My Experience

I test-drove a Toyota Corolla XRS at a local dealership. My test drive lasted about forty-five minutes and covered city streets, the freeway, and an empty parking lot that served as an impromptu autocross course.


Performance

I was expecting the XRS to fare better in this department than it did. The XRS uses a retuned version of the 1.8-liter Four from the Celica GT-S, and with 170hp--40hp more than other Corollas--I was expecting quite a dramatic difference in performance. Instead, what I found is that while the XRS is noticeably peppier--and louder--it doesn't deliver the Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation you might expect.

The problem is the peaky nature of this powerplant. Despite having been retuned for more torque, the engine still feels fairly flat at low revs, and through most of the midrange as well. This makes the XRS feel disappointingly ordinary in everyday driving--very similar to a base Corolla, except with more noise and a touchier throttle. When I took a freeway on-ramp at full-throttle, the XRS felt somewhat better--its pull increased above 6000rpms, and remained consistent all the way up to the 8200rpm redline--but it still didn't feel as forceful as the horsepower rating would suggest.

None of this will come as any surprise to Toyota enthusiasts, who are well-aware of this particular engine's shortcomings. But the XRS throws a couple new disappointments into the mix. For one thing, it's not as eager to rev in the XRS as it is in other applications. Even at full-throttle, the engine builds revs slowly and gradually--not furiously, as in the Celica GT-S--and it took patience for me to let it work its way up to the lofty redline. Another Celica characteristic that's lost here is the 6200rpm "snap" as the engine changes cams and the car leaps forward. In the XRS, there's still a swell of power above 6000rpm, but the effect is subtle--you'll have to be looking for it to notice it.

All of this left me rather disappointed with the XRS's performance. Its acceleration isn't thrilling, and the engine's slow-revving nature means the top-end power isn't easy to access. Next time, could we just get the torquey 2.4-liter Four from the Camry, please?


Transmission/Clutch

In other applications--the Matrix and Celica, namely--I haven't been impressed with the six-speed manual transmission that comes with the XRS's 1.8-liter Four. But Toyota seems to have made some improvements to it this time. No longer stiff or heavy, the shifter in the XRS is well-weighted and accurate, with very well-defined gates that make it easy to find the right gear. Even with the closely-spaced six-speed pattern, I never missed a shift.

Its feel is still a bit numb, with little of the mechanical directness of the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart's transmission, but that's not a huge deal. What was disappointing, however, was I was the feel of the XRS's clutch. It's well-weighted and gentle, but the long throw and numb take-up make it difficult to step off the line with precision.


Steering/Handling

Along with engine performance, this was the other area that I found disappointing in the XRS. The reason is similar--the XRS just feels too much like lesser Corollas.

I was especially disappointed with the lack of transformation in steering feel. The XRS's steering is moderately quick, but no quicker than that of a regular Corolla, and its power-assist has the same smooth, luxurious feel--the weighting is a bit firmer, but the fluid feel still says "luxury car." And while I appreciated the increase of road feel coursing through the wheelrim, my biggest complaint about the regular Corolla's steering remains an issue--the squirmy feeling of imprecision around the straight-ahead. There's still a wobbly, disjointed sensation to the first inch or so of movement at the wheel, which is just enough to drain one's confidence when hustling hard into corners.

Once in those corners, the Corolla's chassis feels confident and stable, with mild body roll and ample grip, but somehow, it doesn't inspire you like the Lancer Ralliart and Mazda 3 do. It's very capable on winding roads, but it doesn't beg for higher speeds. This probably has a lot to do with the tall driving position, quiet ride, and luxurious steering feel, none of which encourage irrational exuberance behind the wheel.

Another problem, I think, is Toyota's conservative choice of tires--a set of relatively tall and skinny 195/55R-16s, where most rivals wear wider 17-inch rubber. I'm especially convinced that this was a mistake because of my experience with the Toyota Matrix, which is based on the Corolla platform and is very similar under the skin. With 16-inch tires, the Matrix displays the same squirmy steering and wobbly turn-in as the Corolla XRS. But with the optional 215/50R-17s, the Matrix's steering was transformed--firm, sharp, and directly connected to the pavement. Why Toyota doesn't make these tires standard on the Corolla XRS is a mystery to me. Maybe next year?

In the meantime, the XRS is a competent if not thrilling twisty-road runner, and has the same easygoing, light-on-its-feet feel as a normal Corolla in around-town driving.


