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Just picked up a 2020 2.0ltr Excel Corolla in Manhattan Grey. Had to scour the country to get the right deal and ended driving 700 mile round trip plus a night in a hotel to get one. Thats a story for another day, using internet and phone to deal with 25 dealers . Won't bother listing everything I like all been said here, I've come from high mileage area manager in fast diesels and some decent private cars like tuned Saab and tuned MX5, and now in semi retirement and got this as need to ferry lad about as he hops between university and stuff like that. Only brief test drive in 1.8. Car comfy good interior looks good etc etc and infotainment not as bad as reviewers make out . Anyway, some observations. 330 miles and 57mpg, I'll take that, EV mode at 70 going downhill was nice. Ride on the 18s with those skinny tires is excellent, probably what impressed me most . Chassis ok, but steering very light and not much feedback, not a car to hustle down the lanes. Sport mode and the flappy panels really quite funny actyally, if you use these you've possibly bought the wrong car. All I used was ECO mode and found that flooring the pedal was more than enough to take off around lorries. Watching the total mpg plummet when you did and ECO score drop was a giggle. But the response even in ECO more was fine. The 2ltr has effortless power for everyday driving and in sport mode can keep the company car nutters in 320Ds at bay over 100 yards but I won't be using that, just tested it. Battery is only 3 bars when I got home, went out later and after a mile the eco mode wasn't available. Think the car was stood at the dealer for a while, when I collected it had to have a new 12v battery and it's only 2 years old. LTA and ACC are superb and as good as the Volvo and Audi I've had . Android auto meh, can't get many apps as I have podcasts on YouTube and other apps and can't access it, plus I like the nav directions on the digital dash better with the car system, plus just seems an easier system to use and Google maps not as quick to get me in the right lane as the car system, a pet hate of mine. So just gonna stick with the car . The Manhattan grey really suits it, only one I could find with a dealer willing to deal was a long way away but worth it . So very impressed. Surprisingly easy car to master , a few YouTube's and and away you go. Oh and can't see the point of the hill assist, the creep does it all for you. I suppose someone starting on a literally vertical hill might use it . All in all probably just going to keep it in ECO mode . Best thing so far? The economy is as good as claimed, it looks great and is a very comfortable effortless drive. Worst thing? Probably steering feel but as I've just come from a modded MX5 that's just probably muscle memory . Very good car .

Actual car rather than stock. The satin looks satin in shade and metallic in the sun, similar to to the Audi Nardo

I came from a GT86, and the biggest thing for me to acclimatise to was the light steering. Even in sport mode. I'm not fussed about the roll and soft ride, I've spent most of my life in big Peugeot saloons. There is a knack to hustling a wallowy old barge.

I have 2.0 touring sport in Manhattan grey and I endorse this message.

Particularly useful when you park/reverse in really tight spaces on a hill. It means you can get really close to an obstacle, push the brakes hard to 'lock' the car in place and then change from reverse to forward or vice versa to move off.

I have a 2.0ltr Excel Pan Roof in Obsidian Blue, great car and love driving on the motorway everyday as it’s comfortable and economical. The bigger engine helps with the overtaking definitely, love having the power there when needed, im used to a 1.33 Yaris so a huge step up!

If it's the same as our C-HR then it means you can sit at the lights without your foot on the brake pedal.

I am not sure about the low service cost, that might be in theory. When i checked service cost t of some EVs, i found them no cheaper than conventional ICE vehicles. I might be wrong though.

Gerhard, Yes fingers down inside top edge, then run them down the side, cover pops off.

The wonderful EU in the face of threats of escalating war from Russia and other problems affecting food supplies and onset of deep recession can apparently find the time to bring in legislation that will effectively ban new PHEV’s from 2025. The car industry is stunned and trying to fight back although have accepted it’s a lost cause. Apparently the EU want manufacturers to sell BEV’s at a rate of 3 or 4 times the number of ICE cars by 2025. Nothing like getting your priorities right. I shake my head in disbelief.

Well it’s a spare wheel in the modern sense in that it will get you home safely until you get the puncture properly repaired. But it’s not the old style full sized spare wheel that we were used to back in the day. But it’s a mileage times better than the gunk alternative.

