The 2014 Toyota Corolla S: A Tech-Packed Sedan

Introduction

Hello everyone, and welcome! Today, we will review the 2014 Toyota Corolla S, one of the best-selling nameplates in the world. Let’s find out why this four-door compact sedan, seating five, is so popular. We’re focusing on the Corolla S trim.

Exterior Features

Up front, you’ll find fog lights and LED headlights. This 2014 Toyota Corolla is aerodynamic, with a drag coefficient of 0.28. As tested, the vehicle’s MSRP is $23,570.

Trunk and Cargo Space

The rear trunk communicates with the key fob, so even if the vehicle is locked, you can open the trunk simply by using the key fob. The key fob also has a button to pop the trunk open. The cargo space is decent, and you can fold down the two rear seats, which have a 60/40 split. Under the floor cover, there’s a spare tyre and tools.

Engine Details

This car has a 1.8-litre inline four-cylinder engine with an aluminium block and heads. The 2014 Toyota Corolla S features dual overhead cams with 16 valves and dual variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust.

This Toyota Corolla engine produces 132 horsepower at 6,000 pm and 128 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. Fun fact: It has a supercharger, also used in the Lotus Elise.

Engine and Transmission

After passing through the 2014 Toyota Corolla’s engine, the exhaust passes through the manifold and the catalytic converter. It travels through a single exhaust pipe and exits through a single tailpipe. Power is sent to the front wheels via a CVT transmission.

This Toyota Corolla rides on 17-inch wheels wrapped in 215/45 Firestone tires. Up front, it features 10.8-inch disc brakes paired with a McPherson strut-style suspension. The drive axle from the transmission, the steering link, and the anti-roll bar can be seen.

Under the Hood

Let’s take a look under the hood. Nowadays, there’s a plastic engine cover, but it’s easy to remove. Everything is well laid out, with decent space around the components. You’ve got space in front of the engine and radiator.

Interior Features

Now, let’s look at the interior of the 2014 Toyota Corolla S. The keyless entry and intelligent door handle allow you to open the door by pulling the handle. Locking it is as simple as pressing towards the front of the handle.

Unlike others where you pull the handle, this model responds quickly and doesn’t unlock immediately. The front driver seat is eight-way electronically adjustable, and the seats are leather.

Intake Air Path

Let’s follow the path of the intake air. The intake is below, pulling air through the filter and then over to the throttle body. This is an electronically controlled throttle body. From there, the air moves into the plastic intake manifold and the engine.

Suspension and Brakes

The 2014 Toyota Corolla S has 10.2-inch disc brakes paired with a torsion beam suspension. This suspension is intriguing, so let’s break it down. The wheel and brake are connected to a trailing arm linked to the torsion beam that runs across the vehicle. 

Inside the torsion beam is an anti-roll bar. When the left side hits a bump, and the wheel moves up, the control arm moves up, bending and twisting the torsion beam. This bending and twisting resist the motion, assisted by the spring and shock absorber to dampen it.

The torsion beam is more robust in bending than in twisting; hence, an anti-roll bar has been added. As the torsion beam twists, the anti-roll bar twists, making the suspension less independent and forcing the other wheel up when one wheel moves up. This is how anti-roll bars work.

Comfort and Space

Inside, there is plenty of legroom. The leather seats are firm but comfortable. My knees don’t touch anything; they rest nicely against the bolsters. There is ample space for your legs, making it a comfortable ride.

Interior Comfort and Features

The front driver’s seat offers many adjustment options, and the leather-wrapped steering wheel is firm and comfortable. Visibility out the front and sides is good, though the rear view is a bit narrow. Thankfully, there’s a reverse camera to help with that. The rearview mirror is comprehensive, providing ample visibility through the rear window.

Rear Legroom and Comfort

Rear legroom is excellent, with more than three inches over the second-best rear legroom car I’ve tested, which includes a Lexus sedan, a Ford sedan, and two SUVs. Four adults can fit comfortably in this vehicle. The rear headroom is a bit limited but manageable. Other features include power windows that roll down and a centre cup holder, though it feels cheap.

Surprising Features

What surprised me most about this economy car, even as the top-of-the-line 2014 Toyota Corolla S, is its many features. The power mirrors, automatic driver’s window, power locks, and power-adjustable front driver seat add to its convenience. The steering wheel comes with audio controls and Bluetooth for phone connectivity. You can change the display to see your average and instantaneous fuel economy.

Tech and Convenience

A navigation system also displays the weather, which is pretty interesting. The audio system has a good feel; the buttons are resistant and don’t feel cheap. The automatic climate control is excellent, but how you select where you want the air to blow could be improved. It uses a scroll mechanism, and a push-button system might be better.

