Next Gen Corolla Makes Its Presence and Pricing Known in Australia

[xcel]

An all new_CVT, new exterior, new interior, chassis tuning and a lower price. We are talking about the new hatch, not the same sedan as last year.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - Oct. 27, 2012

Australia Toyota Corolla Hatch - $19,990 AUS to start and a 35.6 mpgUS combined rating on the Australian Test Cycles when equipped with the CVT. No Hybrid or turbo diesel however

The all-new 11th generation of the world's best-selling car is said to have received performance gains with more power and better on-road dynamics while also increasing fuel economy all the while using essentially the same 1.8L engine they have been using for over a decade.

In addition, the entry price for the new Corolla hatch has been reduced by $1,000 to just $19,990 AUS. This is the lowest retail price automobile in the entire Australian C-segment.

Drivetrain

Australian Corolla Hatches are fitted with a revised 1.8L I4 that develops 138 HP vs. the previous gen’s 134 HP.

A new seven-speed MultiDrive S-CVT transmission provides improved Fuel Economy by more than 10 percent which when it arrives here, should see an EPA combined rating of at least 33 mpgUS combined and maybe as high as 38 mpgUS? The Sedan should be a little lighter and more aerodyanmic so we may even see a 40 mpgUS highway rating when all is said and done.

Exterior

New Corolla displays the new more confident face of Toyota with a low, sloping hood, lower overall height and a more streamlined appearance.

2013 Australian Toyota Corolla Exterior



2013 Australian Toyota Corolla Interior

Inside is where the news is. A new interior that appears to consist of much higher quality materials actually looks to provide a much improved and premium feel. There is also more knee room for rear passengers, a longer cargo floor and increased luggage capacity.

Ride and Handling

The hatch’s aerodynamic improvement (Cd = .30), lower weight and chassis tuning have contributed to what Toyota states is “improved” handling characteristics. We’ll have to drive the US variant whenever it is finally released to see how the ride turns out as the current gen is awfully rolly polly for a C-segment competitor here in the states.

Corolla's MacPherson strut front suspension has been revised while front and rear springs and shock absorbers have been fine-tuned for ride comfort, improved stability and excellent steering response.

The electric power steering is said to be more direct providing greater response with better feedback and greater agility.

A lighter yet more rigid body shell and revised suspension, steering and seating position are said to offer a more comfortable and engaging drive. Again we’ll have to see and if its anything like the rest of the Toyota lineup, it should be a vast improvement.

Safety

On the safety front, every Corolla comes with seven airbags, vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-skid brakes, six-speaker audio, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, A/C and seatbelt warning alarm for all five seats. It has already earned five-stars on the Australian NCAP crash tests.

Pricing

While pricing here will be vastly different than the Australian models due to currency and local content changes, the Ascent Sports price was reduced by $1,500 and for Levin SX by $1,100 despite the addition of extra equipment. Levin models now have 17-inch alloy wheels.

Option pricing does have a direct correlation as to what we may see here. Namely the MultiDrive S-CVT is a $2,000 AUS option. The Skyview panoramic roof is a $1,500 AUS option and only available on the highest trim. Metallic paint adds $425 AUS. The Australian Dollar is only 3% higher than the USD at this point in time.

Top-of-the-range Corolla Levin ZR maintains its price even though it gains HID headlamps with adaptive front lighting and an automatic high beam. It also has the option of a new Skyview panoramic roof.

Early Conclusions

What I am most concerned with is that the Corolla team rested on its countless decades of reliability and sales laurels. Toyota is making big money again and it should be placed back into their product with the vast array of drivetrains in its arsenal being made available. In Australia, Diesels are by far the most fuel efficient offerings and with the new Hyundai i30 offering not only a hyper efficient 1.6L Turbo diesel and 1.8L MPFI engine we are familiar with here in the US. The i30 also provides more room, more style, better interior appointments and even more amenities for a better price when similarly equipped. Toyota should have taken not only the i30 into account but just about every C-segment offering that is provided with a vastly more fuel efficient diesel drivetrain provision.

Australian Fuel Costs – A Case Study

Gasoline was averaging $5.96 per gallon last week with Diesel a touch over $6.10 per gallon down under. The i30’s 1.6L turbo diesel provides a 52.3 mpgUS combined rating ($11,663 AUS in fuel over 100,000 miles) on the Australian* test cycles and has an approximately $2,500 AUS upcharge over the 1.8L by comparison to the Corolla’s 35.6 mpgUS combined ($16,741 AUS in fuel over 100,000 miles). Which makes more sense over 100,000 miles? It costs approximately $2,500 more up front for a turbo diesel and that driver will save almost $5,100 AUS in fuel over the first 100,000 miles in the process. We also know the turbo diesels blast their test cycle averages to bits. Gasoline engines on the other hand are a bit less of a guarantee.

With the case study pointed out above, should Toyota at least have offered a hybrid drivetrain or their very efficient European D4-D turbo diesel in the Australian 11th gen Corolla? This could come back to bite them.

