2013 Toyota Corolla Upgraded for One Last Hurrah

In a bid to squeeze one more year—and a couple hundred thousand more sales—out of its current compact contender, Toyota is offering new premium packages and a revised grille for the 2013 Toyota Corolla. The changes are fairly minor when you consider that the Corolla remains the only old-school entry in its segment from any of the mainstream automakers; at this stage, even the Chrysler Group has a next-gen compact (the Dodge Dart) and the Nissan Sentra, too, is finally rolling out in a post-meltdown configuration. On the other hand, despite fuel-economy ratings some 7 mpg behind its fresher rivals, the Corolla hasn’t been much affected in the sales rankings.

Deliveries of the Corolla are up 19.9 percent through the first 10 months of the year, and even though the Honda Civic is now the best-selling compact in America on a year-to-date basis, the Toyota led the segment in October, when it racked up 20,949 sales and a 29 percent growth rate. In addition, once you get past the Chevy Cruze—which clocked in as the country’s No. 3 compact with 19,121 October sales—no other rival was within 6,000 sales of the Corolla during the previous month. Based on that kind of past history, the sales outlook for the 2013 Toyota Corolla should match up well with its content adjustments, as no big changes are expected in either area.

2013 Toyota Corolla: A Look at the Lineup

The 2013 Toyota Corolla is on sale now, with an MSRP of $16,230 (+$100 over the 2012 model). It’s powered by a 1.8-liter I4 engine that delivers 132 hp, 128 lb.-ft. of torque, and an EPA line of 27 mpg city/30 mpg highway/34 mpg combined with a standard five-speed manual transmission; with its available four-speed(!) automatic, the Corolla’s fuel-economy grades are 26/34/29. The entry-point, the Corolla L, then adds just enough content to make it a livable choice for bargain hunters, with air conditioning, power windows/locks, and a 12-volt auxiliary outlet.

Moving up to the 2013 Toyota Corolla LE requires $18,180, but now owners will start to see some of the new year’s new content, including a standard Display Audio system with a 6.1-inch touchscreen, six speakers (two more than in the starter model), a USB port, Bluetooth technology for hands-free calling and music streaming, and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls. Along with a carry-over Premium Package that provides 16-inch wheels, foglights and a power moonroof, the Corolla LE also now offers a Premium Interior Package with an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, four-way power-adjustable front-passenger’s seat, automatic climate control, auto on/off reflector-style halogen headlights, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel; opting for the Premium Complete Package further piles on amenities like navigation and the company’s Entune connectivity/infotainment system.

Premium packaging on the enthusiast-oriented 2013 Toyota Corolla S—starting at $18,230—is similar to what you get with the LE, although owners further welcome a bigger 17-inch wheel design, as well as aero body pieces that include front and rear underbody spoilers as well as a rear spoiler.

2013 Toyota Corolla: Rating the Rivals

Now, as mentioned at the beginning of this piece, the 2013 Toyota Corolla lags considerably behind its rivals in fuel efficiency. But it’s important to note that most of the discrepancy comes on the highway side of the ledger, and in the premium trim grades, which helps the Corolla stay fairly competitive for a fair number of shoppers. And that’s particularly the case for those on a budget, who will find that the most fuel-efficient cars from Ford, Chevy and Dodge also require price premiums for fancier powertrains. Consider, for example, the following chart, which lists only base models:

Vehicle

MSRP

Best EPA

Output (hp/torque)

Toyota Corolla

$16,230

27/34/30 (5MT)

132/128

Chevy Cruze

$17,130

25/36/29 (6MT)

138/125

Ford Focus

$16,200

26/36/30 (5MT)

160/146

Dodge Dart

$15,995

25/36/29 (6MT)

160/148

Honda Civic

$15,955

28/36/31 (5MT)

140/128

Nissan Sentra

$15,990

27/36/tbd (CVT)

130/128

Hyundai Elantra

$16,815

28/38/32 (6MT)

148/131

The Corolla is, obviously, more fuel-efficient in the city than the Focus, Cruze, and Dart, with better combined numbers than the latter two. It will no doubt be interesting to see what kind of EPA marks Toyota gets out of the all-new Corolla, due in the 2014 model year.