Toyota is undergoing a little bit of an identity shift lately.
For years, the Japanese giant was happy being the master of stable, reliable cars — even if its models weren’t known for their personality. However, from the concept sports car it debuted at NAIAS 2014 in Detroit to the models on the floor in Toronto, it’s clear Toyota wants to snag a little bit of attitude back again.
As spotted at CIAS 2014, the new Corolla S takes the smaller of Toyota’s sedans and adds a little spark to give the driver some entertainment when he or she needs some adrenaline.
I’ve stated this before, and no one came forth to call me out on it, so we’re going with it again: Since the Corolla name debuted in 1966, Toyota claims they’ve sold one every 40 seconds. That’s more than 30 million Corolla’s on history’s roads, making it the most popular car in history.
The Corolla was surpassed in sales in recent years by the popularity of another Toyota make — the Camry, which has been the best selling car in the U.S. for almost a decade.
Starting at around $19,000, the Corolla S four door sedan comes standard with 16 inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, front and rear underbody spoilers and AM/FM/CD. True to the S (Sport) in its name, the Corolla includes a five speed manual transmission, 1.8 liter four cylinder engine (serving up 140 horsepower), ABS, electric power steering, power moon roof and power doors.
The result is a car that’s quick and nimble enough to maneuver through city traffic, with adequate speed for freeway driving.
Now, if you hit the S or Sport Mode, the suspension tightens up and the engine sucks up fuel a little faster — increasing acceleration. I test drove the Corolla S with that Sport Mode button pressed plenty, and that extra speed and tighter handling came in handy when I wanted to extricate myself from traffic snags – Highway Patrol be damned.
The interior in the old Corolla felt a little flimsy in places, but as improved tech and controls trickle down through the Toyota line, this new S version offered a six inch touchscreen display and all the in-dash tools of modern driving.
Though it’s not really a sports car (just a commuter sedan with an occasional tendency to charge), the 2014 Corolla S does hint at where Toyota is going from CIAS 2014 forward. The automaker wants to see a little more life in their cars — to put a little more life in us.
