Test Drive: New Corolla adds dash of adventure
Saturday, September 14, 2013
The new 2013 Toyota Corolla features sleek new body lines.
Staff photo by Mark KennedyFAST FACTSModel: 2014 Corolla LEExterior color: Slate MetallicInterior color: Light grayEngine: 1.8 liter, four-cylinderHorsepower: 132Transmission: Continuously variableFuel economy: 38 mpg highway, 29 mpg cityDealer: Capital ToyotaPrice (as tested): $19,623
Earlier this year, total sales of the Toyota Corolla (introduced in 1966) topped 40 million worldwide. So how do you re-design one of the world's best-selling cars? Very carefully.
Still, Toyota has chosen to make a bold statement with its new 2014 Corolla, adding a dash of design flair to a car that has heretofore thrived mainly on its reputation for bullet-proof reliability.
Buy a college freshman a new Corolla and you've set him or her up in basic transportation for a decade or more. Now, with Corolla's sexy new sheet metal, your Millennial might even be excited about the deal.
Last week we test drove a Slate Metallic Corolla from Capital Toyota, which includes the incentive of a 1.9 percent, 60-month factory loan term for qualified buyers.