SC16HR11 are correct, these engines run like carp on anything but Denso plugs you have to use a 14mm 12 point socket (thinwall) to get down the plug hole eg. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254950678682 IKH20TT 4704 are too cold a plug

As you have android auto you can update Maps OTA either by mobile data or WIFI connection, to keep data costs down the car will only update UK/IE maps if you want the full western EU you need a USB. To access ensure you have a MyT account & data connection press setup button, then on LH menu select Online, then Toyota online, input your MyT account details if you haven't already then scroll down and select map update.

I wish 😁 My printer is playing up and my backup drive crashed and some data was lost on One Drive. Went on a cruise in March, great pile of printouts, quick scan and we were through. Chap ahead could not find his on his phone 😁

Money, fuel economy and boot space were no object!!

Hard to know what you mean by creaking, it's all very subjective. But, high pitched ticking or clicking noises when on full lock would indicate worn CV joints. This would need addressing. The creaking you describe could also just be the rubber gaiters squealing a bit on full lock. This is not much to worry about. BTW - we used to have a Yaris just like yours. A 2010 model with the 1.33 (1NR-FE) engine - from new. I'd say you'd normally get 40MPG around town and closer to 50 on longer journeys. Your black spark plugs do not sound healthy. Could be CO2 sensor - this could be cleaned. But it may be OK since you have not got any fault codes. I'd also get someone to do a compression test on the engine. It's quick/cheap to check and fundamental to the engine's efficiency.

I ran an HKS super hybrid filter in my GT86 for a year, it literally felt no different to when it had the OEM filter in it. So I put an OEM filter back in it.

If money/fuel was no object then I would have a 2.0, it's a superb engine, but a little thirstier than the 1.8. I am currently doing quite a bit of mileage so the 1.8 is better on economy

Nice car and colour 🚙👌 Normal mode far better feeling and response from accelerator, efficiency it’s the same and climate control settings are unaffected. You can try for yourself if you like it. Enjoy your new car 👍

1.8 would meet the needs of a majority of folks. However, if the 2 litre was not necessary, Toyota would not have devised them. Lots of research goes into this, and I am sure Toyota knows more than 1.8 fanboys.

Didn't take long 😆

Ok first drive around town the hill assist is excellent, still creeps with light touch on the break, activates with harder press, very clever, I'm converted

Even in ECO mode the thing takes off around lorries obviously at legal speeds etc etc

Yes, it's the same. I find it very useful for this very reason.

Seems to be only the Corolla and Rav4

Try Adrian Flux - https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/aci-insurance/ Mention you're a member of Toyota Owners Club.

Best economy tactic is on hot day with air con on do 40-50 mph for dozen miles in 6th on A road with few traffic lights with a reset of trip computer. If round town you think get 40 mpg, that's brilliant. I've had diesels that wouldn't do that. The 1.33 engine I believe had piston issue fixed at time yours built. If you insist on a change of brand Suzuki Swift 1.2 would be fine am sure.

That is a normal bodywork plug/grommet. It would fit in a hole somewhere in the body to seal it. It looks entirely clean, so it is probably not an external facing one and thus may not matter too much if it is installed or not. Take another look underneath, behind the bumper to see if you can find a suitably sized hole. It could also just be one that was somehow dropped and lost during the assembly of the car.

Yes, several car makers do have walk away locking (Honda, Tesla, Mazda, MB and others). It's late in the afternoon. I was not entirely serious (I did apologise:).

That's because you have the pre-2009 1.3L engine, which is more reliable but has less peak power and higher emissions. Toyota shoe-horned an emission compliance engine into the 2009+ Mk2's, what we call the 1.33 (The extra 3 is important!), or the infamous 1NR-FE oil-guzzler! Your tax may be higher but feel content in that you have a much more reliable engine! (Mine was burning off a litre a month before I got rid of it! Thank goodness Toyota sell 0w20 really cheap or that would have been much more painful on the wallet!)

Taking it easy to work etc about 40.Drive it hard and it drops to about 30.Eco Pro mode is just horrible/pointless.It's still great for a 3.0 twin turbo mind.

Yes,i've been reading up about them as well.Might be a decent compromise. to take the shock out of my system.😀

Most people get a 335d/535d to munch motorway miles and/or tow with. I'm sure the Yaris will be happy doing motorway miles. Towing not so much. Either way, you'd have to lower your expectations on effortless acceleration. Corolla 2.0 or 1.8 may be an alternative to consider as well.

Sorry for my cryptic comment. Now £101 to fill up my tank.Diesel was much cheaper when i bought the car 3 years ago.The novelty has worn off and i'm looking for something with the best fuel economy.Not electric though. There was an article about good, fast diesel cars that said 'diesel do nicely'.

