Toyota makes 2014 Corolla a bigger snore

I suppose it could be argued that this MIGHT belong under another section of the discussion board...but, hey, it's Toyota.

This morning I was watching NHK-News on my local PBS station when I saw a story about the new / 2014 Corolla. Besides looking like a 7/8th scale Camry right down to the chrome at the front (not really a grille) and the taillights, Toyota, in it's infinite wisdom is making this generation Corolla available as a hybrid (ala the Camry). It was also reported in the story that while the Corolla nameplate has graced cars since 1966 and sold more than any other model of car, last year the most sales at Toyota were Prius badged cars

Now if only they could make a car that looked like an MR-2, and drove like an MR-2, then maybe I'd consider a Toyota. For now, you might as well just go to the dealer and write a check and let them wheel out whatever it is they have in your favorite color....assuming it's something besides silver-grey.

Can't be any worse then the '13 Camry I drove recently. Noisy and pitiful attempt at making an appliance....

When I worked at a 'phone company in the late '90s -'00s, a female co-worker traded in a Camry for another Camry. When I asked her why, she said it was because the old one was reliable and they gave her a great deal on the new one. To which I said something like "driving a Camry means you have absolutely no imagination" or something like that.

How ironic that "the perfect car" is really just a soul-less box that happens to work like a refrigerator? I'm talking Toyotas in general.

My girlfriend has an 03 or 04 Corolla. Surprisingly, I don't hate the thing. Peppy enough, handles well enough... For an appliance car it is about as good as it gets. I see that car hanging around for a long long time, even if I end up driving it as a commuter and moving the Miata to a 3rd car status.

In reply to integraguy:

I guess it never occurred to her that since the old one was reliable there wasn't any point in getting a new one.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to replace my Rolla ('88 GTS with a Megasquirted 4AGE 20 valve) with a 2006-ish Rolla XRS. Same drive train as the Elise. I think that about next summer or fall I should have enough funds set aside for it.

I am surprised that Toyota has not produced a Hybrid MR-2 like car. It would be nice if they would remember that economic can be fun too

I was working on having these stickers made but could never decide on a font that I liked

My parents bought a Camry Hybrid to replace an '03 Camry despite me telling them to go try out the Fusion Hybrid or Sonata Hybrid. What a pile of E36 M3! The interior isn't as nice as the old. They somehow managed to make it more boring to drive then the old one.

Buying a Camry is clear and irrefutable evidence that the owner has simply given up on life.

You guys just don't understand the Camry. You buy a Camry to have something to get groceries in. Something the wifey can take the kids around in, drive 1K miles at 30MPG in moderate comfort, etc. Biatching about how it isn't exciting is missing the point entirely.

I hope Toyota goes out of business. That will teach them to make appliance cars!

Dr. Hess wrote: You guys just don't understand the Camry. You buy a Camry to have something to get groceries in. Something the wifey can take the kids around in, drive 1K miles at 30MPG in moderate comfort, etc. Biatching about how it isn't exciting is missing the point entirely.

This. If my future MIL's Lexus Camry ever comes up for sale, I might jump on it.

That being said, the quality has gone down over the years IMHO.

Dr. Hess wrote: You guys just don't understand the Camry. You buy a Camry to have something to get groceries in. Something the wifey can take the kids around in, drive 1K miles at 30MPG in moderate comfort, etc. Biatching about how it isn't exciting is missing the point entirely.

But at this point there are much options to do the exact same thing.

Corollas are built to go from point A to point B and do so reliably and efficiently. My '93 Toyolla has 185,000 miles on it. In several years, I fully expect I will be TRYING to kill it in order to justify getting another appliance.

The Toyolla saves gas (and money) that I can burn in my Mustang.

Dr. Hess wrote: You guys just don't understand the Camry. You buy a Camry to have something to get groceries in. Something the wifey can take the kids around in, drive 1K miles at 30MPG in moderate comfort, etc. Biatching about how it isn't exciting is missing the point entirely.

[grm]Diesel V8 Crown Vic, if they made that it'd sell tons more than some stupid appliance[/grm]

My wife's Highlander (based on Camry) really is an efficient and very, very, very, very, very boring vehicle. Making electric steering a little heavy doesn't make it drive nicer! However, it does a good job of hauling the family and our stuff around. Now my '87 Corolla FX16 setup for FSP is a blast to drive.

90s' Rollas > teen's Rollas...The 90s got it right! Throttle by cable, minimalist, few if any electric options, and brutally durable. Point a to point b commuters? Yes, but it was considerably less soul crushing in the 90s, and back then they could be woken up quickly with minimal efforts for an enthusiast.

And just to stir the pot a little... This is fun If 2014 is going to be anything like the 2012 ive ridden in, a pocketfull of wet toilet paper would be more fun than the 2014 models...

Dr. Hess wrote: You guys just don't understand the Camry. You buy a Camry to have something to get groceries in. Something the wifey can take the kids around in, drive 1K miles at 30MPG in moderate comfort, etc. Biatching about how it isn't exciting is missing the point entirely.

No, you buy a Camry because they had a reputation for being the most reliable car on the road 20 years ago and you're too lazy to think for yourself.

While I realize that Honda has slipped a bit in the last few years, really, doesn't Honda build several cars that match Toyota for reliability but don't drive like a refrigerator on wheels?

My Civic has 238K on it and admittedly looks pretty sad, but it still starts on the first tug of the key unless it has been sitting for days. I've driven a few Corollas of the same vintage of the other Civics I have owned....they were competent, but rarely seemed to whisper "let's let the dogs out" if you know what I mean.

Toyota seems heck bent on producing the most reliable vehicle....and that's it. They don't really look all that attractive (unless you REALLY admire swooping curves on the instrument panel and other interior surfaces) and unlike other car companies (Ford and VW, for example) Toyota doesn't (seem?) to care about building a car you want to drive, just to drive it.

4cylndrfury wrote: 90s' Rollas > teen's Rollas...The 90s got it right! Throttle by cable, minimalist, few if any electric options, and brutally durable. Point a to point b commuters? Yes, but it was considerably less soul crushing in the 90s, and back then they could be woken up quickly with minimal efforts for an enthusiast. And just to stir the pot a little... This is fun If 2014 is going to be anything like the 2012 ive ridden in, a pocketfull of wet toilet paper would be more fun than the 2014 models...

I can't decide if that's the coolest FWD Corolla ever, or the wagon of the same generation wearing the Demon Cambers.

I've said it before, and i'll say it again:

If somebody offered me a MINTY 5spd Corolla of that generation in straight trade for my MX6, i'd do the trade in a heartbeat, no questions asked.