Release of Toyota Corolla 2017 Review

Release of Toyota Corolla 2017 Review

  Adaptive cruise control lets the Corolla automatically match speeds with slower traffic ahead, slowing it below its set speed. However, this system only works between 25 and 110 mph, according to Toyota, so you will need to take over in a traffic jam. When I turned on the lane-keeping system, the car sounded a warning tone when I got the tires too close to a lane line, and actively pulled the wheel if I didn't, preventing it from going off the road. That system also cuts out at lower speeds, but it might save drivers who doze off on the highway.

Standard on higher Corolla trims and available on all but the base model, Toyota offers a 7-inch touchscreen head unit it calls Entune Audio Plus with Connected Navigation. With this system, "Connected Navigation" means loading the free Scout GPS Link app, for Android or iOS, on your smartphone, then connecting it to the car. Although I did not have the chance to try it out during this drive event, I've had good experiences with Scout navigation in the past, so this should be a good navigation solution.

Release of Toyota

Given the 2017 Corolla represents a midcycle refresh, Toyota restyled the front a bit, but the drivetrain carries over from the previous model year. That means a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine making 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a continuously variable transmission or, as in the SE model I drove, a six-speed manual. Expect fuel economy to range between the Corolla's 28 mpg city and 32 mpg highway numbers, with a 2 mpg drop for the manual transmission.

The base model, the 2017 Corolla L, comes in at only $18,500, impressive when you consider the high-tech safety features. In top trim as the Corolla XSE, the base price only comes to $22,680. Although the competition looks strong, these prices and standard features give Toyota a value leader position.