All New Toyota Corolla
16 May, 2007
12 Comments 
The all new 2007 Toyota Corolla (ZRE152R) is now here, and Car Advice will spend the the greater part of today covering all aspects of the new Corolla. So lets begin with the basic run down.
The new Corolla marks the tenth reincarnation of the world’s bestselling car. There are more Corollas in the world than any other model, so you can appreciate Toyota’s nervousness with releasing the new model. Although the Corolla has never disappointed, the new shape has completely different bodies and interiors for hatch and sedan models.
Plus, Toyota has upped th anti against the competition and for the first time, all Corollas feature ABS anti-skid brakes with Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution for optimum stopping power in an emergency. This is a feature that should be standard on all new vehicles sold in Australia, along side Electronic Stability Control.
Standard airbags include twin airbags at the front. Unfortunately if you want more safety you have to opt out for the enhanced safety pack which gives additional airbags for the front-seat side, curtain shield and a driver’s knee. The upgrade is available on all model variants. With the safety pack included, the Corolla will have seven SRS airbags, which Toyota is quick to point out is the highest number of available airbags in the vehicle’s class (VFACTS Small less than $40K).
Its obvious the new Corolla hatch is pitched towards the image-conscious younger buyers as well as Corolla’s loyal customer base of those looking for a medium sized reliable car as well as those after a second car for the family.
Meanwhile, the new Corolla sedan was designed to appeal to all those customers who have realized that they no longer need a car as big as the Falcon or Commodore, or even the Toyota Camry. The car is pitched at customers seeking a classic four-door car with excellent fuel economy and reliability.
“There’s now a real focus on style and driving enthusiasm as we inject more passion into the Corolla brand, the new Corolla will be sought-after by existing owners as well as people who have never previously bought or considered a Corolla.
We have a real opportunity with people under 35 who buy around a quarter of all small cars.” Toyota Australia senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said
Toyota are not depending on the Corolla badge to sell this car alone, whilst it definitely helps, the new Corolla (arguably) actually looks good.
“We’re particularly targeting non-owners who rank design and style as their number-one purchase criteria - even above price, engine power and even above fuel efficiency.” Mr Buttner said
There seems to be a growing trend in the motor industry that with every new incarnation, the car needs to get bigger, otherwise buyers will be disappointed. So the new Corolla is longer and wider than its predecessor. The car also comes with a newly developed front and rear suspension systems together with wider tracks to improve ride and handling.
The most exciting news however is the newly developed 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine, which delivers seven per cent more power than the old model (93kW). The new engine is rated at 100kW of power and 175Nm of torque.
Toyota says this is the only engine in its class to adopt continuously variable valve timing on inlet and exhaust ports for better performance and fuel efficiency with lower emissions.
So how many model variants are there for the new Corolla? 13! The two body types, the sedan and hatch are both offered entry-level Ascent and mid-level Conquest grades. The range extends to sporty Levin SX and ZR hatches and a luxury Ultima sedan.
Whilst cars costing nearly twice the price of the Corolla are offered with five-speed manuals (e.g. Subaru Impreza) the all new Corollas (except the auto-only Ultima) offer the choice of six-speed manual transmission or a four-speed electronic automatic. Disappointing as the four-speed auto might sound, the power and torque level of the engine make it impractical to use a five-speed auto.
Fuel economy is 7.4L/100km for combined city and highway, this is similar to the old model, despite the power gain.
The new Corolla features new equipment on all models such as
- tilt-and-telescopic steering column,
- slim front-seat design and a flat rear floor for more space,
- MP3-compatible sound systems.
So you COULD buy a car from Holden’s Korean plant with a low safety rating, or you can buy the new Corolla which has very recently just earned a maximum five-star rating in the latest round of Euro NCAP tests. Australian crash test results have not been released yet, but expect a five-star rating.
Just who will buy this car? The corolla has a 57% loyalty rate, so 57% of those buying the new Corolla will be upgrading from an older model. More details and specifications to follow through out the day.
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May 16th, 2007 at 10:59 am
I dont know why you have spent the time you have writing about this car let alone a greater part of today? Looks like another same old boring five star beefed peice of plastic fantastic from the churn and burn specialist Toyota! Well at least they give blog sites something to write about.. Oh also a question in regards to “The corolla has a 57% loyalty rate” 57% of what ? Just interested is that 57% of 2 billion chinese or 57% of Australians or 57% the 200 people who own a Corolla? Cheers
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May 16th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Wow ! - 100kw !!!
That was what the Corolla had before being detuned due to emissions a few years ago…
You say (about EBD) “This is a feature that should be standard on all new vehicles sold in Australia, along side Electronic Stability Control.” but don’t mention that the Corolla doesn’t have it !!!The airbag count needs to be high - you have a greater chance of having a accident than in other cars with ESP !
