Bland and boring the new Toyota Corolla Sedan definitely no longer is

Pitfalls in the automotive industry are nothing new and while there are always various elements present as to why a certain vehicle could be considered flawed, arguably one of the biggest hurdle is its design.

On more than a few occasions, especially if the vehicle has amassed a reputable reputation, its replacing by an all-new model would result in the phrases, “glad I am not responsible” or “the designer has a hard to act to follow” being used. Although this statement mostly likely applies to each vehicle’s successor, some can be considered real tough acts to follow and if you take history into account, being entrusted with a new generation Toyota Corolla probably rates as the most daunting brief a designer in Toyota City could be tasked with.

The Corolla’s track record is of course well documented over twelve generations and nearly 54 years, but with the debut of that twelve iteration two years ago, the leap has been a quantum one. From a South African standpoint though, the unveiling of the Corolla as a hatch came as something of a challenge as previous generations never carried the fabled badge with Toyota opting instead for monikers such as Conquest, RunX and more recently Auris whilst keeping the Corolla a sedan.

As much as the hatch impressed, it having been part of our long-term fleet last year, the quintessential Corolla will always be a sedan and with the last generation becoming the Quest once again, focus immediately shifted to the all-new sedan. Recently, the chance to find out came two-fold with the arrival of the range-topping 2.0 XR, first in R433 700 CVT form finished in Crimson Metallic and then with the manual gearbox priced at R420 500 and decked-out in Glacier White.

When it comes to styling, adjectives such as ‘dramatic’ or ‘striking’ are seldom, if ever, used in the same sentence as Corolla, but like the hatch, the efforts of Chief Engineer Yoshiki Konishi has been worth it. Simply put, the sedan looks aggressive and eye-catching with utterances such as ‘wow’ and ‘is this a Corolla’ being justified.

At the rear, the sleek appearance continues and while certain elements from the previous generation Avensis, namely the taillights, remain, the sedan has not fallen victim to the age-old design of grafting an awkward looking boot section onto the back of a hatch. With a coupe-esque profile, sporty 18-inch alloy wheels and the gaping gloss black grille, the terms nondescript and anonymous no longer apply.

The same is true of the interior that is both modern and stylish with pride of place going to the swoopy centre facia resplendent with the LCD display for the air-conditioning and the eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system found on the hatch. Being carried over, the system is still not the most impressive and saddled with dated looking graphics in addition to being unable to play more than 255 media items from a USB and lacking satellite navigation, although the inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto does alleviate this.

While a few cheap feeling surfaces prevail, the general fit-and-finish is good with the leather-wrapped steering wheel offering a grippy feel and the premium aspiration heightened by the piano key black detailing silver accents and the easy-to-deduce digital instrument cluster.

The most impressive aspect though is the specification which, in addition to the items mentioned, features keyless entry/go, folding electric mirrors, leather seats with the front chairs being electric, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Auto High Beam LED headlights, rear parking sensors with a reverse camera, Pre-Crash Braking, Blind Spot Monitor, Lane Keep Assist, Hill Start Assist and Lane Tracing.

As with any Corolla, the newcomer’s boot is capacious and measures 470-litres with the rear seats up. Sadly though, matters go downhill in the form of rear passenger headroom as those of taller stature will find themselves becoming structurally integral as a result of the sloping roof, despite legroom being satisfactory.

The back-to-back encounter also highlighted the prowess and downfall of the drivetrain, which marries the new 125kW/200Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine with a six-speed manual or the ten-step DirectShift CVT. Poised to become the popular option from an everyday standpoint, the CVT is typically smooth and without drama when pottering at slow speeds, but, inevitably, becomes loud with an ear-splitting drone as well as a protesting engine note when the revs climb.

Aggravating matters further is the Sport mode which hangs on to each virtual ratio for far too long, while taking manual control via the gear shift paddles results in a delayed, jerking sensation. Having been something of a revelation in the turbocharged hatch, it’s pairing with the free-breathing engine rates as a definite step back.

The opposite is true of the six-speed manual which, apart from being slick, comes equipped with the same throttle blipping iMT system as the Hilux aimed at smoother downshifts. Despite being a Corolla staple and aided by a light clutch, it proved to be fractionally heavier with an indicated best of 7.5 L/100 km versus the CVT’s 7.1 L/100 km.

Riding on the TNGA platform, the ride is comfortable without being soft, while the steering offers decent feedback and despite not being a fireball when compared to the forced assisted hatch, the engine suits the sedan’s relaxed demeanour but tended to run out of poke when the terrain got hilly.

Having set the ball in motion with the hatch and then the Quest, the lack of rear headroom and unspectacular CVT comes as the only unwelcoming flies in the otherwise pleasant jar of ointment that is Toyota’s new Corolla sedan. No longer the butt of any generic jokes, it has managed to move the goal posts in its segment once again, but arguably this time in the biggest way possible.

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