Styling: The 2012 Toyota Corolla will be a visual repeat of the 2011 Corolla, carrying over the modestly reshaped nose and tail that were part of the car’s midcycle freshening. Toyota didn’t tamper with this car’s basic shape or size, so the 2012 Corolla will remain essentially the same sedan introduced for model-year 2009 to launch Corolla’s 10th design generation.
The core of the 2012 Corolla lineup is likely to return the three-model roster born of the model-year 2011 reshuffling. Entry-level Base, volume-selling LE, and sporty-looking S versions should return. Styling distinctions between the Base and LE come down to details such as outside mirrors that are body colored on the LE and black on the Base model, and availability of alloy wheels on the LE. The 2012 Corolla S model should continue its impersonation of the departed XRS, with sporty-looking body spoilers, aero add-ons, and standard 16-inch alloys. Mechanical: The 2012 Toyota Corolla could experience some powertrain updates if Toyota responds to competitive pressure from newer rivals that boast 40-mpg highway fuel-economy ratings. Without more advanced transmissions and other changes, the 2012 Corolla’s likely to rated a best 28/35 mpg – and that’s with the seldom-ordered manual transmission.
Resurrection of a sporty XRS model could also alter the 2012 Corolla’s powertrain picture by reintroducing a higher-horsepower engine, though the low demand that helped kill the XRS for model-year 2011 doesn’t seem ready to reverse itself.
That points to a return of one four-cylinder engine for all three 2012 Corolla models, a 1.8-liter rated at 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. Once squarely in the ballpark, those figures are now below par for Corolla’s competitive set, where rivals such as the Elantra and 2012 Focus will offer base four-cylinder engines with around 150 horsepower, and advanced direct fuel-injection, to boot.
The new crop of top compacts will also come at Corolla with sophisticated six-speed automatic transmissions; in Ford’s case, a six-speed twin-clutch automatic. Unless Toyota updates the 2011 Corolla powertrain, its compact will again be saddled with a four-speed automatic transmission that’s archaic by comparison. In transmissions, the greater the number of gear ratios, the more efficiently the transmission extracts the engine’s power and the better chance of optimizing fuel economy. Automatic transmission will likely remain standard on the 2012 Corolla LE model and an option in place of a five-speed manual on the Base and S versions. Even here, Corolla seems to lag; the manual in top rivals has six speeds.
Little reason to suspect Toyota would significantly revamp Corolla’s suspension. It’ll certainly remain tuned for ride comfort at the expense of sporty handling. Even the 2012 S model, which looks like the departed XRS but doesn’t benefit from that model’s satisfyingly tauter suspension tuning and 17-inch tires, will float over bumps and noseplow when rushed through a corner.
The 2012 Toyota Corolla will retain front-wheel drive, which places the weight of the engine on the tires that propel the car. That translates to good wet-surface traction and, by grouping powertrain components in the nose, results in efficient packaging.
Features: The 2012 Corolla will continue to offer most of the features germane to the cost-conscious compact-car owner. Competitors, however, are increasingly emphasizing the sort of cutting-edge driver-aid and infotainment technology that Toyota has thus far reserved for its larger, more expensive cars.
That’ll please buyers loyal to Corolla’s conservative character. It won’t help Toyota attract shoppers intrigued by bold new alternatives like the 2012 Ford Focus, 2012 Honda Civic, and 2011 Hyundai Elantra. Each will be fully redesigned and clawing for a chunk of Corolla’s market share. By comparison, the 2012 Corolla is likely to seem tired in appearance and a little outdated dimensionally.
Its exterior size will remain smack in the middle of the compact-car field. But Corolla’s 102.4-inch wheelbase will feel increasingly stingy as newer models stretch that key dimension. Wheelbase is the distance between the front and rear axles. It basically determines a vehicle’s passenger space. Corolla is already a bit pinched for rear-seat space versus leaders in its competitive set. That deficit could grow as roomier rivals hit the streets. Some competitors will offer more than one body style, too. The 2012 Corolla will continue exclusively as a four-door sedan. A wagon version of the Corolla is marketed as the Toyota Matrix, however; it shares the sedan’s chassis, but has a tall roof and is available with all-wheel drive.
