LVSteve
Member
Yep, I've been on another road trip, this time in a 2015 Corolla with a CVT gearbox. I had the 4-speed auto last time and reported on it here. http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/368368-rental-car-review-2013-toyota-corolla-s-looong.html
Here are the major differences.
1) CVT makes the car feel much peppier. When you give it the berries the CVT emulates a 7-speed auto, revving up to the redline and shifting such that the revs fall back into the meat of the (meagre) powerband. The smaller and smoother CVT style transitions in revs when climbing hills were very welcome. Way better than the 4-speed box that switched from lugging to braying under such conditions.
2) The CVT allows 2000 rpm @ 75 mph cruising when the terrain is flat. Makes the vehicle very quiet on a good surface, but does not have a huge effect on mileage. Oddly, the instant fuel readout does not really change if you maintain speed on the cruise control but switch to the sport mode, meaning 2500 rpm @ 75 mph. I think at 2k revs is almost too low for best efficiency with this 1.8 motor. Overall trip mileage still better than the 4-speed dinosaur, though.
3) The CVT is so smart and integrated with the cruise control that it downshifted to hold back my speed on a steep downhill. Caught me a bit by surprise until I realised what it was doing. Kudos to Toyota.
4) Bluetooth integrated fine with my phone but the software locks out the selection of phone numbers while the car is in motion. WTH? Major MMI fail.
5) Having been forced by point 4 to use the voice control on your phone (if fitted), you'd better be on a very well surfaced highway, because I think the Corolla's mike picks up too much road noise. You may guess how I know.
Things that were unfortunately the same as the older model.
1) The front suspension wasn't fighting itself like the last Corolla, but it still behaves like a banana boat in a hurricane in any wind. The Kia Soul is massively better in this respect.
2) Still rather noisy over certain surfaces.
Here are the major differences.
1) CVT makes the car feel much peppier. When you give it the berries the CVT emulates a 7-speed auto, revving up to the redline and shifting such that the revs fall back into the meat of the (meagre) powerband. The smaller and smoother CVT style transitions in revs when climbing hills were very welcome. Way better than the 4-speed box that switched from lugging to braying under such conditions.
2) The CVT allows 2000 rpm @ 75 mph cruising when the terrain is flat. Makes the vehicle very quiet on a good surface, but does not have a huge effect on mileage. Oddly, the instant fuel readout does not really change if you maintain speed on the cruise control but switch to the sport mode, meaning 2500 rpm @ 75 mph. I think at 2k revs is almost too low for best efficiency with this 1.8 motor. Overall trip mileage still better than the 4-speed dinosaur, though.
3) The CVT is so smart and integrated with the cruise control that it downshifted to hold back my speed on a steep downhill. Caught me a bit by surprise until I realised what it was doing. Kudos to Toyota.
4) Bluetooth integrated fine with my phone but the software locks out the selection of phone numbers while the car is in motion. WTH? Major MMI fail.
5) Having been forced by point 4 to use the voice control on your phone (if fitted), you'd better be on a very well surfaced highway, because I think the Corolla's mike picks up too much road noise. You may guess how I know.
Things that were unfortunately the same as the older model.
1) The front suspension wasn't fighting itself like the last Corolla, but it still behaves like a banana boat in a hurricane in any wind. The Kia Soul is massively better in this respect.
2) Still rather noisy over certain surfaces.
