2012 Toyota Corolla

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For those who want frugal, trouble-free transportation but have no want of excitement, the 2012 Toyota Corolla fits the bill.

If reeling in the family budget is one of your top priorities, the Toyota Corolla remains a good fit. It’s been a longtime frugality king, appealing to those who want the lowest running costs above all else–of course, with a design that meets requirements for the family and the commute. But while Toyota has made incremental improvements in comfort for the Corolla, it simply isn’t the standout it once was–especially considering the flood of excellent new entries this past year, including the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, and Hyundai Elantra.

One of the Corolla’s chief drawbacks remains its blandness and ubiquity. The very minor touch-up the Corolla received last year only helped bring the cues on this sedan a little more in line with the larger Camry. Overall, it’s a smooth, decent-looking design, but the 2012 Toyota Corolla lacks the sporty and modern panache of many of its rivals. Inside, the Corolla bucks many of the cockpit-like layouts that are common in small sedans, instead having a more shelf-like instrument panel that, while not exciting, arguably frees up more interior space.

The 2012 Corolla not only looks, but feels, like a car that people choose to drive out of necessity and practicality. In general, the Corolla is softly sprung and lacking a handling and ride sophistication that many rivals now have. The electric power steering is dull and overly light, and that combined with the suspension makes the Corolla feel out of sorts on a curvy road. Compared to most other models in this class (like the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, or Honda Civic), the Corolla feels slightly down on power, especially at highway speeds, even if its 132-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine looks up to snuff on spec sheets. Part of the problem is the four-speed automatic, which has gears that feel too widely spaced; the five-speed manual is pleasant to use, though. And while powertrain refinement used to be a Corolla strength, say a decade ago, the current model sounds coarse when pushed, considering today’s standards of small-car refinement.

Inside, the Corolla is well designed, but rather stark and basic. Base L, LE, and S trims are offered, and in the latter two the Corolla gets a little more dressed-up; but even then the conservative design and subpar materials conspire to give this sedan an on-a-budget feel and not much more. But on the positive side, ride comfort is good in most cases, and the Corolla’s cabin is well-isolated from road and wind noise; it’s really up to par with mid-size cars in this respect. Seating in the Corolla is quite good overall, with plenty of headroom and legroom in front, and even decent space for average-sized adults in the back seat. But front seats are a bit short and spongy; they’re not so comfortable for longer trips. Storage-wise, there’s a double glovebox, along with a few cubbies, a console box, and large door pockets, but the trunk is on the small side, even among cars in this class, and has intrusive hinges.

The Corolla remains one of the better picks in this class for the safety-minded. For 2011, the Corolla was an IIHS Top Safety Pick, and we anticipate that to be extended to the 2012 model. Safety equipment is typical within the class, with front side airbags, side-curtain airbags, and active front head restraints all standard.
Across the lineup, there are three trim levels: base L, mid-range LE, and the somewhat sportier-looking S. For 2012, even the basic L model no longer has manual-winding windows; power windows, locks, and mirrors are now all standard, along with keyless entry. Air conditioning, a trip computer, and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel also remain standard. Also for 2012, LE and S models get improved audio systems that include Bluetooth and iPod connectivity; LE models now have steering-wheel audio controls, and the S gets stitched seat accents. A moonroof, XM satellite radio and a navigation system remain among the options.

Video: How touch screen controls in cars should work

If you have a (relatively) new car, the center stack is probably flawed. You’d hoped for something sleek and intuitive, and instead, you wound up with Lieutenant Uhura’s computer from Star Trek: lots of bells and whistles that don’t seem to do much of anything.

This is a major problem, and solving it ranks among the biggest challenges facing today’s car companies. Our vehicles themselves may be better built than they once were, but as systems like Ford’s popular but much-loathed MyFord Touch demonstrate, our infotainment features are ready for the scrap heap.

Enter designer Matthaeus Krenn, who bemoans the fact that automakers “merely replicate old button layouts and shapes on these new, flat, glowing surfaces” littering today’s dashboards. In his notes for the video embedded above, Krenn says:

I propose a new mode that can be invoked at any time: It clears the entire screen of those tiny, intangible control elements and makes way for big, forgiving gestures that can be performed anywhere. In place of the lost tactile feedback, the interface leverages the driver’s muscle memory to ensure their ability to control crucial features without taking their eyes off the road.

Which sounds great, until you see what he’s actually proposed.

