Winter driving is the great equalizer. My LE has good winter tires on it which means the power the car does have, I can get to the ground. It is a good deal of fun to pass the leadfoots who have to depend on traction control to get away from the ice glazed intersections that their predecessors left. I suspect that the four-speed automatic transmission, as found on my LE, may not be first away from the stop light in the summer, but it certainly can be in the winter.
Suspension
Along with acceleration, the tires allow me to give the suspension a better work out than you would expect. The MacPherson struts up front are pliable enough in -20 weather to keep the ride smooth and bump free. A torsion beam rear axle keeps the tail off the ground and in line. When you know the tail is going to stay where it is supposed to even on rougher roads, driving is a lot more fun. I managed to do a few entrance and exit ramp corners at speeds near the limit (no ice!!) and the grin on my face started to grow.
Driving Impressions
My expectations for the LE were that it would be a good entry level car or a great car for an older, frugal couple, I didn’t actually expect to have fun driving, particularly on our icy roads. The next time I see one of my long time friends who used to race a Corolla, they will probably start off with “I told you so”.
The limited amount of highway driving that I’ve done with the car shows that it gets shirtsleeve warm inside. Yes, the shirt had long sleeves, but still just a shirt. The windows stayed clear and the drive was excellent. When the shocks warmed up, the ride was better than in town but the roads, about as bad.
There were a couple of things on the Corolla I never had time to check out because press schedules are always tight and there is little time for vehicle maintenance. On the coldest of days, the engine temp gauge didn’t reach what I would consider normal operating range, but always put out heat. I suspect a simple adjustment would cure this perceived problem. The other problem was that I kept banging my head on the top of the door opening. In actuality, it was only a couple of times, I’m a relatively fast learner. The relationship of the door opening to the seat is a bit deceiving and is a bit farther than you expect. I found that if I kept my head down for about a tenth of a second longer, no problem. Those of average height will not have an issue.
Just remember, it is tough to complain while grinning and I’m still grinning!
Suspension
Along with acceleration, the tires allow me to give the suspension a better work out than you would expect. The MacPherson struts up front are pliable enough in -20 weather to keep the ride smooth and bump free. A torsion beam rear axle keeps the tail off the ground and in line. When you know the tail is going to stay where it is supposed to even on rougher roads, driving is a lot more fun. I managed to do a few entrance and exit ramp corners at speeds near the limit (no ice!!) and the grin on my face started to grow.
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| For 2010 the Corolla is the same 10th generation, but different over last year. (LE model) (Photo: Toyota) |
Driving Impressions
My expectations for the LE were that it would be a good entry level car or a great car for an older, frugal couple, I didn’t actually expect to have fun driving, particularly on our icy roads. The next time I see one of my long time friends who used to race a Corolla, they will probably start off with “I told you so”.
The limited amount of highway driving that I’ve done with the car shows that it gets shirtsleeve warm inside. Yes, the shirt had long sleeves, but still just a shirt. The windows stayed clear and the drive was excellent. When the shocks warmed up, the ride was better than in town but the roads, about as bad.
There were a couple of things on the Corolla I never had time to check out because press schedules are always tight and there is little time for vehicle maintenance. On the coldest of days, the engine temp gauge didn’t reach what I would consider normal operating range, but always put out heat. I suspect a simple adjustment would cure this perceived problem. The other problem was that I kept banging my head on the top of the door opening. In actuality, it was only a couple of times, I’m a relatively fast learner. The relationship of the door opening to the seat is a bit deceiving and is a bit farther than you expect. I found that if I kept my head down for about a tenth of a second longer, no problem. Those of average height will not have an issue.
Just remember, it is tough to complain while grinning and I’m still grinning!
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