume for the segment. Opening is relatively high but narrow because of the lid shape.

Instruments: 17.8 cm (7 in.) digital display on XLE, XSE and Hybrid models is colourful but a bit cluttered; includes speed, trip computer and driving assistance functions. Other models have traditional dials and a 10.7 cm (4.2 in.) trip computer display.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist
• Brake override
• Stability and traction control
• Front airbags
• Driver and front-passenger knee airbag
• Passenger under-seat airbag (to prevent submarining in a front collision)
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Pretensioners for front seatbelts
• Five adjustable head restraints
• Whiplash prevention (front seatbacks)
• Rearview camera
• Forward collision warning
• Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Lane departure warning with steering assist
• Automatic high beams
• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind spot monitoring (non-available on L models; standard on the others)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 5 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick

Visibility

Generally good, thanks to size and relatively horizontal sill of side windows. Front extremities hard to judge because of very plunging hood. Crisp rearview camera display. Faultless side view mirrors and blind-spot monitoring.

Lighting: LED projectors rated only 2/4 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety because of inadequate lighting, especially on the driver’s side. High-beams significantly improve the lighted distance; automatic high beams function well.

Mechanical overview

The redesigned Toyota Corolla introduces a number of new mechanical features, belying Toyota’s usual conservatism. So much the better!

The more rigid TNGA (for Toyota New Global Architecture) platform is paired with a new, multilink independent rear suspension, in a genuine effort to improve road comportment.

Changes abound as well in the drivetrain department. SE and XSE models finally get a boost in power to support their sportier appearance. Their 2.0-litre four cylinder develops 169 horsepower, 30 more than the base engine. Maximum torque is higher, too, though it is attained at higher RPMs.

The 2.0-litre is offered with two exclusive transmissions. The continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) features an actual first gear for more direct starts. Steering wheel paddles add up to nine simulated gearshifts, for a total of ten. The six-speed manual on the SE model features rev-match downshifting (it can be de-activated to enjoy the fun of heel and toe downshifting).

That covers the dynamic options. On the green side of things, and for the first time, the Corolla can get the Toyota Prius’s hybrid engine. The combined 121 horsepower is not very impressive, but the immediate torque delivery of the small electric motor compensates for the relative weakness of the 1.8-litre Atkinson cycle four cylinder engine.

Between the “green” and “sporty” Corollas, even the no-nonsense L, LE and XLE models get an update. They are equipped with the engine used on the Eco models of the last few years, with variable valve lift based on power demand. The result is a gain of 7 horsepower compared to the same versions in 2019, and a 5-percent reduction in fuel consumption. This engine comes with a CVT transmission, with a manual transmission still available on the base L model, for a $1,800 savings.

Other highlights

Fuel economy: we measured 7.4 L/100 km with a Corolla XSE with the 2.0-litre engine, or 10 percent above the official city/highway rating for this model. Strangely, this rating is inferior to that of the 1.8-litre engine, which is much less powerful. Coming as no surprise, the hybrid takes first prize for frugality, with a combined rating of 4.5 L/100 km.

Natural Resources Canada estimates an annual savings of nearly $700 with the hybrid, compared to the gasoline-engine LE; it would take five years to offset the approximately $3,500 extra cost of the hybrid, including taxes.

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

Like the other models that have migrated onto the TNGA structure—Camry, C‑HR and Prius, among other—the 2020 Corolla is much more settled on the road than the outgoing generation.

For starters, it is more incisive in turns, with less body lean than before. The steering finally avoids the excessive lightness that has plagued small Toyotas for so long. It even transmits an idea of how the front wheels relate to the pavement, a small revolution for a Corolla. The car feels stable at highway speed, with good resistance to side winds.

The suspension isolates the cabin relatively well when the pavement gets rough. It is firmer than before, but the improvement in terms of road holding more than compensates the slight decrease in comfort. The multilink rear suspension setup certainly explains some of this new-found balance.

The 18-in. tires on our test model no doubt explain the rest, but we will have to drive an LE equipped with 16-inchers to see. One thing is sure; the larger tires also highlight the inadequate soundproofing at highway speed. All our test drivers noted the excessive road noise, which is even more surprising since the tires on our test car were made by Michelin, a company renowned for the quietness of its products.

Fortunately, engine noise proves to be relatively subdued, for a four cylinder. The engine works efficiently with the CVT transmission: acceleration is lively and linear, with ample passing power, and transmission response is immediate. All of this adds life to the driving experience.

Other highlights

Braking: stable and powerful, with no notable fading after a few panic stops. The firm pedal feels reassuring at first, but that firmness masks a lack of initial bite.

Driver assistance: adaptive cruise control is efficient and relatively progressive, but very conservative; it begins to reduce speed far too early when you are overtaking, so that you have to change lanes long in advance to maintain your speed. The lane departure warning often intervenes prematurely.