New Toyota Corolla Six-Speed Manual
May 16, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
Toyota has taken a giant leap in the right direction. The new Corolla range has come into the modern age with a six-speed Toyota C66 manual transmission, overtaking the current five-speed manual transmission.
The six-speed gearbox puts it ahead of its rivals such as the Mazda3, Ford Focus, Subaru Impreza as well as the Nissan Tiida and some European rivals.
Toyota says the gear ratios were chosen to optimise performance while providing a fuel-saving top-gear ratio. The new six speed transmission (named C66) comes with the following gear rations:
- first, 3.166;
- second, 1.904;
- third, 1.310;
- fourth, 0.969;
- fifth, 0.815;
- sixth, 0.725
- reverse, 3.250.
It is matched to a 4.529:1 final drive ratio.
Similar to other six-speed manuals, a pull-type collar system is in place to prevent drivers from accidentally engaging reverse gear.
Toyota have worked hard on the new six-speed box, with the clutch supporting a new clutch plate structure to enhance wear resistance and reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Toyota says (in keeping with their green image) that the new clutch-facing material was designed with the environment in mind.
So what about the automatic? Whilst it is still a four-speed, it has come a long way. The Corolla’s electronically controlled U341E Super ECT automatic transmission has some interesting features. For example the system has the ability to ‘read‘ hills, reducing the number of upshifts under acceleration uphill, and optimising engine braking when travelling downhill.
The U341 transmission has ratios of:
- first, 2.847;
- second, 1.552;
- third, 1.000;
- fourth, 0.700
- reverse, 2.343.
It is matched to a 4.237:1 final drive ratio.
The six speed manual will be a huge selling point for the new Corolla range, it is a positive step in the right direction. However it would have made sense to bring out the Corolla with a five-speed auto, one has to wonder whether or not the 1.8L engine would have struggled with a five-speed?
Find more information on the 2007 Toyota Corolla.
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I think you will find the (rather ordinary) Nissan Tiida has a 6 speed manual also.
I would see “Toyota [taking] a giant leap in the right direction” by introducing a 6 speed auto. An extra gear on the manual isnt exactly a “giant leap”, as Toyota have stated that in five to ten years time they will no longer make manual cars due to a decline in popularity. So the next Corolla, may only be fitted with an autobox.
Well, that’s kinda true, ‘cuz all the old people want automatics…and everyone’s getting old… lol…but the young people want to have some fun as well…so I think Toyota’s still keeping them in mind…
A dated 4-speed is simply unacceptable. Having gained weight and its engine only managing the same power as the old one, the auto should even be slower. The gears of the ZZE112 auto I drove felt so tall I could notice the big difference from its responsive manual brother (we rented them both before). Surely, the new car will disappoint even more.
The Civic has a 5-speed auto, and being far from perfect, the Corolla could have trounced on this car by matching the offer. Yes, it may cost more to buy a 5-speed Corolla auto, but better performance and economy will certainly pay off the extra gear later on.
Not so sure about the ratio spread with the manual gearbox.It just seems to be the old 5-speed with another ratio added on, couldn’t you just go straight from 4-to-6 most of the time, therefore making 5th basically redundant.
super c66 tran mission,
cool corolla ever
What on earth would make you think it would struggle with a 5 speed auto?? it just selects the right gear at the right time (that is what an auto does), infact it is less likely to struggle as it has less space between ratios and so can select a more appropriate one, and struggle less.
i have a 2009 6 speed but might as well be a 5 speed as first gear is useless would of been better as a five speed