Toyota Corolla 2015 News

A constellation of five stars has been bestowed on the new Toyota Corolla sedan, Subaru's new pocket-rocket WRX and Peugeot's 5008 people mover. The Australasian New Car Assessment Program ranking adds to a growing list of more than 250 five-star new-car choices.But the 5008 wears its cluster despite scoring a "marginal" pedestrian impact result. The seven-seat family wagon, released here late last year, was scored using Euro NCAP results. Last year, ANCAP's minimum pedestrian impact requirement for a five-star rank was "marginal"; it has since been increased to "good."The wagon scored an overall mark of 36.41/37 using 2013 European results, with a safety features list that includes dual front, front-side and curtain airbags (through all three rows), with anti-lock brakes, stability control among the features.The crash test report said the passenger compartment held its shape and all doors remained closed during the crash test but that "after the crash the driver's door could be opened with high manual effort".Following belatedly in the tracks of its hatchback sibling, the Corolla sedan scored 34.88 out of 37. ANCAP praises it for "good structural protection and offers a reversing camera as standard," as well as dual front, driver's knee, front-side and curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control.Whiplash protection was ranked good but pedestrian protection scored only an acceptable ranking during the tests, which showed "the passenger compartment held its shape well in the frontal offset test" and that "all doors remained closed during the crash and after the crash all doors could be opened with normal effort."Subaru kept its range's five-star status intact with its new WRX performance sedan, which trumped the Toyota with better pedestrian protection. The WRX is among only a handful of cars that rank as "good" for pedestrian protection (the 2014 minimum for a five-star result is "acceptable").Subaru has fitted the new WRX with dual front, front-side, curtain and driver's knee airbag, as well as anti-lock brakes and stability control - the sedan scored well during impact testing, retaining door function and passenger cell integrity for an overall score of 35.85 out of 37.ANCAP chairman Lauchlan McIntosh calls for yet higher levels of standard safety kit. "Unfortunately none of the models in today's release is equipped with autonomous emergency braking - an important safety feature that is now common on popular vehicles in Europe and the US," he says. 

ANCAP has announced that the new Toyota Corolla sedan, Peugeot 5008 people mover and the soon-to-be launched Subaru WRX performance sedan have all earned its top five star safety rating.The recently-launched 2014 Corolla sedan matches the five star rating of its hatch counterpart, earned after its arrival in October 2012.Whilst qualifying for five stars, the Corolla sedan’s 34.88/37 overall score didn’t quite match the hatch’s 35.25, but ANCAP praised its good structural protection and range-wide standard reversing camera.The seven-seat Peugeot 5008’s rating comes 10 months after its arrival on the Australian market, and its performance across all tests earned it a 36.41 overall score.ANCAP noted the 5008’s standard reversing camera, advanced seatbelt reminders for all occupants, and head-protecting curtain airbags that cover all three rows of seating.    The upcoming Subaru WRX matched the five star rating of its Impreza basis, but the performance model’s 35.85 overall score trumped the Impreza’s 35.33 earned shortly before its arrival in February 2012.ANCAP described the WRX’s driver protection in the side impact crash test and head protection in the side pole test as good, while driver and passenger chest and leg protection in the frontal offset crash test were deemed acceptable.The independent vehicle safety advocate also praised the WRX’s attention to pedestrian protection, being one of the few current models to achieve the top ‘Good’ ranking, where only ‘Acceptable’ is required to achieve five stars overall."In recent years we've seen manufacturers achieve vastly improved results with the majority of major brands now building to 5 star standards. What we want to see now is manufacturers which strive beyond the requirements - offering even higher levels of structural and active safety to consumers," ANCAP Chairman, Lauchlan McIntosh says.“Unfortunately none of the models in today's release are equipped with autonomous emergency braking - an important safety feature that is now common on popular vehicles in Europe and the USA.”This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

