Thinking About Buying A New Corolla But Have Question

I am thinking about purchasing either a 2014 Corolla LE Eco or S but I have some questions I hope some owners can answer.

1) How does new Corolla's steering and handling feel when compared to an 8th gen (2006-2011) Honda Civic?

My current car is a 2008 Honda Civic EX Coupe and I think its steering and handling is much better than older generation Corollas.

Although various reviews on web sites have indicated that Toyota has improved steering and handling on the 2014 Corolla but I don't know how much better.

So I hope perhaps there are some former 8th gen Civic owners who can answer this question.

(Yes, I know I should go for a test drive at a dealership to find out myself but I would like to hear from some owners first before I actually go down to a dealership to engage in some uncomfortable conversations with car sales people).

2) The rear seat headrests appear to be non-adjustable and non-removable. Is that correct?

If so, how do you guys cope with the diminishing rear mirror view because those tall headrests are blocking the rear window view?

I don't know why Toyota would make tall headrests which block rear view but this could be one reason I will not buy a new Corolla if I cannot get use to it during a test drive.

Any information would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Love my new 15 corolla S it's not as fast as a civic ...but it is snappy but trust me you won't be disappointed
 
Well , you can try all you want but it aint gonna happen. You would have been better off just buying a sports car if that is what you wanted.
I agree. You can put all the wheels, tires, truck lid spoilers, air intakes, ECU mods, whatever, but it will never be a performer. It's made for fuel economy and safety. Period.

The CVT design has been used in snow mobiles and ATVs for years and years. My Polaris 4WD ATV has CVT for its drive system. It's highly reliable. It is what all of the major ATV brands are moving to instead of a transmission with gears.
 
After buying my 2015 S Premium, I regretted it and really wished I had purchased the Lexus IS250 because it would fulfill all the reasons why I purchased the Corolla and yet be more luxurious and prestigious. Then I found out the IS250 gets 22 mpg! Thank God I didn't buy it! I had no idea all the luxury cars have larger engines and get poor mileage :)
 
After buying my 2015 S Premium, I regretted it and really wished I had purchased the Lexus IS250 because it would fulfill all the reasons why I purchased the Corolla and yet be more luxurious and prestigious. Then I found out the IS250 gets 22 mpg! Thank God I didn't buy it! I had no idea all the luxury cars have larger engines and get poor mileage :)
And don't forget the huge price difference !
 
Not really when it comes to top end but if you put it in "b" mode at 30mph and floor it the car feels like it has around 180-190 hp no lie lol it really surprises you but other than that no and it wastes more gas. Also I think "s" s for moderate engine braking and b for engine braking
That's because when you are in B the transmission is staying in 2nd gear, so you are keeping the engine in the powerband, quicker throttle response and no need to wait for a downshift when flooring it.
 
I had my car washed at a cheap place that uses people who dip a sponge in soap water and wash it manually. After they were done drying it manually and vacuuming, I noticed an A-shaped scratch (about 3 inches big) on the door. It may have also been someone doing it on purpose at my apartment bldg that morning. I only noticed it after the wash. I know touch up paint and thin brushes are available. But are there body shops who will do the touch up paint cheap? I'm afraid of making it look bad if I use the brush myself since I'm not skilled. Only the white (primer?) is showing below the blue crush paint. No metal is visible.
 
Just did another "Long Distance Road Test". Just got back from a trip from Texas to Florida. 2,825 miles total. Wife and daughter are still impressed with the interior size and comfort. (They napped quiet a lot on the road if that is any evidence of the comfort and quietness. LOL) And I am impressed with the less exterior size. Much easier getting in and out of tight parking spaces. The power steering is a lot less effort than previous car, too.

Gas mileage again fairly constant at 40 MPG while cruising at 65 MPH on the Interstates. Did do a stretch at 70 MPH on the return trip and didn't notice any noticeable difference in the MPG checks ....Trying to out run the rain in Dallas on the return trip ! Car also handled very well . Ran into a lot of rail going and coming in other areas and felt very secure.

Sister-In-Law was impressed with the roominess. We had to take the Corolla instead of her Mercedes because there was more room in the back seat of the Corolla for the wife , daughter and sister-in-law. LOL. All in all a very pleasant and economical cross country trip. Considering we supposedly downgraded from a Mid-Size to a Compact I am still and maybe even more impressed with the Corolla both for local and long distant trips. Seems to have more interior room, is a lot quieter and has about the same luggage space as the larger previous Mid-Size...And of course about 10 MPG better gas mileage both in town and on the road .
 
For fuel economy, is that what the dash is telling you or is that what you calculated by hand? So far I am finding the dash to be 4-5 mpg off. The dash shows me getting 41mpg but by hand I am getting 35mpg. Not bad for an engine that now has only 1400 miles
 
After buying my 2015 S Premium, I regretted it and really wished I had purchased the Lexus IS250 because it would fulfill all the reasons why I purchased the Corolla and yet be more luxurious and prestigious. Then I found out the IS250 gets 22 mpg! Thank God I didn't buy it! I had no idea all the luxury cars have larger engines and get poor mileage :)
This is great. I was looking at a used one too since they could be bought for $15k. AWD would have been nice.
Kind of got strong armed into the 15 Corolla and it's not too bad. Poverty Lexus.
 
