CD Article: 2009 Toyota Corolla and Matrix

[Mitlov]

-lack of innovation, base 1.8 with 6hp increase?? Come on! And it's mated to a 4sp auto. Even the Honda Fit has 5sp. And the 2.4 engine is just lame for XRS duty. I understand that Toyota wants to put in existing engine designs rather than creating a new engine, and just so happens that at the moment, there aren't any "sporty" 4cyl in their disposal. Ok, fair enough.

Actually, TRD makes a dealer-installed supercharger for the Scion tC in the United States, which pushes performance up to ~200hp and gives it some forced-induction attitude.  Why this supercharger isn't standard on the new Corolla/Matrix XRS is utterly beyond me.

[UmroAyyar]

-lack of innovation, base 1.8 with 6hp increase?? Come on! And it's mated to a 4sp auto. Even the Honda Fit has 5sp. And the 2.4 engine is just lame for XRS duty. I understand that Toyota wants to put in existing engine designs rather than creating a new engine, and just so happens that at the moment, there aren't any "sporty" 4cyl in their disposal. Ok, fair enough.

Actually, TRD makes a dealer-installed supercharger for the Scion tC in the United States, which pushes performance up to ~200hp and gives it some forced-induction attitude.  Why this supercharger isn't standard on the new Corolla/Matrix XRS is utterly beyond me.

The previous Corolla/Matrix XRS had a factory supercharger bolted onto the 1.8L engine producing around 175hp and was only available with manual transmission.

[JSCC]

I remember it being a N/A engine, same one as the Celica GT-S.

[2hondas]

-lack of innovation, base 1.8 with 6hp increase?? Come on! And it's mated to a 4sp auto. Even the Honda Fit has 5sp. And the 2.4 engine is just lame for XRS duty. I understand that Toyota wants to put in existing engine designs rather than creating a new engine, and just so happens that at the moment, there aren't any "sporty" 4cyl in their disposal. Ok, fair enough.

Actually, TRD makes a dealer-installed supercharger for the Scion tC in the United States, which pushes performance up to ~200hp and gives it some forced-induction attitude.  Why this supercharger isn't standard on the new Corolla/Matrix XRS is utterly beyond me.

The previous Corolla/Matrix XRS had a factory supercharger bolted onto the 1.8L engine producing around 175hp and was only available with manual transmission.

I don't think so. 

The XRS had the Celica GTS's higher performance 1.8L engine. No forced induction.

[Mitlov]

I remember it being a N/A engine, same one as the Celica GT-S.

That's correct.  Previous XRS was a gutless, high-revving N/A engine, not a forced induction engine.

[articsteve]

Previous XRS was a gutless, high-revving N/A engine, not a forced induction engine

So blame Yamaha, not Toyota. 

[Wolfe]

The side profile of Corolla makes me think it's actually a refresh of the current model, rather than a completely new body.

Well, there is precedent.

7th generation Corolla 1993-1997



8th generation Corolla 1998-2002




Evolution is a slow process.


As for the new cars: Corolla , Matrix 

[rrocket]

That's correct.  Previous XRS was a gutless, high-revving N/A engine, not a forced induction engine.

That "gutless" engine was only down 10HP to your VW engine, no?? (I'm no VW expert so feel free to correct me here.)  And IIRC it ran almost identical 0-60 and 1/4 miles times as your VW.  Can't be that "gutless", can it?

But if you mean "torque-less" instead of "gutless" I agree 100%. 

[Snowman]

That's correct.  Previous XRS was a gutless, high-revving N/A engine, not a forced induction engine.

That "gutless" engine was only down 10HP to your VW engine, no?? (I'm no VW expert so feel free to correct me here.)  And IIRC it ran almost identical 0-60 and 1/4 miles times as your VW.  Can't be that "gutless", can it?

But if you mean "torque-less" instead of "gutless" I agree 100%. 

RPM management was key to unlock the benefit of the VVT-i in the Vibe GT I had. It behaved much like a turbocharged car with lag but once engaged was quite fun.

[UmroAyyar]

I stand corrected. The XRS models indeed had Celica GT-S's 1.8litre engine. The numbers reported by CanadianDriver are interesting, 170hp for Corolla XRS and 180hp for Matrix XRS. 

Matrix XRS
Import competitors include the 160 horsepower two-door Honda Civic SiR ($25,500), the turbocharged 180 horsepower two-door VW GTI 1.8T ($25,895), the turbocharged 150 horsepower two-door VW New Beetle 1.8T ($26,875) and the upcoming 170 horsepower two-door Ford Focus SVT hatchback. Four-door competitors (other than the Vibe) include the 165 horsepower Subaru Impreza AWD 2.5RS Wagon ($21,995), and possibly the 227 horsepower Subaru WRX AWD Wagon ($34,995).