Additional Features

The heated front seats have both high and low settings. USB connectivity, an auxiliary input for audio, and a 12-volt power supply are also included. You can turn off traction and stability control if needed, and there’s a sport mode for more spirited driving. The two cupholders up front have a divider that conveniently holds a phone, which is pretty handy for an iPhone.

Center Armrest

The centre armrest offers two options: a centre tray and additional storage underneath. This design feels more robust and practical than some cars with removable trays.

Convenience and Driving Experience

The 2014 Toyota Corolla has a push-button start, which is pretty cool. Believe it or not, it also has paddle shifters. Even though it’s a CVT, it uses seven different ratios.

Take it for a Test Drive.

Before the 2014 Toyota Corolla S driving, I read several reviews that described it as dull. I think that misses the point. This car is an economy car with front-wheel drive and low power. Of course, it’s not a thrilling drive. But it perfectly fulfils its purpose. It offers good fuel economy and has a history of reliability. It’s practical, has more rear legroom than any other car I’ve tested, and has plenty of features. If you don’t need all the features, you can opt for a different version and pay less.

Driving Impressions

Now, about the comment that this isn’t a fun car to drive—it’s somewhat valid. It’s front-wheel drive, has 132 horsepower, and is an economy car. But I appreciate the CVT operation because it quickly gets to the high RPMs when you want power. It skips ahead to 5000 RPM in sport mode, making it feel quicker than you’d expect for 132 horsepower.

Driving it is straightforward. The steering is simple, and the throttle pedal is easy to manage. The brake pedal feels very nice, similar to the Subaru Legacy, which had my favourite brake pedal feel. The CVT has two driving modes: regular and sport. Pressing the sport button increases the RPMs by using a higher gear ratio.

Transmission Performance

The 2014 Toyota Corolla keeps you in a higher gear ratio, ensuring you’re constantly at a higher gearing for better response when pressing the gas pedal. In sport mode, the CVT doesn’t waste time in the lower RPMs. It jumps straight to the high RPMs, past 5000, and stays there as long as you keep your foot down.

Paddle Shifters and Shifts

Surprisingly, the 2014 Toyota Corolla S features paddle shifters, and they’re the best I’ve used so far. They respond quickly to gear changes, making the shifts smooth and direct. This is impressive for a budget car. Being a CVT, it has an advantage over traditional automatic transmissions, which can lag when switching gears. The CVT shifts gears instantaneously and quickly without any noticeable pause.

Highway Driving and Cabin Noise

Driving on the highway at about 65 mph, there is some cabin noise from the tyres, wind, and other cars. The interior isn’t the quietest, but it’s not unacceptable either. The vehicle weighs less than 2900 pounds, contributing to its good fuel economy. With the lightweight, you sacrifice some quietness in the interior, but it’s manageable—just a decent amount of road noise.

Fuel Economy Test Run

I completed my usual fuel economy test run, which covers about 53 miles and combines city and hills.

Fuel Economy

Mostly highway driving, this car is rated 29 MPG in the city and 37 MPG on the highway. On the test run, it achieved an impressive 40.8 MPG. That’s over 40 miles per gallon with a traditional engine—not a hybrid. Pretty impressive.

Battery and Brake Reservoir

The battery is located up front, which is not ideal for weight distribution but is very accessible. The brake reservoir is a bit buried, but you can open some tabs to access it.

Pros and Cons

Things I Don’t Like:

• The tachometer and speedometer look cheap, and the blue dial gauge system doesn’t match the rest of the car.
• The rear cup holders feel pretty cheap.
• There’s a bit of cabin noise. While it’s not unacceptable, it’s worth pointing out.

Things I Like:

• It’s cost-effective and offers excellent gas mileage. On my test run, I got over 40 miles per gallon.
• You can seat four people comfortably. There’s plenty of rear legroom.
• The sound system is pretty good.

The interior features are all solid. The paddle shifters work well, which is surprising since they usually leave me wanting more due to their unresponsiveness. These are quick to change gears.

Service Points

The windshield washer fluid is on the left, and the radiator fill cap for coolant is upfront. The engine oil fill cap and dipstick are also on the left. On the right, we’ve got the air filter, which is easy to remove with just two clips. The fuse box is also on the right and has a single clip for access.

FAQ

Overall Impression

For the price, this 2014 Toyota Corolla S does everything pretty well. It’s an excellent tool for getting from point A to point B and comes at a reasonable price point. It’s practical, reliable, and offers a lot of value.