2011 Toyota Corolla

Not much has changed for the 2011 Toyota Corolla from the 2010 model. The 2011 includes slight exterior and interior tweaks. Toyota decided to reduce the number of trim levels for the Corolla from five to three and eliminated the Toyota Corolla XRS and XLE trims. The XRS trim offered a sport-tuned option and a 2.7-liter, four-cylinder engine, and the XLE trim marked the luxury model.

The 2011 Toyota Corolla has a new body-colored grille, trunk lid, rear bumper, thinner headlights, and smaller lighting elements with chrome inserts. The wheel cover designs are new to the 2011 models and the side-view mirrors are larger. The only interior tweaks include a new seat fabric, darker plastics for the dashboard and door panels, and a new steering wheel design for the S models. Toyota also has redesigned the windshield wipers and cowling, and installed thicker carpeting.

The exterior of the 2011 Toyota Corolla looks like a multitude of other sedans on the market. The Toyota logo on the grille distinguishes this car from all others. Standard exterior features for the base model include 15-inch steel wheels and power mirrors.

Since this car remains so popular, it is disappointing that the 2011 Corolla contains inferior materials. The plastics and cloth have a cheap appearance, and the overall interior design does little to inspire. The instrument panel is easy to read, and the center control panel has simple, easy-to-use controls. The seats prove to be soft and comfortable, but they lack lumbar support, which passengers will notice on long trips.

The interior standard features for the 2011 Toyota Corolla include air-conditioning, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, 60/40-split rear seats, power locks, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack. The LE trim adds keyless entry, power locks and windows, and variable intermittent windshield wipers. The S trim adds 16-inch alloy wheels, a sport-body look, a rear spoiler, upgraded cloth upholstery, steering wheel audio controls, and a trip computer.

If you want to add some entertainment to the 2011 Toyota Corolla LE or S trims, you can upgrade to a Premium package, which includes a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio and iPod and USB connectivity, fog lights, a sunroof, and an overhead console with map lights and a sunglasses compartment.

The 2011 Toyota Corolla offers a smooth ride, a quiet cabin, and a level engine. However, acceleration remains sluggish, and the steering does not respond as well as that of some competitors. In a sprint test, the Corolla only averaged a zero to 60 mph sprint in 10.1 seconds. A 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine with 132 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque powers the Toyota Corolla.

The standard safety features for the 2011 Toyota Corolla include anti-lock disc brakes (ABS) with brake assist, stability control, traction control, and front-side and side curtain airbags. The front disc and rear drum ABS bring this car to a halt from 60 mph in 127 feet, meeting the average for the sedan class.

Toyota consistently receives praise for above-average scores in government crash tests. The 2010 safety ratings for the Toyota Corolla include four out of five stars in frontal and side-impact protection for passengers and five out of five stars in side-impact protection for front passengers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives this car its best possible rating of ""Good"" for protection in frontal-offset and side-impact collisions and for roof strength.

• Comfortable, smooth ride
• Quiet cabin
• Easy-to-use controls
• Good fuel economy

• Driving experience has an ethereal quality
• Common luxury features not available
• Subpar cabin materials

• Honda Civic
• Mazda 3
• Hyundai Elantra