It got us thinking about the AE-86, when we first saw photographs of the eleventh - generation Toyota Corolla. To import hotrodders and drifters, the double - cam, back - drive AE-86 Corollas of the '80s are venerated icons. There is nothing wrong with a great afternoon nap, of course, and the thirty nine plus-million Corollas sold so far have supplied innumerable dependable miles to their owners. But few have been enjoyable.

There is no denying the newest Corolla is really a step up from your present edition that blends into the background so fast as to be darn near invisible. There are nominal fender flares and the layout looks fairly upmarket for the section, if a bit generic. Windtunnel work gave a flatter underbody, the LE Eco and S getting closeout panels underneath for better aero efficiency.

Although width and height stay within an inch of the last gen version's, both the wheelbase and total length are up by 3.9 inches, which is a huge plus for back-seat space. Toyota shifted the rear seat hip point back almost three inches. Slimming while Toyota promises denser pads and foam inserts within the back seats, the front seatbacks added more legroom for those within the 2nd row add comfort. The longer, sleeker shape looks best, of course, on the S version with its 17inch aluminum wheels that provide a suitable position to the-car, not the running on tiptoes conduct of the bottom design with 15inch steel wheels and hubcaps.

Just as anticipated are the choices, from an information / nav display to SofTex faux leather on the seats and heated seats to various sound systems.

A more horizontal form is created by the redesign, where the present Corolla has vertical centre stack and an instrument pod for controls. The new flat one knob - and five - button control panel for the climate - control system does not appear as convenient as the old three knob layout, but nonetheless, it happily avoids the menus of more complex setups in cars. The center stack is decked out with high gloss piano black surfaces, which appear fairly fine when merely cleaned, but not-so long after. Toyota apparently spent significant time quieting the newgen Corolla's inside.

For all the newness in the Corolla (2014), there are holdovers, like the 2ZR - FE double - cam four cylinder, still checking in with 1798 cc of 132 horsepower, displacement, and 128 lb ft of torque. A recognizable workhorse of an engine, it's found in the Corolla L, LE, and S versions---and many other Toyotas. The LE Eco gets the next generation of such powerplant, the 2ZR-FAE, also displacing 1798 cc, but having a higher, 10.6:1 compression ratio and Valvematic instead of the FE's more essential variable valve timing. The difference is the new valve system's capability to vary intake valve time over a wider variety than VVT. Says Toyota, with that comes about a five percent improvement in fuel economy and 8 more hp, but two fewer pound - ft of torque.

Cheers for the S version, which could be ordered with the guide, but could we hear groans over the adaptation of the CVT for LE Eco?, and the S, LE So did Toyota, apparently, which promises to have gone to great pains to, "help produce a driving sense more similar to a conventional hydraulic automatic transmission." The state name is CVTi-S, the i for intelligent, S for Change, and it's also the latter we are interested to analyze. The double-pulley CVT also comes with an Eco mode, but just in the appropriately called LE Eco version. In Eco mode, the accelerator is lazier through the first 50% of its journey, and A/C compressor use is dialed back. A likewise competently designated Sport style in the S version gives the driver manual control of the seven "gears" via steeringwheel-mounted shift paddles. This mode also reduces boost for the electrical power-steering to make it feel more sporty.

There is a MacPherson strut suspension up front and a torsion beam at the rear with all the S variant should you order it with all the wheels getting firmer springs, shocks, and bushings.

No word on pricing yet, but the present range is $17,020--$21,350 nationwide. The only fuel mileage hint was an anticipated forty mpg highway for the LE Eco, but with the aero work and launch of the CVT we guess the closing numbers for all versions will top now's twenty ceven mpg city/thirty four mpg highway. Will the new Corolla's functionality fit its more competitive fashion? We understand it will not be an AE86 successor---that'd be the 10Best-winning Scion FRS---and guess very few Corolla intenders could care less.

New 2014 Toyota Corolla