I just bought my new Corolla L today, and have never owned a Honda but have driven a few Honda Civics (a 99 and 2006(I think)) and this is my impressions:
The Honda Civic base model has more power than the Toyota base model. That being said, Ive never liked the feel of the Civic (or any other Honda). I always felt the steering was very vague and lagged. Now, most people would say the opposite. Thats just my take. Ive driven a few Corollas as rentals (2009 and 2011) and always loved the way they handled. It just felt very natural to me. Ive owned a 99 Nissan Sentra (which actually handled like a dream- favorite car ever), and a 2001 Ford Escape which despite breaking down every other week handled very nicely, just to give you a reference point.

If I were you, I would pick a day, walk into a Honda and Toyota dealer that are near each other, let them know you plan on buying in the next week (even if your not), and that you will test drive both of these cars and make a decision. When you test drive the second car- still say you need to test drive the other car (even if you already did).That way they will be less likely to pressure you. Be frim and stick to your guns. They most likely will be both bidding for your cold, hard $$, and you will have your choice. :)
 
For fuel economy, is that what the dash is telling you or is that what you calculated by hand? So far I am finding the dash to be 4-5 mpg off. The dash shows me getting 41mpg but by hand I am getting 35mpg. Not bad for an engine that now has only 1400 miles
On my 2014 LE Plus Corolla I have found the dash reading to be about 1 to 2 MPG higher than the old "By Hand Method" : Divide the odometer readings (I use the trip odometer reading around town - just total miles odometer on long trips) between fillups by the number of gallons at the fillup. I have about 13,000 miles on the Corolla which includes trips from Texas to California (last year) and Florida (this year). Checks have been pretty constant for 30 MPG in town (some stop and go, some freeway- dash reading usually 31.6 MPG) and 40 MPG (dash reading 42 MPG) on the highway (mostly Interstates using cruise control at mostly 65-70 MPG). Can you have the computer reading adjusted (dealer service ?) for closer readings of MPG's ? I'm not complaining about the actual MPG - Just that the computer dash reading seems a bit too optimistic. I have seen computer readout of 45 MPG and the check came out to 41- 43 MPG actual "Hand Method" arithmetic. This was on "road test" cruising at maximum speed of 55 MPH. I have read where there is some spot for a comprmise speed that gives the best MPG. Hasn't varied much in the first year of ownership . Did improve a little after about break-in after about 1,000 miles on the odometer.
 
I just got back from a trip to San Diego and I got Great gas mileage.
I was was driving between 80 to 85 MPH, and I was getting 38 MPG. There were alot of flat land but there were a lot of hill climbing and it only dropped down to 35 MPG.
So I am impressed with that. I have added a ecu programming chip and a k&n short ram, so I am sure that helped.
 
How does the 3SGT or 3iGT compare with the Corolla in terms of reliability? That is important for me.
Hard to say since the new Skyactiv generation has only been out a few years. So far they're looking pretty solid. Biggest issue is the infotainment system needs updates due to crashing/freezing.
 
Something to consider is that the Corolla uses good old fashioned port injection. So long as you use a top tier fuel, there should not be any issues with deposit formation. Mazda like most other companies, are now using direct injection. With the exception of the companies out there utilizing dual fuel injection with both direct and port(like Lexus, Mercedez, or the new V6 in the Tunda???), eventually you will have to deal with carbon deposits forming on the backside of the valves.
 
I just got back from a trip to San Diego and I got Great gas mileage.
I was was driving between 80 to 85 MPH, and I was getting 38 MPG. There were alot of flat land but there were a lot of hill climbing and it only dropped down to 35 MPG.
So I am impressed with that. I have added a ecu programming chip and a k&n short ram, so I am sure that helped.
I went from Texas to San Diego last year and was driving fairly constant cruising at 65 MPH and I was getting a fairly constant 40 MPG. Just got back from a trip from Texas to Fort Lauderdale and the checks were the same. I did some parts of the trip cruising at 70 MPH but didn't notice much change in the MPG. BTW this was the old method using the odometer readings between fill-ups and the pump readings rather than the dash computer MPG readouts . The computer seems to be about 5% to 10% higher than the actual checks.
 
That is something that appears to be true in Toyotas as the dash is very optimistic. I am at 3000 miles and am now finding the dash to be 3-5mpg higher than actual.
 
Something to consider is that the Corolla uses good old fashioned port injection. So long as you use a top tier fuel, there should not be any issues with deposit formation. Mazda like most other companies, are now using direct injection. With the exception of the companies out there utilizing dual fuel injection with both direct and port(like Lexus, Mercedez, or the new V6 in the Tunda???), eventually you will have to deal with carbon deposits forming on the backside of the valves.
Mazda has apparently found the solution to it.

http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArtic...l-Introducing-Mazdas-Skyactiv-Technology.aspx

To eliminate the problem of intake valve deposits that plague current direct gasoline injection engines, the engineers at Mazda determined that deposits are formed when intake valve temperatures fall below 400 degrees C. Measures were taken so that the intake valve would operate above this point to reduce deposit formation.