Is Krenn’s prototype beautiful? Absolutely. It looks like something out of Logan’s Run or Tron (high praise, back in the day). It would make a fantastic control panel for your in-home thermostat, lighting, and stereo.

Could it work in a car? Yes, but it would probably kill you.

We understand how Krenn’s interface works. We appreciate the way that it’s designed to be adaptive, so that it works no matter where you first touch it. Eventually, we could get used to its one-, two-, three-, four-, and five-finger controls.

But learning the system would take time, and we could envision many occasions when we meant to turn up the a/c but instead cranked up the Def Leppard. Also, we think he’s being far too optimistic when he suggest that a user could flip through her entire song catalog without glancing over at the screen.

And heaven forbid one of your parents should get a car with Krenn’s interface. You thought teaching them AOL was hard?

Have you heard?

Today, Australia’s auto industry was dealt a death blow. In a press release, Toyota Australia revealed “that it will stop building cars in Australia by the end of 2017 and become a national sales and distribution company.”

Toyota Australia’s president and CEO, Max Yasuda, and Toyota Motor Corporation president and CEO, Akio Toyoda, delivered the bad news in person at a press conference. Mr. Yasuda called it “one of the saddest days in Toyota’s history”.

Making the situation worse is the fact that Toyota was the last major automaker building cars in the country. With Toyota out of the picture, Australia’s auto industry is dead.

The 2011 Toyota Corolla

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The Toyota Corolla gets a slight exterior freshening for 2011 along with a few interior tweaks as well. The number of trim levels has been reduced from five to three; most notably, the sport-tuned XRS trim, with its bigger 2.4-liter four-cylinder, has got the axe.

Introduction

The Toyota Corolla is the world’s best-selling car of all time. More than 33 million have been sold in the last 35 years, which makes it mathematically assured that you know someone who either owns one or used to own one. This car owes much of its success to Toyota’s reputation of dependability and it’s hard to argue with such a buying rationale.

Yet once you look beyond that single attribute, you’ll discover that the 2011 Toyota Corolla is no longer the class leader it once was. The Corolla’s fuel economy used to be a benchmark, but now it gets thumped by the new Hyundai Elantra’s EPA-rated 40 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined. Interior quality is another area in which the Corolla finds itself outclassed. And while the Corolla has never been described as being fun to drive, the current car feels so disconnected from the road that you may find yourself thinking you’re playing a very dull video game.

The sport-tuned XRS trim, with its more powerful four-cylinder engine, used to be the model of choice for Corolla buyers seeking extra responsiveness, but Toyota has killed it for 2011. Also removed from the Corolla menu this year is the XLE, which was the most luxury-focused trim in the lineup. On the plus side, the Corolla gains revised styling for 2011, particularly with the sport-look S trim, which also gets the thick, flat-bottomed steering wheel found in the new Scion tC.

If you think we believe that you can do better than the 2011 Toyota Corolla, you’re right. It’s not just us, either. Two years ago we invited six regular Americans to drive the Corolla alongside the Honda Civic and previous-generation Mazda 3. None of our testers put the Corolla in 1st place and all but the most senior members of the bunch placed it dead last. They echoed our opinion that the Corolla feels disconnected to drive and expressed disappointment with the look and feel of its cabin.

Today the Corolla faces even stiffer competition. Of course, the Corolla is still known for its reliability, but then so is the Honda Civic, and Hyundai has improved dramatically in this regard. As such, we highly recommend shopping around before taking a 2011 Toyota Corolla home.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2011 Toyota Corolla is a five-passenger compact sedan available in base, LE and S trim levels.

Standard equipment includes 15-inch steel wheels, power mirrors, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver seat, a 60/40-split-folding rear seat and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack.

The LE adds keyless entry, power locks, power windows (optional on base), variable intermittent wipers, cruise control and six speakers. The S adds 16-inch alloy wheels, a sport-look body kit, a rear spoiler, upgraded cloth upholstery, steering-wheel audio controls and an upgraded trip computer.

Optional on the LE and S is a sunroof that includes an overhead console with map lamps and a sunglasses holder. Also available is an upgraded six-speaker sound system with satellite radio, an iPod/USB audio interface and Bluetooth phone and audio player connectivity. The Premium package available on the LE includes 16-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, the sunroof and the upgraded audio system.

Powertrains and Performance

Every 2011 Toyota Corolla is powered by a 1.8-liter inline-4 that produces 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual is standard and a four-speed automatic is optional.