The core of the 2012 Corolla lineup is likely to return the three-model roster born of the model-year 2011 reshuffling. Entry-level Base, volume-selling LE, and sporty-looking S versions should return. Styling distinctions between the Base and LE come down to details such as outside mirrors that are body colored on the LE and black on the Base model, and availability of alloy wheels on the LE. The 2012 Corolla S model should continue its impersonation of the departed XRS, with sporty-looking body spoilers, aero add-ons, and standard 16-inch alloys. Resurrection of a sporty XRS model could also alter the 2012 Corolla’s powertrain picture by reintroducing a higher-horsepower engine, though the low demand that helped kill the XRS for model-year 2011 doesn’t seem ready to reverse itself.
That points to a return of one four-cylinder engine for all three 2012 Corolla models, a 1.8-liter rated at 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. Once squarely in the ballpark, those figures are now below par for Corolla’s competitive set, where rivals such as the Elantra and 2012 Focus will offer base four-cylinder engines with around 150 horsepower, and advanced direct fuel-injection, to boot.
The new crop of top compacts will also come at Corolla with sophisticated six-speed automatic transmissions; in Ford’s case, a six-speed twin-clutch automatic. Unless Toyota updates the 2011 Corolla powertrain, its compact will again be saddled with a four-speed automatic transmission that’s archaic by comparison. In transmissions, the greater the number of gear ratios, the more efficiently the transmission extracts the engine’s power and the better chance of optimizing fuel economy. Automatic transmission will likely remain standard on the 2012 Corolla LE model and an option in place of a five-speed manual on the Base and S versions. Even here, Corolla seems to lag; the manual in top rivals has six speeds.
Little reason to suspect Toyota would significantly revamp Corolla’s suspension. It’ll certainly remain tuned for ride comfort at the expense of sporty handling. Even the 2012 S model, which looks like the departed XRS but doesn’t benefit from that model’s satisfyingly tauter suspension tuning and 17-inch tires, will float over bumps and noseplow when rushed through a corner.
The 2012 Toyota Corolla will retain front-wheel drive, which places the weight of the engine on the tires that propel the car. That translates to good wet-surface traction and, by grouping powertrain components in the nose, results in efficient packaging.
Features: The 2012 Corolla will continue to offer most of the features germane to the cost-conscious compact-car owner. Competitors, however, are increasingly emphasizing the sort of cutting-edge driver-aid and infotainment technology that Toyota has thus far reserved for its larger, more expensive cars.
To remain viable for a certain segment of buyer, the 2012 Corolla would need to offer at minimum modern essentials such as a navigation system; thankfully, it finally added an USB iPod interface and Bluetooth mobile-phone connectivity for model-year 2011. Still, shoppers drawn to new-age amenities like pushbutton ignition, lane-departure warning, and self-parking – all available in some 2012 Corolla competitors -- will have to wait until 2014 to see if Toyota’s compact offers them.
On the upside, standard on every 2012 Corolla will be basic niceties such as air conditioning, height adjustable driver’s seat, a tilt/telescope steering wheel, power mirrors, and split-folding rear seatback. And all 2012 Corollas also are again likely to come with handy instrument-cluster readouts for outside temperature, average and instant fuel economy, average speed, and distance traveled.
Base-model Corolla buyers will likely again be compelled to pay extra for power windows and locks. And features such as cruise control, power moonroof, and remote keyless entry are likely to continue as the province of upper-line Corolla models as options or standard features.
Toyota could reconsider some of this features strategy for the 2012 Corolla, but it probably won’t restore the optional leather upholstery deleted for model-year 2011.
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