The Toyota Corolla gets little respect from most car reviewers. It’s a soulless appliance, they’ll tell you; where’s the excitement and flair? But the Corolla is now in its 11th generation. It’s been on the market nonstop for almost half a century and ranks as the world’s best-selling small sedan.
When l first saw the Corolla’s latest model shiningly gliding down Samora Machel Avenue in Harare last year, it was a breathtaking moment for me since it was my first time landing my sight on the graciously, well cut exterior of the vehicle.
Toyota seems to know more than it gets credit for about its customers and their taste in cars, and the 2016 Corolla has proved to be yet another crowd-pleasing choice. Your first experience with the vehicle will tell you that a lot of digital artistry was crafted to make this latest edition a top notch seater.
The head control interior of the Toyota Corolla Sedan 2016
Many of the current Corolla’s strengths can be found inside. The overall design is fresh and brings a stylish edge to the traditionally staid small sedan class. The interface for the infotainment system is easy to use thanks to clear displays and well-placed controls. l personally, also like the Corolla’s rear seat that provides more legroom than many mid-size sedans. Add the Corolla’s laudable crash-test scores, high fuel economy and exceptionally high resale value and you have all the ingredients for a car that pleases more than it dismays.
The Breathtaking Features:
The 2016 Toyota Corolla is a five-passenger compact sedan available in four main trim levels: L, LE, LE Eco and S. All but the L are further offered in Plus and Premium sub-trims. There’s also a limited-production S Special Edition that slots in between the S Plus and Premium models.
Standard features on the base L model include 15-inch steel wheels, LED low-beam headlights with halogen high beams, LED running lights, powered accessories, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel with auxiliary controls, a six-way adjustable driver seat and four-way front passenger seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, Bluetooth connectivity and an Entune audio system with 6.1-inch touchscreen, voice controls, six speakers, a CD player, a USB port, an auxiliary audio jack and, for iPhone users, the Siri Eyes Free voice control system.
The LE adds 16-inch steel wheels, heated mirrors, variable intermittent wipers, key-less entry, metallic cabin accents, cruise control, automatic climate control and a rearview camera. It is eligible for the Entune Plus audio system option, which adds satellite and HD radio and the Scout GPS Link app that displays smartphone navigation on the Corolla’s central touchscreen.
The passenger interior of the Toyota Corolla 2016
The Performance From A Test Drive:
The 2016 Toyota Corolla is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that comes in two versions. On every trim level except the LE Eco, it produces 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. The LE Eco’s engine is a more efficient version with Toyota’s Valvematic variable value timing and also makes a little more power, checking in at 140 hp and 126 lb-ft of torque.
The base Corolla L comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, offering a four-speed automatic as an option. The other trims feature a continuously variable transmission (CVT), although the S Plus can also be ordered with the six-speed manual.
All 2016 Toyota Corollas come standard with stability and traction control and antilock brakes with brake assist. Also standard are front side airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag and a passenger seat cushion airbag. A rearview camera is standard on all trims except the L. Missing, however, are some of the latest accident avoidance features that are increasingly common for small sedans, such as blind-spot monitoring.
The Battle For Relevance Continues……………!!