Ride

Here, for a change, is an area where Toyota's conservatism pays off. This might not be the most important quality for sport-compact enthusiasts, but the XRS has a remarkably refined ride for a sporty car. On most roads, the ride is steady and composed, with good body-motion control. The XRS's ride feels firm, but it doesn't pitch or bob stiffly on smooth roads the way most sport-compacts do.

The super-stiff structure is also a plus--the strut tower brace seems to make little difference, mostly because the Corolla has a very tight structure to begin with. The XRS also scores fairly well on quietness. There's very little wind or road noise, and while this tends to accentuate the prominent engine noise, it makes the Corolla a quiet freeway cruiser. In this segment, only the Mazda 3 comes close to matching the XRS for ride smoothness and comfort.


Interior

Toyota's emphasis on quality and comfort also pays off in this department, but there are some elements of the Corolla's interior that are decidedly at odds with the XRS's sporting mission.

The biggest issue is the driving position. You sit tall in the Corolla, with a high, upright driving position that feels almost van-like. The pedals nudge close to your feet, too, so you drive with the same posture you use at the dining room table. In the regular Corolla, this driving position is great for many people--although I'm not one of them--but in the XRS, it kills the sporting mood. You can't recline and stretch your legs out as you'd expect to in a sporty car, and the high eyepoint exaggerates body lean in turns. There's a "sit-up-straight" feel about the Corolla's driving position that makes driving fast seem inappropriate, even irresponsible. This is a subjective matter, of course--a lot of people like sitting up high--but I find it a major turn-off in a sporty car.

Still, many other aspects of the XRS's interior rise well above the sport-compact norm. The sport seats, for example, are fantastic. They provide good, firm support, and the sturdy lateral bolsters keep you in place even during hard cornering. The XRS also treats rear-seat riders well, with very good legroom and headroom for a small car. There's lots of storage containers scattered around the cabin, and the controls are placed logically and conveniently.

Also, this being a Toyota, materials quality is excellent. The dashboard and console are made of high-quality plastics, and most of the knobs and switches operate with smooth precision. The action of the climate-control knobs still feels gritty, but the overall impression is one of impressive refinement. This even applies to the sporty add-ons unique to the XRS--the electroluminescent gauges, aluminum-look trim, and six-speed shifter are all very classy in their presentation.


Practicality

A mixed bag. I've already mentioned the roomy seating, front and rear. And the Corolla's trunk is quite spacious for a compact, with a low liftover to make loading heavy objects easier.

But for some reason, Toyota decided to eliminate the split-folding rear seatback that comes standard on every other new Corolla. If you regularly carry bulky loads (and I do, being a working bass player), this seriously cuts down on the Corolla's utility. What's the deal, Toyota? $18,000 for a Corolla, and we don't even get a folding back seat?


Reliability

Since the Corolla XRS is brand-new, Consumer Reports has no reliability data on this specific model. However, it's a safe bet that reliability with be outstanding--the Corolla lineup, as a whole, gets Consumer Reports' highest rating year after year.


Overall

This test drive was especially relevant to me because I'm going to buy a new car soon, and the sport-compact sedan segment is the one I've got my eye on. I've test-driven just about everything in this category, but I've been putting off making a decision because I've been waiting for two new alternatives to come out. The upcoming Scion tC is one of them, and this Corolla XRS was the other.

However, my test drive made it pretty clear that the Corolla XRS isn't for me. Despite its high-revving engine and six-speed transmission, the XRS is the luxury car of the sport-compact class. Its greatest strengths are its refinement, its comfortable interior, its high-quality materials, and its quiet freeway ride. All great qualities, yes, but not the ones that make a winner in this market segment.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, for example, isn't quite as refined as the Toyota, but it's far more fun--you feel directly involved with the machinery and the road, as opposed to the slightly anesthesized feel of the XRS. The Mazda 3s isn't quite as sporty as the Ralliart, but it's still more fun than the Corolla, with a techy, high-fashion interior and an eager personality to boot. Even the aging Sentra SE-R Spec V, for all its crudeness, inspires some silly grins with its strong, torquey engine.

Perhaps most importantly, all the best sport-compacts feel substantially transformed from the pedestrian economy cars they're based on. That spirit and enthusiasm is what makes them worth the price premium over their lesser stablemates. The XRS, on the other hand, feels mostly like a Corolla with a little more engine and a little more tire. For $18,000, $2,000 more than a Corolla LE, that's not quite enough.




Feel free to check out my reviews on some of the Corolla XRS's competitors:
Ford Focus ST.
Mazda 3s.
Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.
Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V.
Pontiac Vibe GT.
Scion xB.
Subaru Impreza 2.5RS.
Volkswagen Jetta GLI VR6

Amount Paid (US$): 17,970