* ADR81/02 Australian Design Rule 81/02.

[WriConsult]

Wow, $20k is an amazing price for a C-segment 5-door in Australia. Even my Elantra Touring, known there as the i30cw, costs more than that IIRC. Remember that for practical purposes 5-door Corolla = Matrix. A car that would have been at the top of my shopping list last year if the pricing had been more competitive. If I'd been able to get a Matrix for a price anywhere near my Touring's I probably would have jumped on it.

Of course the i30cw is available in Australia with a diesel (why, oh why can't I get that car here?) and the Corolla isn't. So there's that.

[PaleMelanesian]

What makes you prefer the Matrix to your Touring?

[WriConsult]

Fuel economy. I like my Touring a lot, and it has considerably more cargo space than most hatchbacks, but the Matrix is big enough.

Also, Hyundai's reliability appears to be decent but not up to Toyota levels.

More minor differences: the Matrix does have the advantage of a rear window that opens separately from the hatch, much like on larger SUVs, which makes loading groceries or providing ventilation for your dog easier. Then again, it has the disadvantages of a slippery plastic cargo floor, to which I would have to glue down carpet to make it acceptable. I believe it also lacks rear-seat heat vents, a really odd omission in a car with more than 3 doors. I don't know if I've ever owned a car -- including 4 Civics -- that didn't have that feature.

[PaleMelanesian]

Thanks. I'm starting to shop more seriously for cars and those two are high on my list. The Mazda3 Skyactiv and Elantra GT are also, but right now they're only available new.

[WriConsult]

If I were shopping new today, I'd be mightily torn between the Mz3 Skyactiv hatch and the GT, although since those are up in the $18-19k range I'd be pretty close to the break point of just going for a Prius Liftback, since the fuel savings help offset the higher price. At $18-19k I might also consider the Impreza, which isn't great by the new standard at 25/33 but is better than I have now and might be best for both maintenance and resale cost.

I'd probably also look at the Accent hatch, since it's cheaper than the GT and on the big side for its class, not much smaller in cargo area than the GT. And if it weren't for the IMA battery problems the Insight would also be high on my list, and possibly at the very top.

Used-wise, I'd have to consider the Matrix simply because it's so widely available. The dash mounted shifter on the one MT sample I drove had a really clunky sound and feel to it, but I'd probably learn to live with it and its other minor foibles. About the only other used hatches that would really work for me in terms of cost and reliability would be a 2004-2006 Elantra hatch (pretty rare in the market these days), the Versa hatch or maybe a Mazda3. The 3 appears to have proven reliable, but of course the 5-door came only with the 2.5 and is pretty thirsty, and pre-2010 models didn't score well for side impact, especially rear side impact which matters for the kiddos. The Versa is mediocre but not horrible for mpg (26/31) and IMO is a very underrated car. It's handling isn't the firmest, but it has a really tight turning radius that makes it fun to drive in tight urban settings, and it's much quieter on the road than most cars in its class. We've rented Versa in both hatch and sedan form on family vacations, and always enjoyed it quite a lot more than the Foci that we usually got otherwise. Downside of the Versa is the cargo area is smaller than the other 5-doors we've considered: we had to fold down one side of the rear seat just to get our pullman suitcase to fit.

Of course what I'd REALLY want for daily driving is the Prius c, but it would be too small for the family roadtrips.

[PaleMelanesian]

Thanks again.

Unfortunately, with three kids, the Fit and Accent are out of the question. They're a good bit narrower than the larger class. And again, with three kids, folding part of the seat for more cargo isn't an option. It has to be big enough with the seat up.

Mileage vs the Prius is an interesting question. I'm considering MY mileage and a prius doesn't offer me much over a good stickshift econo-car. Even an Insight-1 wouldn't save me much fuel over what I have now.

The thing that makes me lean toward the Mazda is that it's such a great car to drive. Finally they offer good mileage to go along with it. Still only 60k powertrain warranty.

I'm seeing El-Tou's and Matrices at 50,000 miles for $12k, which sounds good to me compared to 19 for the new GT or M3.

[WriConsult]

Oh, that's better than I realized. Yes, $12k for 50k miles could be a better deal than $19k for something new. Not so great compared to the $15.5k I paid for my ET, but new car prices sure have been rising lately.

I should add that there are a couple of Elantra Tourings still on our local dealer lots, and I've seen one advertised for $16k. I also saw a GT advertised last week for $17k, which is really excellent.

[PaleMelanesian]

We don't usually see deals like that around here. If it's good enough, I might be willing to travel for a new car. (not used, want to inspect and test drive those)

[xcel]

Hi Andrew:

If considering used in a year or two, the SKYACTIV 3 or GT should fall further than the Prius which makes them more affordable up front. It is really tough to beat a Prius' resale and cargo cap however.

As you have already surmised, the GT and 3 will probably achieve better fuel economy than the Prius on your commute using your techniques. And will be a lot more enjoyable and fun to drive too!

Wayne