There is brand new software update for RSA - which I had squirted in last week. It has improved the system considerably. It should be availabe around now. They added it to mine as I wouldnt accept car back without it being sorted. Apparently, it was a pre-release update?

If I could go back in time I would have never have bought my last car which came with multiple Honest John recommendations & was 4 years in a row winner of engine of the year award in its size class. Ill never have another small capacity turbo petrol engine again. Peugeot Purecrap, everyone I've known that's owned one has had issues either with the wet timing belt failing or carbon contamination fouling the engine internals & all under 45k miles.

Fair enough, probably useful in a city lots of lights etc

I'm assuming here from the phrasing, that you're intending to replace the tyres of one axle only (ie 2 tyres, rather than all 4)? The purpose/goal of rotation is to try to ensure that all tyres wear evenly, to get maximum life out of all 4 and change simultaneously, and/or to prevent significant discrepancies in tread depth leading to traction issues (esp in wet/cold/snow/ice). Also, whilst changing 2 rather than all 4 tyres is common, be careful if planning to mix & match tyre types, or designs with significantly different traction properties. Whilst this is true, assuming we're not talking about tyres that are practically bald or old (eg >5-6yrs), and one is not hooning it about like a lunatic, for a fwd car one would assumed the front set will wear faster than rear, so putting deeper tread on front makes economical sense, and then rotate as necessary to even things out. Theoretically, putting the new/best tyres on the rear of a fwd car could actually exacerbate the tread depth mismatch between the two axles.

I get 350 to 370 miles before i fill up. I get 50ish mpg but mine is usually short journey in the morning. I get 60 mpg if i do the same journey in afternoon. So temperature impacts mpg a bit. Re 2 vs 1.8, if your past car was powerful /torquey, then you will feel 1.8 to be sluggish.

The rear wheels are more likely to lose traction under braking as weight shifts toward the front and your options to recover are limited. Front tyres get pressed into the road by weight shift under braking so loss of traction is less likely and if you do lose it you have a chance to recover by steering appropriately. Thus it makes more sense to have the 'best' tyres at the rear to try and reduce the risk. The only TPMS problem I can think of is if your car can tell you which tyre is low it might report incorrectly. But if the car can only give a general pressure warning ('one or more tyres is low') it doesn't matter which sensor is on which wheel.

Order a dumper from our place today , you wont see it till half way through 2023, and getting parts in is so inconsistent, we have to slave loads of stuff to get them off the line, then a certain part comes in and it's manic getting them reworked and delivered. Be the same for toyota i suppose ,slim the options down to improve delivery times. got to say my yc excel is only fwd, and its a cracker,

Thank you very much! I live in area where a lot of seeds, flowers and polen can clog the drain passages... I can see two clips that go over the mounting points of the tail lights and three notches that just guide or retain the side of the plastic covers into the tail light itself. Am I right? It should just be a pull on the upper clip first job and done deal! This is very helpful, thank you!

Update - Corolla and RAV4 among affected models as Toyota reduces June production for second time this week – Car Dealer Magazine

My Black Edition is at the dealership now …….. 9mth wait nearly over! LED headlights, spots etc 👍🏻🤘🏻 Should pick it up next week 🤞🏻 as delay from Jubilee Bank Hols for this week 🙄 What’s 1 more week in the great scheme of things 🙃

Gerhard, re plastic covers at sides of tail lights, they are easily removed/replaced.

I can't believe nobody talks about the fact that most of the electricity generated for electric cars is going to come from gas and coal power stations... renewable sources (except nuclear) just can't provide practically for an entire nation, even one as relatively small as the UK. Other than emissions in cities like London, and on some models, a fun to drive experience, are there any actual advantages? Everything else is a drawback.

From the news articles I can find, the EU is not proposing to ban PHEVs but it is looking at the assumptions around how much mileage is done on electric vs fuel when calculating PHEV emissions. If the current assumptions are not accurate and don't reflect real world usage then updating them seem reasonable.

It’s so much easier to worry about these kind of issue than face the really big problems the EU is facing like where they are going to get the energy to charge these cars. It also makes work for the hundreds of thousands employed at great cost to justify their existence.

As consequence of this, my previous car (not a Toyota) was in a garage for 4 months waiting for a faulty sensor replacement.

Looks like there were doing the blue ones today.. ‘Build in Progress’ this morning.