2011 Toyota Corolla Reviews

Toyota Corolla

Unlike most other model years, the 2011 Toyota Corolla does not include a price increase. Front-wheel drive is par for the course with the Corolla. This time around, the Corolla only comes with a single engine option - the trusty 1.8-liter DOHC 4-cylinder. Two transmission choices are available, though - a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual. Most drivers will be happy with the available choices.

If variety is important to you, the 2011 Corolla's single available engine may nonplus you a bit. The low starting MSRP of the 2011 Toyota Corolla is one of its biggest perks.

The Toyota Corolla gets a slight exterior freshening for 2011 along with a few interior tweaks as well. The Toyota Corolla is the world's best-selling car of all time. The Corolla's fuel economy used to be a benchmark, but now it gets thumped by the new Hyundai Elantra EPA-rated 40 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined. Interior quality is another area in which the Corolla finds itself outclassed. If you think we believe that you can do better than the 2011 Toyota Corolla, you're right. Two years ago we invited six regular Americans to drive the Corolla alongside the Honda Civic and previous-generation Mazda 3. Today the Corolla faces even stiffer competition.

The 2011 Toyota Corolla is a five-passenger compact sedan available in base, LE and S trim levels. The S adds 16-inch alloy wheels, a sport-look body kit, a rear spoiler, upgraded cloth upholstery, steering-wheel audio controls and an upgraded trip computer.

Every 2011 Toyota Corolla is powered by a 1.8-liter inline-4 that produces 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. In Edmunds performance testing, an automatic-equipped Corolla went from zero to 60 mph in 10.1 seconds -- a slower time for this class. Every Toyota Corolla comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes with brake assist (front disc, rear drum), front side airbags and side curtain airbags. The Corolla has not been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011 crash testing procedures. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash testing, the Corolla earned a perfect "Good" rating in the frontal-offset, side and roof strength tests.

The 2011 Toyota Corolla's softly sprung ride is perfect for commuting, and wind and road noise are nicely quelled, even at highway speeds.

With the discontinuation of the sporty XRS model, the 2011 Toyota Corolla is all vanilla. All Corollas come with a 132-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. Compared to most other models in this class (like the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, or Honda Civic), the Corolla feels slightly down on power—especially at highway speeds. The interior of the 2011 Corolla is well designed, but rather stark and basic. The Corolla's cabin is also well-isolated from wind and road noise, and feels up to the standards of a mid-size car in this respect.

Anti-lock brakes; stability and traction control; front-seat side airbags; full-length side curtain airbags; and active front head restraints remain standard on the Corolla.

The 2011 Toyota Corolla comes well equipped, even in base form. Major options on the Corolla are limited to a moon roof, an upgraded sound system with Bluetooth, and a Premium package that brings the S wheels, the moon roof, and Bluetooth/sound upgrades to the LE.