The Matrix XRS' 180 horsepower is at or near the top of its class (other than the WRX), but its maximum torque is developed at a relatively high 6800 rpm - the turbocharged GTI for example develops maximum torque at just 1,950 rpm. The Matrix XRS' 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of 9 seconds is not as quick as the WRX (6.3 sec.), GTI (7.8 sec), Civic SiR (8.5 sec), and Impreza 2.5 RS (8.5 sec.), but its average fuel economy of 8.2 l/100 km is the best in its class. Other than the Vibe, it's the only one to offer a 6-speed manual transmission.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/testdrives/03matrix_xrs.htm

Corolla XRS
The latest edition to the hot sedan club is the 2005 Toyota Corolla XRS. Equipped with the Toyota Celica GT-S' high-revving 170 horsepower 1.8 litre four cylinder powerplant and six-speed manual transmission, the XRS is not your mother's Corolla. 0 to 100 km/h in under 8 seconds, improved lateral grip, better braking, and greater driving enjoyment are all benefits of the XRS which goes for $24,185 - compared to $19,955 for the 130 horsepower 2005 Corolla Sport model.

The Corolla XRS has lots of competition, a disadvantage of being late to the party: the Nissan Sentra SE-R (165 hp) and SE-R Spec V (175 hp), Mazda3 GT (160 hp), Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart (160 hp), Honda Civic Si (127 hp), Subaru Impreza 2.5RS (165 hp), Dodge SX 2.0 R/T (150 hp), Saturn Ion Redline (200 hp), and the upcoming Chevrolet Cobalt SS (205 hp) and Pontiac Pursuit GT (170 hp). The Dodge SRT-4 (230 hp) could also be considered a competitor based on its price.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/testdrives/05corollaxrs.htm

It will be interesting to see the numbers for these compact cars with the 2.4litre engine.

[Mitlov]

But if you mean "torque-less" instead of "gutless" I agree 100%. 

As I've heard the term used, "gutless" means "torqueless," even if there's a big hit of power near the redline.  So yes, I was talking about torque-less.

[rrocket]

^^^^I think if you compare your car with the Corolla XRS.....0-60 they might be very close.  But from a roll, or poking around in a gear...when you mash it, the HUGE torque bump in your car is what makes it ALOT more appealing.

Any update on your car? How are you liking it after several weeks of ownership?  Any quirks or anything you don't like?

[Mitlov]

Any update on your car? How are you liking it after several weeks of ownership? 

Abso-f#$$ing-lutely love it.  I'll post a detailed update in the show-and-shine thread sometime in the next week.

Any quirks or anything you don't like?

The headlights are aimed too low.  That's the only thing I don't like.  Quirks?  It's a VeeDub, it's full of 'em

[rrocket]

Has the car been lowered?  If it has, that can cause headlights to shoot too low...

[Mitlov]

Has the car been lowered?  If it has, that can cause headlights to shoot too low...

Nope.  And I think either C&D or Automobile recently complained that the headlights were aimed too low on their long-term-test GTI MkV, so it might just be a VW thing.

[rrocket]

^^^^Yea..that GTI they tested had plenty of repairs and quirks, eh??

[Mitlov]

^^^^Yea..that GTI they tested had plenty of repairs and quirks, eh??

At least it didn't leave them by the side of the road like their 2006 330i.  Most of those "repairs" on the GTI were to fix rattles anyway.

[Seafoam]

-lack of innovation, base 1.8 with 6hp increase?? Come on! And it's mated to a 4sp auto. Even the Honda Fit has 5sp. And the 2.4 engine is just lame for XRS duty. I understand that Toyota wants to put in existing engine designs rather than creating a new engine, and just so happens that at the moment, there aren't any "sporty" 4cyl in their disposal. Ok, fair enough.

Actually, TRD makes a dealer-installed supercharger for the Scion tC in the United States, which pushes performance up to ~200hp and gives it some forced-induction attitude.  Why this supercharger isn't standard on the new Corolla/Matrix XRS is utterly beyond me.

The previous Corolla/Matrix XRS had a factory supercharger bolted onto the 1.8L engine producing around 175hp and was only available with manual transmission.

I don't think so. 

The XRS had the Celica GTS's higher performance 1.8L engine. No forced induction.

You could however buy a TRD supercharger in the U.S. for the base 1.8
engine[not XRS] and bolt it on. When toyota went drive by wire on the 05 corolla's the blower was no longer compatible. Also this blower was available at pontiac dealers for the Vibe's

[sirAQUAMAN64]

^^^^Yea..that GTI they tested had plenty of repairs and quirks, eh??

At least it didn't leave them by the side of the road like their 2006 330i.  Most of those "repairs" on the GTI were to fix rattles anyway.

Link? I can't find it.