Page 83 - Motor Trend (January 2020)

COTY

Toyota Corolla

PRO Great value • Standard safety equipment • Great fuel economy
CON Weak base engine • Tinny-sounding doors • No rear USB outlets
ow riding on the new four-cylinder engine is loud, inside. Loh liked the “modern, or trading in old-school nickel–
TNGA-C platform, the laborious, and slow with the CVT, funky, kind-of-Ikea design.” The metal hydride batteries in the
N12th-gen Corolla may not taking more than 10 seconds to stitching and two-tone color hybrid for lithium-ion.
light up the test track, yet Toyota go from 0 to 60 mph. schemes make the hard plastic The amount of standard safety
has made its econobox-for-the- The 2.0-liter offers a manual look fresh. The cloth seats are equipment, independent rear
masses somehow … fun? transmission—but it has long rough but appear durable. But suspension, the hybrid’s 53/52
High marks for the exceptional throws, clutch take-up is a bit the minimalist center console mpg fuel economy, and fresher
value of the $24,055 hybrid vague, and rev-matching was houses the only USB outlet. look add up to a good value and
with a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle poor. As for handling, however, Toyota embraces the Corolla’s comfortable commuter.
engine and the extra power Rechtin was impressed that the econobox place in the food The Honda Civic may still be
from the 169-hp 2.0-liter I-4 and Corolla now has better road chain, with manually adjustable our compact sedan segment
six-speed manual in the SE. But manners than the longtime seats, standard 15-inch wheels, a leader, but the redesigned
as the XLE is the volume model, back-road favorite Mazda3. hand brake, and tinny-sounding Corolla has definitely upped the
prospective customers should The 2020 Corolla is Toyota’s doors. It’s front-drive only with no competitive pressure.
know the aged 139-hp 1.8-liter best effort yet, especially plans for AWD, a turbocharger, Alisa Priddle

SPECS 2020 Toyota Corolla SE 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE 2020 Toyota Corolla XLE
Base Price/As Tested $23,705/$23,705 $24,055/$24,055 $25,005/$26,720
Power (SAE net) 169 hp @ 6,600 rpm 121 hp @ 5200 rpm + 71 hp (elec); 121 hp comb 139 hp @ 6,100 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 151 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm 105 lb-ft @ 3600 + 105 lb-ft (elec) 126 lb-ft @ 3,900 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 7.8 sec 10.3 sec 10.2 sec
Quarter Mile 16.1 sec @ 87.5 mph 17.6 sec @ 79.0 mph 17.8 sec @ 81.0 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 126 ft 133 ft 128 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.83 g (avg) 0.77 g (avg) 0.81 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 27.7 sec @ 0.61 g (avg) 29.1 sec @ 0.54 g (avg) 28.1 sec @ 0.58 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 29/36/32 mpg 53/52/52 mpg 29/37/32 mpg

Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine/Transmission SE 2.0L DOHC 16-valve I-4/6-speed manual Hybrid LE 1.8L DOHC 16-valve
I-4 plus AC synchronous permanent-magnet elec motor/cont variable auto XLE 1.8L DOHC 16-valve I-4/cont variable auto Curb Weight (F/R Dist) SE 3,001
lb (60/40%) Hybrid LE 3,054 lb (60/40%) XLE 2,992 lb (60/40%) Wheelbase 106.3 in L x W x H 182.3 x 70.1 x 56.5 Energy Consumption, City/Hwy SE 116/94
kW-hr/100 miles Hybrid LE 64/65 kW-hr/100 miles XLE 116/91 kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb SE 0.61 lb/mile Hybrid LE 0.37 lb/mile XLE 0.60 lb/mile

Volkswagen Arteon

PRO Audi looks; VW price • Comfortable ride • Huge back seat
CON Costly options • Jetta switchgear • Underwhelming performance

id you know “Arteon” in seat may be the solution for your
French means “budget carpooling dilemma. Plus the
DAudi?” No, it doesn’t. I hatch area is immense. But the
kid. But it should. And that’s not interior fitments and switchgear
necessarily a bad thing. do leave something to be desired But ride and performance are and tire squeal. “This is no sport
The Volkswagen Arteon’s in their similarity to the lower- two very different beasts, and sedan,” Markus said. Walton left
svelte, sleek style mimics the Audi tier Jetta. Priddle described the the Arteon falls short in the latter the driver’s seat unimpressed:
A7’s design with similar panache. view from the driver’s seat as “a category. Its 0–60 run was the “Handsome styling and forget-
Subtract the four-circles logo and horrible horizon of cheapness.” longest 7.4 seconds of everyone’s table driving experience.”
about 30 grand, and you have the As for ride comfort, the Arteon day—saved only by the eight- But the Arteon deserves more
Arteon. What’s wrong with that? won praise as one of the most speed automatic’s decisive, than such summary dismissal.
Not much, as it turns out. But comfortable, quiet, and stable quick, and responsive shifts. With a starting price near
the differences are real. when going over myriad lumps, Then there’s getting it to $37,000, it delivers value with
If you have a family of long- bumps, and jolts. It simply corner, where the Arteon was stylish presence, roominess, and
legged teens, the Arteon’s back absorbs road crud with aplomb. riddled with understeer, body roll, an excellent ride. Mark Rechtin

SPECS 2019 Volkswagen Arteon 4Motion R-Line
Base Price/As Tested $38,640/$48,175
Power (SAE net) 268 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 258 lb-ft @ 1,950 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 7.4 sec
Quarter Mile 15.6 sec @ 91.9 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 121 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.84 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 26.9 sec @ 0.65 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 20/27/23 mpg
Vehicle Layout Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine/Transmission 2.0L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4/8-speed automatic Curb Weight
(F/R Dist) 3,942 lb (57/43%) Wheelbase 111.7 in Length x Width x Height 191.4 x 73.7 x 56.5 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy 169/125 kW-hr/100
miles CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.86 lb/mile
JANUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 83