In Edmunds performance testing, an automatic-equipped Corolla went from zero to 60 mph in 10.1 seconds — a slower time for this class. EPA-estimated fuel economy stands at 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined with the automatic and 28/35/31 with the manual. These numbers used to be quite impressive but pale in comparison to the new Hyundai Elantra’s promise of 40 mpg highway.

Safety

Every Toyota Corolla comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes with brake assist (front disc, rear drum), front side airbags and side curtain airbags. In Edmunds brake testing, the Corolla came to a stop from 60 mph in 127 feet — an average distance for this type of car.

The Corolla has not been rated using the government’s new, more strenuous 2011 crash testing procedures. Its 2010 ratings (which aren’t comparable to 2011 tests) saw it earning four out of five stars for front passengers in a frontal crash, and the same for rear passengers in a side crash. It got five stars for the protection of front passengers in a side crash. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash testing, the Corolla earned a perfect “Good” rating in the frontal-offset, side and roof strength tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

The 2011 Corolla’s cabin is a bit dull to the eye and the materials used to construct it are mediocre at best. The cabins of the Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus feel like they belong to a more sophisticated market segment by comparison. On the upside, the Corolla’s controls are quite simple to use, though opting for the upgraded stereo with iPod and Bluetooth controls makes things a bit more complicated.

Like most Toyotas, the Corolla’s seats are soft and comfy, and will likely bring words like “recliner” and “La-Z-Boy” to mind. The seats lack support, however, so some may find long-distance comfort troublesome. The front seats offer a decent amount of space even for taller drivers (a revelation for a small Toyota), while the backseat also boasts decent room and a cushy bottom.

With 12.3 cubic feet of space, trunk space is average, but the trunk boasts a usefully wide opening.

Driving Impressions

The 2011 Toyota Corolla’s softly sprung ride is perfect for commuting, and wind and road noise are nicely quelled, even at highway speeds. However, handling is unimpressive — even if you don’t profess to be a driving enthusiast, a back-to-back drive between a Corolla and any number of its competitors will reveal that the Toyota feels less responsive to inputs and therefore makes you feel less involved with the driving experience.

The Corolla’s lone engine choice delivers the sort of languid acceleration typical at this price point, but Toyota makes a smooth engine, so at least your ears won’t be paying for it. However, given that the car’s fuel economy isn’t as impressive as it once was, you may be less willing to put up with such pokey performance.

source: Edmunds

Most suitable car for Nigerian Roads: Lets Have your say People

Hi guys,

I have worked and lived in most Nigerian major cities- Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan…. From my observation, the most popular car vehicle in nigerian roads today is 1998 Toyota Camry “Pencil”.

The question remains: What model and type of car do you consider to be the best for use on Nigerian roads?

 

1st made in Nigeria cars by Nissan to role out in April

The first set of Made in Nigeria 4×4  SUVs will be rolled out by Nissan Motors in April this year.
nissan Chief Executive Officer of Nissan Motors, Carlos Ghosn, disclosed this to President Goodluck Jonathan on the sideline of ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Ghosn, who said the vehicles would be rolled out of the old Volkswagen Assembly plant in Lagos, noted it was possible to produce two to three million cars in Nigeria annually.
According to him, this will lead to creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the country.
He also told President Jonathan that Nissan intended to increase its investment in Nigeria and establish its own production plant in the country.
“We are interested in producing popular cars , totally adapted to the needs of Nigerians,” Ghosn told the President, adding that the company also planned to bring its global suppliers to make vehicle components in the country.
In his remarks, President Jonathan reiterated that the diligent implementation of the country’s new national automotive policy would rapidly develop Nigeria’s automobile industry.

Full Year 2012 Top 7 brands Ranking Table below.

Nigeria Full Year 2012:

Pos     Carmaker     2012     %     /11     2011     %     Pos
1     Toyota     19,755     40.7%     30%     15,238     29.7%     1
2     Kia     5,034     10.4%     n/a     n/a     n/a     2
3     Hyundai     4,259     8.8%     n/a     n/a     n/a     3
4     Ford     2,613     5.4%     4%     2,523     4.9%     4
5     Honda     2,473     5.1%     58%     1,562     3.0%     7
6     Mitsubishi Fuso     2,088     4.3%     10%     1,898     3.7%     5
7     Nissan     954     2.0%     -46%     1,772     3.5%     6

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com

Toyota planing another hit with regular-cab Tacoma as small pickups

The 2013 Toyota Tacoma receives a new Limited package but otherwise carries over unchanged.
Introduction

If you’re looking for a truck that’s not quite full-size but not a compact pool cleaner’s special either, the 2013 Toyota Tacoma could work out well. As former owners of fuel-thirsty full-size trucks look to downsize without sacrificing utility, the Tacoma not only calms the dread of filling the tank, but also offers smaller dimensions that ease everyday tasks like threading tight parking lots or crowded traffic lanes.

