The current Corolla is available in two versions in the Chinese market, namely the FAW Toyota Corolla and the GAC Toyota Leiling. In terms of powertrain, it is already difficult to buy the 1.6L self-aspirated version, and now there are only two powertrains in the whole series, one is the gasoline version of the 1.2T turbocharged engine (9NR-FTS) with a CVT transmission, and the other is the hybrid version of the 1.8L naturally aspirated engine (8ZR-FXE) with a 53kW electric motor.
Between the gasoline version and the hybrid version, we prefer the hybrid version, not because the gasoline version is not good enough, but because the hybrid version is better in terms of product power. Compared with the gasoline version, the hybrid version does have about 20 horsepower less in the maximum horsepower of the engine, but after being paired with the motor, the power response is almost hysteresis, and the overall driving experience is very smooth and quiet, and the comprehensive fuel consumption can reach 4.9L per 100 kilometers.
The gasoline version of the model is also very comfortable in daily driving, the throttle response is very fast, and the acceleration is generally very linear, but if you follow the car in the congested road, you will find that the power output is a little flustered at the moment of starting, and there will be a slight upward phenomenon, which is slightly inferior to the hybrid version of the model. Although the CVT transmission simulates an 8-speed, it does not have a strong sense of gear while driving, and the overall performance is still smooth.
The suspension of the Corolla is stable and solid, the suspension isolates the cabin from the road surface very well, basically does not retain any road feeling, and you can feel a very thick cushioning feeling after the large and small potholes, and there is a leapfrog performance in the shock absorption ability and the quietness of the cabin, especially the quietness, many medium-sized cars can not do this degree. The Corolla is also not perfect in terms of driving, with a large false steering wheel at low speeds, weak directivity, and a lack of delicate damping, all of which have room for improvement.
The Corolla is not superior to its rivals in terms of body measurements, but Toyota has done a very good job of optimizing the space, and the rear center platform is almost completely flat, which can easily seat three adults. The battery pack of the hybrid model takes up some of the trunk space, and the overall performance is not as good as that of the petrol version, but it is still very square and practical.
The Corolla has a perfect reputation for quality, it is the most durable car in the world, according to the statistical survey of the American "Consumer Reports", even if the Corolla is more than 10 years old, the failure rate is still much lower than most new cars within three years, and there is no common high incidence of failure. Apart from being in a car accident, few Corolla owners have experienced being thrown on the road by a car breaking down. The vast majority of Corollas don't undergo major repairs until they reach the end of life, and if you're planning to wait for your Corolla to "break down and get another car", it's better to dismiss the idea as soon as possible.
The quality of Toyota's hybrid system is also reassuring, with the first-generation Toyota Prius, which was introduced to the U.S. market in 1998 and used as a taxi in some cities, had an average range of about 500,000 miles (800,000 kilometers) in battery failure.
In terms of safety, Corolla has been awarded TSP (Top Safety) for many years in the world's most stringent IIHS test, with the best performance in all crash tests. However, in the new frontal 25% offset collisions added after 2013, the Corolla received only a moderate evaluation, and the collision safety needs to be improved.
In China's C-NCAP crash test, Tianjin FAW Toyota Corolla received a five-star rating in the fourth batch of tests in 2014. With an overall score of 58.4 points, it performed excellently.