The world's favourite car is better than it was, but still has a few flaws. The starting sticker, though, is a winner. "I'd rather spend five years in the i30 than three years in the Corolla,'' Paul Pottinger said at the COTY judging. And the cabin reflects a totally different design approach. It's still Toyota efficient, but it breaks away from the blandness with the potential for some personalisation. Visibility is great, despite a slightly pinched view through the rear window, but the real delight comes in the new driving position. Toyota has finally recognised that people don't like to sit with their hair brushing the roof or jammed up against the dash, which means you can sit back in comfort and also enjoy front seats that are nicely shaped and padding that's just right. The steering is light, the car is easy to park and even thought the boot is no bigger it is easier to load. It's also good to find. Full sized spare in the starting price car. So, how does it drive? It's very, very good for a Corolla, and good for a Japanese car. But I've just been spoiled by Golf 7. The Corolla gets along nicely enough, promises great fuel economy and is pretty quiet on all but the worst surfaces. But it doesn't have the limo-like cushiness or the library-quiet cabin of the Volkswagen. Now we come to the gearbox... And I have to say that CVTs are about as popular as brussel sprouts with the Carsguide crew. But Toyota's engineers have added bearnaise sauce with a system that almost -- but not quite --eliminates the horrible flaring and slipping clutch sound while also giving a seven-speed drivers mode that's not as bad as a fake manual. The overall impression is a car that's more complete, and returns the Corolla to the top of the small car heap. Toyota Corolla Ascent auto Price: from $21,990 Engine: 1.8-litre 16-valve four-cylinder Transmission: CVT (with seven-speed “manual” mode), front wheel drive Power: 103kW @ 6400rpm Torque: 173Nm @ 4000rpm Fuel use/emissions: 6.6 l/100km, tank 50 litres 91RON ULP; 152g/km Brakes/safety systems: Driver and front passenger airbags, front seat side, driver’s knee and curtain airbags, stability control (Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Traction Control). Dimensions: Length 4275mm, width 1760mm, height 1460mm, wheelbase 2600mm, cargo volume 280 litres, weight 1270kg Wheels/tyres: 16in steel wheels Win $5,000 in our People's Choice competition.  

Every day driving habits can make or break the budget when it comes to daily driving. A list of tips to improve your fuel economy is something the rally ace believes can benefit drivers young and old. Fuel economy has been an interest of the retired 55-year-old rally driver, even before it was used as a competitive advantage. "I've always been interested in fuel economy, even at university purely from the necessity of getting 50mpg out of my Mini, and in my rally career as well," he says. The multiple production-car champ recently got behind the wheel of Hyundai's new i20 in Sydney and aimed for Brisbane - a 936km trip - on one 45-litre tank of fuel, but the quest saw the bright lights of Bundaberg in the windscreen instead. The final trip distance was 1269km, using on average 4.2 litres per 100km, with the only real concession to hard-core economy driving being no air conditioning. But the Adelaide rally ace believes there are simple things that every driver can do to improve fuel economy, without freezing or frying, before they turn the key. "If you want to save fuel, the over-riding one is choosing when to use your car - the actual number of times people don't combine the journies is important. For example, make sure you don't drop the kids at school, go home and then come back to the shops, minimise the use of the car, thinking about what you do with your car every day." Mr Ordynski also believes car choice is important but drivers also need to learn the best way to drive their chosen vehicle. "No matter what vehicle you choose, learn how to drive it efficiently, take the time to learn a bit about your car. If you really want to drive efficiently, learn where its optimium performance bad is," he says. The motorsport veteran firmly believes a well-driven manual vehicle is far more efficient than either a conventional automatic or the increasingly-common double-clutch automated manual. "We're a country besotted with automatics, but there is no auto or DSG that's better for fuel economy if the driver knows how to use it (a manual gearbox) properly," he says. A small amount of research to find where the optimum operating range for your vehicle can be beneficial, says Mr Ordynski. "If you look at a graph of the torque you can work out the most efficient operating range. It doesn't effect the speed of driving at all, one of the most common things I see people doing incorrectly, the number one thing is operate the engine outside the most fuel-efficient band," he says. Australia's national vehicle fleet average is 11 litres per 100km, that's petrol-powered vehicles, if you could cut that in half by choice of vehicle and driving technique, that