Toyota Corolla | Video Review | CarsIreland.ie

Published on 21 March, 2017

An institution on Irish roads.

Overview

Overview

With over 40 million of them sold since its arrival in 1966, the Toyota Corolla is one of the most popular cars ever made. More than fifty years later, they continue to sell in their droves. Granted the “Corolla DNA” has been changed a little bit along the way, like the transition from a rear-wheel drive to a front-wheel drive, and a whole new chassis, but the fundamentals remain the same. The Corolla offers good value, reliable and hassle-free motoring.

Interior Gallery

Space is one of the crucial reasons the Corolla is so good at being what it is. There is plenty of it with enough room to carry five adults comfortably, a relatively large boot and ample storage throughout the cabin. Space in the back is particularly impressive because the floor remains almost completely flat across the centre - meaning even the middle seat passenger gets some leg room.

The cabin has a solid, reassuring feel to it and everything about it feels built to last. The layout has become a lot more stylish over the years with a new infotainment-focused centre console and the addition of some quite premium feeling materials.

The new Touch 2 multimedia system brings it up to date with the market for in-car entertainment and is simple and intuitive to use, even for those not used to fancy touchscreens. On that note, the fact that it still comes with a CD player should please the more old-school Corolla fans who may not have gotten to grips with Spotify just yet (or those of us not quite ready to get rid of our collections).

That comes standard on the top-selling Luna model which also gets 16 inch alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel and air-conditioning.

The mid-spec Aura gets all of that except the Touch 2 system, and while the entry level Terra might look just a little bit sparse in comparison – it gets all the basics and does offer very good value for money coming in at just under €21,000 for what will still be a very comfortable and reliable car.

Safety is another vital element that it has well-covered with seven airbags as standard (including one for the drivers knees) and a full five star NCAP crash test rating.

Engine choice is nice and simple – there's two petrols – a 1.33 VVTi and a 1.6 Valvematic Multidrive, and then the 1.4l D-4D, which given its reputation as a workhorse is generally the most popular choice. It passes the litmus test of a modern diesel with low motor tax of just €190 a year, and great fuel economy with a combined MPG of 74 (which wasn't too far off the mark on our week-long trial, managing a return journey from Dublin to Westport on less than a half a tank).

It's a nice car to drive, it feels assured and easy to handle, and while it still has that unmistakeable Corolla DNA, there is a noticeable improvement on the last two generations – the cabin has gotten quieter, it feels a lot more refined, and the nice light steering and spot on driving position make for an overall very pleasant and comfortable experience behind the wheel.

It's got a bulletproof reputation for reliability and tends to give little trouble once it's treated right with regular servicing.

That, we suppose, is why it is the world's best-selling car – it just doesn't do anything wrong. It's comfortable, safe, good value for money, and thanks to the faith we have in that badge in this country, can hold its value very well come resale time.

Facts & Figures

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives