Just seen this review.

[Konrad C]

Just seen this Corolla saloon review.
 

 

[Chippy01]

Hadn't seen that one before. And in Luna Sport trim too (the same as my own)

And reviewing the saloon as well, most other reviews (U.K. & Ireland) mention the saloon but review the hatch. Or if the saloon is reviewed, it's the U.S. version.

[mickburkesnr]

I watched a review of his when I was buying a Peugeot 3008, and he opened the boot, stood for a moment and said "That's a really good boot".

As for the car, I'm with him I couldn't get on (and I don't get on) with cars that have that silly sticky out thing on the dash. The guys designing these things, in car entertainment and electronics, they don't consider the end user. So they're not intuitive at all. Couple this with the fact that they don't come with a manual gearbox, I would have to give the car a miss even though I like the colour of the interior and the design of the car.

[Konrad C]

24 minutes ago, mickburkesnr said:

I watched a review of his when I was buying a Peugeot 3008, and he opened the boot, stood for a moment and said "That's a really good boot".

As for the car, I'm with him I couldn't get on (and I don't get on) with cars that have that silly sticky out thing on the dash. The guys designing these things, in car entertainment and electronics, they don't consider the end user. So they're not intuitive at all. Couple this with the fact that they don't come with a manual gearbox, I would have to give the car a miss even though I like the colour of the interior and the design of the car.

Actually the 1.2T does come with manual gearbox. I checked the Toyota website and the Corolla Price list (equipment and specs) - https://www.toyota.co.uk/brochures-pricelists

Unfortunately this stick on screen is the current fad. it looks like an afterthought, and some people think the screen is detachable. I not keen my myself, but what can you do?

Corolla Prices Specifications and Equipments July 2019_tcm-3060-1682338.pdf

[AndrueC]

10 minutes ago, Konrad C said:

Actually the 1.2T does come with manual gearbox. I checked the Toyota website and the Corolla Price list (equipment and specs) - https://www.toyota.co.uk/brochures-pricelists

Unfortunately this stick on screen is the current fad. it looks like an afterthought, and some people think the screen is detachable. I not keen my myself, but what can you do?

Corolla Prices Specifications and Equipments July 2019_tcm-3060-1682338.pdf 668.08 kB · 0 downloads

I thought it looked odd at first (my previous car was a Jazz and the infotainment unit is embedded in the console) but I'm used to it now and it doesn't bother me.

As for manual gearbox...just...why? I gave up on those over a decade ago when I got my first Jazz. As far as I'm concerned manual boxes should be consigned to history along with manual chokes, manual wipers, manual indicators and manual timing adjustment. I'm too important to be wasting my resources on something menial like selecting an appropriate gear ratio. I prefer a CVT box because it does do gear 'changes' better than a traditional auto but modern mult-gear auto boxes are pretty good these days. You don't often get hunting or random gear changes half way round a bend.

[mickburkesnr]

On 7/31/2019 at 12:08 PM, AndrueC said:

I thought it looked odd at first (my previous car was a Jazz and the infotainment unit is embedded in the console) but I'm used to it now and it doesn't bother me.

As for manual gearbox...just...why? I gave up on those over a decade ago when I got my first Jazz. As far as I'm concerned manual boxes should be consigned to history along with manual chokes, manual wipers, manual indicators and manual timing adjustment. I'm too important to be wasting my resources on something menial like selecting an appropriate gear ratio. I prefer a CVT box because it does do gear 'changes' better than a traditional auto but modern mult-gear auto boxes are pretty good these days. You don't often get hunting or random gear changes half way round a bend.

I like the misery of selecting a gear. Automatics might be different now, but the two I've owned would often hunt between gears, you know when the revs are too high to sit in 3rd and 4th is too low? I never liked that, and I like the fact that I have the full control of the vehicle with a manual gear change.

As for the infotainment thing, it's because no one has any idea about what the best way to implement one is in a car. I think Mercedes Benz are close to it, as their S-Class seem to have just one giant screen inside of the dashboard. And maybe even Tesla, but the rest of the manufacturers have given it no thought.

[AndrueC]

3 hours ago, mickburkesnr said:

I like the misery of selecting a gear. Automatics might be different now, but the two I've owned would often hunt between gears, you know when the revs are too high to sit in 3rd and 4th is too low? I never liked that,and I like the fact that I have the full control of the vehicle with a manual gear change.

As for the infotainment thing, it's because no one has any idea about what the best way to implement one is in a car. I think Mercedes Benz are close to it, as their S-Class seem to have just one giant screen inside of the dashboard. And maybe even Tesla, but the rest of the manufacturers have given it no thought.

Hunting is never going to happen with a CVT. By definition it will always be in the ideal ratio for the load being asked of the motor. And I've driven a friend's Audi (with a balaclava to avoid being identified 🙂 ) and it never hunted either. I've also been assured by another friend who drives a DSG Golf that he's never known the box to hunt although he says it can be a bit annoying in stop start traffic. So I'd be inclined to say that unless you go for a really cheap model you're not going to get any hunting.

The only thing I missed when changing to an automatic was the stronger engine braking. But I just adapted by increasing distances to the vehicle in front and improving my acceleration sense. I still 'drive without brakes' for the most part (even in rush hour) and control my speed using the accelerator pedal. The Audi I drove appeared to have programming that kept it in the same gear during engine braking, so no nasty downshifts in traffic.

As for the dash, I think Honda got it right. It's just a shame that the functionality was a bit rough. Oh and using touch controls for heating was stupid.

[Heidfirst]

 

38 minutes ago, AndrueC said:

The only thing I missed when changing to an automatic was the stronger engine braking.

but on a hybrid you will get brake regen.

On 7/31/2019 at 11:59 AM, Konrad C said:

Actually the 1.2T does come with manual gearbox. I checked the Toyota website and the Corolla Price list (equipment and specs) - https://www.toyota.co.uk/brochures-pricelists

but you can't buy the Corolla saloon with the 1.2T (or indeed the 2.0 Hybrid powertrain) in the UK - 1.8 hybrid only.

[AndrueC]

1 hour ago, Heidfirst said:

 

but on a hybrid you will get brake regen.

Yeah but it doesn't add much more 'engine braking' then an automatic with a torque converter has. When I drove manual boxes I preferred to use the IAM strategy of no gear higher than speed-limit/10. Third gear at 30 mph is a lot of control with your right foot 🙂

https://www.iam-bristol.org.uk/index.php/articles/associate-s-guide/27-gears-using-lower-gear-at-30mph