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May 16th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I mentioned that the Corolla doesnt have the ESP feature on the safety post - and you are right, it is an essential safety requirement.
I believe its the Corolla’s biggest let down,
currently the articles are going out (they are not copy-pasted) but the opinion will be added after the news has been released.
Give me another 2 hrs :)
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May 16th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Why does “the power and torque level of the engine make it impractical to use a five-speed auto” Is it so different from a 4 speed auto? (maybe it’s the cost!). Well maybe they could use a CVT auto?? A Honda Jazz with a 1.5 VTi engine can be optioned ($2200) with a CVT auto with “7 speed” (might not look fantastic but gee it goes!).
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May 16th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
That was my initial though,
a CVT is a completely different type of system, and it is currently really only available in small cars due to its limitations. (The more expensive CVTs are out an about in Euro spec cars but thats another thing)
The Jazz and the Colt are the two leading cars when it coems to CVT.
I am not sure why Toyota didn’t opt out for a five-speed, they have the technology and the transmission! Perhaps the five-speed will come as a midlife update, otherwise what else could they add??
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May 16th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
And did I mention the Honda Jazz CVT auto is economical - average 6.0 L/100km. Oh, and it goes, with seemless gear changes a CVT auto has no steps and the engine can peek at max torque/power and just go. Otherwise the Corolla looks the part and should do reasonably well.
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May 16th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
208zx - why don’t you buy a dismally 2star rated Holden Barina instead. Tell me, does a Holden Barina, Viva or Epica come with ESP… !! Gee, i wonder.
If you want to get into debates about Toyota’s, Holden’s and Ford’s then lets go moron.
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July 16th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Well seriously writing on Toyota and reading is a total waste of time (my bad) notwithstanding the car is an efficent use of plastic and metal, but as far as the personality is concerned it is nothingh ! literally the car has no personality, u drive the car it takes you from point a to b but when you wanna have fun the car is like wearing a chinese rolex, you know it looks good but it never gives you that kick !
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August 12th, 2007 at 12:49 am
The dated 4-speed auto and beam axle rear suspension are the biggest letdowns of this car. It’s also slower than the previous model having gained a great deal of weight and only managed the same power output despite the introduction of Dual VVTi.
It’s a world seller, but certainly not world-class. It’s not the fantastic car it could have been, but it’s not too late for Toyota to bring in the Sportivo yet again, and oh, a 5-speed auto please!
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January 11th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Well, i don’t know about everybody else, but I’m impressed. Toyota have done a good job performance-wise, technology-wise and safety-wise. i mean, 7 airbags, EBD, brake-assist, what more could you ask for from an australian car? Holden’s barina still has 2 airbags, drums at the back(!!!) and ABS *optional*… so, sure, this new ‘rolla doesn’t have ESP, that’s a bit of a let-down. the 4 speed auto, yeah, that’s a worry too (but hey, driving a manual never broke anybody’s left foot, right? :P) AND let’s not forget that it’s not as chic and luxurious and technical as your euro VW golf or the like, but think long and hard about it, it’s close enough :) 280sx man, wake up to yourself … cheers
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February 20th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Brenno -
The biggest piss-off about the Corolla [Yes you are correct, no ESP and only 4-speed-auto]is NO-ELECTRIC-WINDOWS in the rear???
WTF, even the cheaper Yaris has electric-windows in the rear.
A update is coming in August, *maybe* something will be done then.
The i30 is a nice jigger, but unproven long term with resale etc, and not much cheaper
Cheers
F-0
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May 2nd, 2008 at 8:07 pm
My partner & I went to Northern Queensland late last year & hired the earlier model Corolla which we drove to Brisbane. We drove it through some of the worst roads in Queensland & were so impressed, when stopping @ Bunderberg, we wanted to purchase a new Corolla to drive back to Sydney. We could not do that as Bunderberg Toyota could not find one we wanted so we ordered it & flew back a month latter to pick it up.
My elderst daughter has a new VW Jeta which I was very impressed with. However, the Corolla Ultima is a car you can literally throw anything at and comes back for more. I can drive long distances & feel totally comfortable. You really notice it when driving on outback roads, the body is so tight, unlike most cars I have driven.
Yes, I think particularly the Ultima should have a bigger engine & feel Toyota has made a mistake here. However, I might be one of the lucky ones but God help any Commodore or Mazda 626 which wants to drag me off the lights. They eat dust.
ps I have already clocked up 8000klms & have not had to take my Corolla to the Dealership for anything. 208ZX drivers eat your heart out.
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