means big savings in cost, fuel and CO2 emissions." Drivers should also be focussed on the job of driving - for safety's sake as well as fuel economy. "One of the things about driving for efficiency is that it forces you to think about it and look ahead, I think it makes you concentrate on what you're doing, which is something I think the average motorist doesn't do. Every time you use the brakes it costs you fuel - rolling off throttle and conserving momentum coming up to traffic lights and things like that," he says. WHO IS ED ORDYNSKI? A stalwart of the Australian motorsport scene for more than three decades, rally driver Ed Ordynski, 55, has been successful in a wide array of motorsport-related activities, conducting product launches, writing for magazines and training competitors and actors both here and overseas. He has also served as Chairman of the Australian Rally Commission and Manager of Motorsports Training Australia. The Ordynski name is probably most closely linked to the Mitsubishi brand, having driven a Galant VR-4 to top spot in the 1990 Australian Rally Championship, which included the Group N production car title that year and continuing a long and successful relationship until his retirement in 2005. The Group N category title was on his mantle three more times - 1993, 1994, 1995 - all in Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions. Ordynski has also spent time in big, rear-wheel drive Holden Commodores, winning the 1995 Round Australia Trial. He has competed in China, Sweden, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Ed's record-winning eight Group N 1st placings in Rally Australia, in the World Rally Championship, is unmatched. ED ORDYNSKI'S TOP 5 FRUGAL AND FUN CARS ED ORDYNSKI'S FUEL-SAVING TIPS Plan when you need to use your car to avoid unnecessary journies and peak-hour. Take a little time to learn about the way your car operates for best fuel efficiency. Choose an energy efficient vehicle. Concentrate on driving smoothly and anticipate traffic flow to conserve momentum. Keep tyre pressures at maximum recommended level and have your car serviced at correct intervals and keep wheel alignment at manufacturer specification. Avoid carrying excess weight and remove accessories which affect the aerodynamics (eg. roof racks). Choose a manual transmission and learn to drive it properly for optimum fuel efficiency. Avoid use of airconditioning and keep windows closed. Do not use cruise control but do focus on keeping a constant speed and conserving momentum (eg. gradually reduce speed up long hills). Switch off engine if going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds. Drive off as soon as the engine is started, especially from a cold start. With diesel engines, minimise throttle percentage, using the tallest gear with the least throttle opening. With petrol engines, minimise engine revs, regardless of throttle position, using the tallest gear the engine will allow without harshness. If you must drive an automatic, learn how to encourage it to stay in tall gears with the torque converter locked as much as possible. Steer smoothly on the correct line through corners to avoid using energy from unnecessary angle on the front wheels. GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE The Green Vehicle Guide provides an overall rating for all new cars sold in Australia based on their combined greenhouse rating and air pollution rating. The top ten overall performers and top ten sellers are based on the best performing variant for the listed model. Variants with different engines and transmissions may have lower scores. DRIVING TIPS Drive smoothly - aggressive driving can increase fuel use by up to 30 per cent, so avoid hard accelerating or braking and look ahead to read traffic flow to conserve momentum. Maintenance - a well-maintained engine can improve fuel economy by up to four per cent. Change the oil regularly, check the air filter and follow the car manufacturer's recommendation on servicing. Check the air pressure in your car's tyres - quite apart from being safer and improving longevity, a properly-inflated tyre can help with fuel use. A tyre under-inflated by one psi (pound per square inch) can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as three per cent. Get the weight out - some research suggests for every extra 45kg carried, there's a two per cent reduction in fuel efficiency. Remove roof racks or roof bars - the reduction in your car's aerodynamic efficiency can hinder fuel economy by as much as five per cent. Avoid high speeds - increased speed equals increasing wind resistance, with some research suggesting cruising at 110km/h uses up to 25 per cent more fuel than cruising at 90km/h. TOP PERFORMERS *  TOP SELLERS * * Source: Green Vehicle Guide - for more information, visit www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au.