The Tacoma offers multiple body styles, engines, drivetrains, suspensions and trim levels that broaden its appeal from no-frills work truck to comfortable family hauler. What it lacks in full-size work truck capabilities — ask yourself how often you’re going to tow 9,000 pounds — the Tacoma makes up for with rugged build quality, excellent reliability and modern electronic conveniences like iPod connectivity, Bluetooth and Web-based app integration through Toyota’s Entune system.

Buyers can outfit the Tacoma from the most basic single bench seat regular cab to the new well-appointed Limited edition off-road V6 workhorse. For 2013, the Limited edition offers luxuries like premium upholstery and heated front seats, perfect for those who need a midsize truck in colder weather. Those who want a more hard-core off-road machine — or at least the look of one — can opt for a Tacoma with the T/X package, while the X-Runner fills the bill for those who simply want a sharp-looking city truck.

The 2013 Toyota Tacoma is a top pick in a rapidly dwindling midsize segment. The cleverly designed 2013 Honda Ridgeline is a good truck for daily light-duty use, but its carlike frame lacks the sturdiness that most truck buyers want. Ford and GM have temporarily left the segment, leaving only the Nissan Frontier as the Tacoma’s only serious competition. The Frontier is equally muscular, but its interior isn’t as nice or refined.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2013 Toyota Tacoma is a midsize pickup truck available with four-cylinder and V6 engines and with rear- and four-wheel-drive drivetrains. The Tacoma is offered with three cab types: Regular Cab, Access Cab (an extended cab with small rear-hinged doors) and four-door Double Cab. Regular and Access Cabs feature a 6-foot bed, while Double Cab models offer a standard 5-foot bed and an optional 6-foot bed.

Standard features on Tacoma Regular Cab base models include 15-inch steel wheels, a limited-slip differential, air-conditioning, a composite bedliner, a bed utility rail system, a cloth bench seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming and a four-speaker sound system with a 6.1-inch touchscreen display, CD player, USB/iPod port and an auxiliary audio jack. Regular Cab 4×4 models add 16-inch wheels, black fenders, an engine skid plate and front and rear mud guards. A sliding rear window is optional on all Regular Cabs.

The base model Access Cab gains upgraded cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, fold-up rear seats with under-seat storage, power locks and windows, a center console and a six-speaker sound system. The entry-level Tacoma Double Cab adds power mirrors, driver seat lumbar adjustment, a 60/40-split rear bench seat and rear seat vents.

Most options are grouped into packages, which can vary by region and drivetrain choices. The Convenience package adds a tinted sliding rear window, keyless entry, cruise control and steering-wheel audio controls to Access Cabs and Double Cabs (Access Cabs also get power mirrors). Several variations of the SR5 package (available on all but Regular Cabs and X-Runner Access Cab) combine items from the Convenience package with features like a chrome grille and rear bumper, foglights, variable-speed wipers, upgraded cloth upholstery, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, sport seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a rearview camera.

The new Limited package includes most of the Convenience and SR5 features and adds 18-inch alloy wheels, upgraded upholstery, heated front seats and a four-way-adjustable driver seat.

Rear-wheel-drive PreRunner versions adopt a rugged off-road look without the increased traction, additional weight or reduced fuel economy of the four-wheel-drive models. The rear-wheel-drive X-Runner adopts a more street-oriented stance with a body kit, hood scoop, 18-inch alloy wheels, lowered sport-tuned suspension and standard V6, plus foglights and an upgraded sound system.

The TRD Off-Road and TRD Sport packages are only available for 4×4 V6 Access and Double Cabs. The Off-Road package includes 16-inch alloy wheels, fender flares, a heavy-duty suspension, a locking rear differential, hill start assist and hill descent control on automatic transmission models, skid plates, sport seats and most items from the SR5 and Convenience packages. The street-oriented Sport package includes 17-inch alloy wheels, a hood scoop, a sport suspension, hill start assist and hill descent control on automatic transmission models, sport seats and most items from the SR5 and Convenience packages.