One of the biggest issues with direct injection engines is a build up of deposits on the intake valve. Mazda determined that this was largely due to the intake valve being too cool. A lot of analysis went into designing the heat paths away from the valves to keep them at the proper temperature to avoid deposit formation.
 
I will buy their PR when there is a large enough track record. In reality, toughening emissions regulations in the U.S. May eventually force manufacturers to adopt a dual fuel injection system at some point
 
I will buy their PR when there is a large enough track record. In reality, toughening emissions regulations in the U.S. May eventually force manufacturers to adopt a dual fuel injection system at some point
My FR-S already has it. Uses both port and direct injection and the port side injection is what actually cleans the deposits off. This is why Subaru is adopting the FA20 in several of their cars now.

Also, a catch can is a great investment on the PCV side which keeps the blowby oil from even reaching the intake valves. Mine on my FR-S has caught plenty over the months.
 
The problem is that a catch can has a high potential of molesting your warranty. It may not even be legal as it could be considered to be tampering with the evaporative emissions system. The problem with dual injection is that it adds weight, complexity, and cost. It does allow the engine to run cleaner and better by utilizing port injection at lower RPGs.
 
Just another question . Any comments ? I have noticed the "Average MPG" reading is usually about a mile or so higher reading than the figure I get by just dividing the odometer reading by the number of gallons on a fil up. I use the "Trip A'' and "Trip B" for the mileage checks. Reset to 0 at each fill up. For example, the "MPG" read out might be 31.2 MPG but when I do it by the odometer reading/gallons it comes out to 30 MPG. Could it be that the MPG reading might be just from a certain number of recent computations rather than an overall reading is the reason for the difference ? Not complaining. I still get a fairly constant 30 MPG in town driving and 40 MPG on the highway. Any comments would be welcomed. Of course on the "Instant MPG" I get anything from low readings to 99.9.
Update: Just did another check. Dash reading was 29.8 MPG. Actual computation came out to 28.9 MPG. I usually get at least 30 MPG but this was stop and go traffic and a lot of that were short trips to grocery store etc.
 
Update: Just did another check. Dash reading was 29.8 MPG. Actual computation came out to 28.9 MPG. I usually get at least 30 MPG but this was stop and go traffic and a lot of that were short trips to grocery store etc.
Dash readings are usually always off due to idling. I go by the Fuelly app and track off my odometer miles and each fill up. The only inaccuracy is catching when you might be at like 25879.9 miles when it should be 25880 so that's the only disparity you may see which is extremely minor.
 
Here are some recent checks on the "Miles Per Gallon" readings comparing the instrument panel readout for "Average Miles Per Gallon" on the "MPG" reading -vs- manually computing by the old methods of miles between fill-ups on the trip odometer divided by number of gallons shown on the gas pump.

"MPG" reading / Manually computed "MPG"
32.1 / 30.8
32.0 / 30.6

If you watch the "Instantaneous MPG" readings they are varying continuously anywhere from 20 MPG going up a grade to 99.9 MPG going downhill. I haven't been able to do it but if the road was exactly level and exactly straight (which it almost never is-LOL) if you could get an accurate reading for a particular speed ?
 
After buying my 2015 S Premium, I regretted it and really wished I had purchased the Lexus IS250 because it would fulfill all the reasons why I purchased the Corolla and yet be more luxurious and prestigious. Then I found out the IS250 gets 22 mpg! Thank God I didn't buy it! I had no idea all the luxury cars have larger engines and get poor mileage :)
Trust me you are better off with the 2015 Corolla over a used IS250. I had a 2007 IS250 and paid for nothing but repairs while I owned it. Even without the repairs the entire interior (all 4 door panels + complete dash) is made of some amazingly annoying texture that does not mix well with humid temperatures (think Louisiana, Texas and Florida weather). It got to a point where I could leave lasting fingerprints on my dash and so very easily scratch the dash when it was a typical hot summer day in Texas.

Oh did I mention recommended type of gas was PREMIUM as well? I was paying well over $40+ for a single tank, never averaging more than 280 miles unless I wanted to fill up more than 13+ gallons if I also wanted to drive to work as well. Now with the 2015 S Corolla I'm easily averaging 350+ miles per 10-11 gallons. I've driven 3 different generations of Corollas and I must say this current one is definitely a huge upgrade to the last few. This current generation's in cabin noise and added features (at least in the S models) are definitely worth the purchase.
 
Here are my latest "fill up" figures.
"MPG" reading = 30.1 MPG
"Trip A" reading = 131.4 Miles
Fuel to fill up = 4.677 (from receipt pritout from pump)
 
Here are my latest "fill up" figures.
"MPG" reading = 30.1 MPG
"Trip A" reading = 131.4 Miles
Fuel to fill up = 4.677 (from receipt printout from pump) @ $1.729 per gallon = $8.09
Computed MPG = 28.08 MPG
About 1/3 is freeway driving @ 60 MPH ; 2/3 is stop and go street driving @ 30 to 45 MPH
 
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