The Toyota Corolla needs no introduction. Thanks its rock-solid reliability, excellent fuel economy and top-notch safety features, it is an immensely popular sedan in the United States. Although it now faces stifling competition from the likes of Honda Civic, Chevrolet Cruze, and the Ford Focus, the 2018 Toyota Corolla maintains its stronghold in the segment.
What's New for 2018
The Corolla received an exhaustive update last year, so Toyota has kept things low-key for 2018. The mechanics and the design remain unchanged and while there are some modifications to the feature-list, the adjustments are negligible.
Choosing Your Toyota Corolla
The Corolla is sold with two engine options. The most widely available is a 1.8-liter unit that produces 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. A CVT-transmission is standard on all the trims, sending the power to the front wheels. In its thriftiest form, this engine returns 28 miles per gallon in the city, 36 highway, and 32 mpg combined.
The other engine is also a 1.8-liter unit paired to a CVT transmission, but it churns out 140 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque, while returning an impressive fuel economy of 30 miles per gallon in city, 40 highway, and 34 mpg combined. That said, this engine is only available in the LE Eco trim.
There are six trim levels — L, LE, LE Eco, XLE, SE and XSE. Notably, Toyota offers its Toyota Safety Sense driver-assistance pack as a standard equipment on all the variants. Active cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane departure warning with steering assist, and automatic high-beams are available across the entire Corolla range.
You can’t really go wrong with the Corolla. Regardless of the variant, you are assured of proficient mileage and an overall low cost of maintenance. The L and LE variants are good budget buys, the LE Eco is for those wanting to save money on their fuel-station trips and the rest are focused on offering more convenience features, albeit at slightly high rates.