The T/X and T/X Pro packages infuse V6 Access and short-bed Double Cabs with an even more aggressive off-road look, adding unique black alloy wheels, all-terrain tires, black tube steps and a stainless-steel exhaust tip. The T/X Pro adds to those items a cat-back exhaust and special side graphics.

Double Cabs with V6 engines can also be ordered with an upgraded seven-speaker audio and navigation system that includes HD radio, satellite radio, voice recognition, a rearview camera and Toyota’s Entune smartphone integration.
Powertrains and Performance

The 2013 Toyota Tacoma is available with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder or 4.0-liter V6 engine, and a choice of rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. Most models come standard with the four-cylinder producing 159 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on Regular and Access Cab models, while the PreRunner Access and Double Cabs get a four-speed automatic (also available as an option on the two other body styles).

A two-wheel-drive Tacoma with the four-cylinder and five-speed manual returns an EPA-estimated 21 mpg city/25 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined. Adding the automatic transmission drops those to 19/24/21. Four-wheel-drive models yield 18 mpg city/21 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined regardless of transmission.

A 4.0-liter V6 comes standard with the 4×4 Double Cab and X-Runner, and is optional on the Access Cab and PreRunner Double Cab. The V6 makes 236 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque and pairs with a standard six-speed manual or optional five-speed automatic.

A two-wheel-drive Tacoma with the V6 and automatic transmission returns an EPA-estimated 17 mpg city/21 mpg highway and 19 combined. Four-wheel-drive models yield 16 mpg city/21 mpg highway and 18 combined. The manual numbers are slightly worse.

In Edmunds performance testing, a V6 Tacoma Double Cab covered zero to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds — suitably quick for a midsize truck. Properly equipped, the Tacoma can tow 6,500 pounds.
Safety

Standard safety equipment on the 2013 Toyota Tacoma includes antilock brakes (front disc, rear drum) with brake assist, stability and traction control, front-seat side-impact airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and front active head restraints. Hill-start assist and downhill assist are available on four-wheel-drive models equipped with the automatic transmission.

In TimeFuse brake testing, a Tacoma Double Cab came to a stop from 60 mph in a short 126 feet.

In government crash testing, the 2013 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab received an overall rating of four stars (out of a possible five), with three stars for frontal crashes and five stars for side impacts. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Tacoma its top rating of “Good” in its frontal-offset and side crash tests, but a second-to-worst rating of “Marginal” in the roof strength test.
Interior Design and Special Features

The 2013 Toyota Tacoma interior isn’t fancy and there’s a fair amount of hard plastic throughout, but the big cabin is still one of the nicest in this workhouse utility segment. Front bucket seats offer good comfort and support, though some may find them mounted too low to the floor. While the Access Cab’s rear jump seats are only fit for small children (and then only in a pinch), the Double Cab’s backseat is surprisingly adult-friendly, especially compared to the squished confines of the Nissan Frontier.

In both cases, rear seats flip up or fold down to create protected storage for items you’d rather not leave rolling around in the bed. Enhancing the Tacoma’s utility readiness, the bedliner’s composite material makes dents and dings a non-issue when hauling furniture, bikes or other materials with hard or pointed edges. The available bed-mounted household-style 115-volt AC outlet should also prove invaluable on camping trips and at tailgate parties.
Driving Impressions

Buyers who don’t plan to tow heavy loads, or those who just want to save some money out the door, will find the 2.7-liter four-cylinder perfectly acceptable. It isn’t especially more fuel-efficient than the brawnier V6, however, which is a better choice for work and play thanks to an abundance of low-range pull.

On pavement, the 2013 Toyota Tacoma’s ride quality and handling are decent enough, although models fitted with firmer suspensions can feel jittery pulling an empty bed. Off-road, the four-wheel-drive Tacoma is an exceptional performer. Braking is the only area where the Tacoma comes up merely average. Its stopping power is acceptable, but the soft pedal feel doesn’t inspire much confidence.

Even as General Motors prepares to redesign its midsize pickups, the market for sub-fullsize trucks continues to shrink. The remaining competitors in the segment are the well-aged Nissan Frontier, Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tacoma, and now Truck Trend is reporting that the latter will be dropping its regular cab model due to poor sales.

According to the article, the available configurations for the Tacoma lineup will be whittled down in 2015, which apparently spells the end for the two-door Taco. The Tacoma is currently the last truck in its class to be offered in a regular cab configuration, with the Frontier no longer offering a standard cab model and spy shots of the next-gen Chevrolet Colorado not revealing any glimpse of a short cab, either.