Toyota Corolla 2015 review

If you were leading a marathon at the 35km mark, you’d hardly start to skip sideways to stem the boredom, would you? 

The Toyota Corolla sedan adheres to a similar formula. If you’ve been winning at what you do for decades, why not keep doing it?

So, the small sedan is hardly the most exciting or stylish model on the market, but together with other Corolla bodystyles, it’s led the small car segment for most of the past two decades and even topped the Australian sales charts overall for the past two years. 

Design

The current Corolla sedan is more distinct than ever from the five-door hatchback version, with a longer body and completely distinct styling. 

The sedan’s interior is a more appealing place to be than Corollas of the past, and while the materials aren’t quite up to the semi-luxury level of the Mazda 3, they do feel as hardwearing as the Corolla’s reputation for durability suggests.

The back seat is a highlight, with an extra 10cm over the hatch’s wheelbase to give it almost as much legroom as a Camry.

The boot will hold an equally impressive 470 litres, which expands via a 60/40 split fold, and there’s a full size spare under the floor.

Value

The $25,240 SX tested here sits in the middle of the sedan lineup, above the Ascent and below the ZR. SX standard features include a 6.1 inch multimedia screen with embedded apps and a reversing camera, proximity keys, front foglights, extra chrome trim and 16-inch alloys.

Engine / Transmissions

Like all current Corollas, the SX sedan comes with a 103kW/173Nm 1.8-litre petrol engine, and ours was paired with the optional CVT automatic transmission. 

You can also get a six speed manual for $2250 less, which is the more refined option if you don’t mind changing your own gears, but it uses nearly half a litre more petrol per hundred on the combined cycle.

Driving

The Corolla's CVT auto does tend to buzz under acceleration, but extra noise insulation makes it quieter than in the hatch.

A wide spread of ratios makes it quite nimble off the mark however, and helps the auto achieve a reasonably fuel efficient 6.6L/100km combined.

The 1.8-litre Corolla can’t quite match the performance of the 2.0-litre in the Mazda 3 for similar money, but it does the job for general duties, and will cruise on the highway all day long.

The sedan’s 35cm of extra length does make it less nimble around corners than the hatch, and a less direct steering setup requires more input when cornering. 

However, the extra wheelbase does help create a smoother ride, and the whole package feels more mature than the smaller hatch. 

Safety

All Corollas carry a maximum five star ANCAP safety rating, with dual front, side, driver’s knee and full-length curtain airbags, and the SX sedan comes with front and rear parking sensors.