Toyota Makes the Corolla Bigger and a Bit More Stylish

Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled a cautiously redesigned version of its best-selling Corolla sedan on Thursday. The update for 2014 aims to inject a pinch of youthful styling zip without frightening away customers who like the bland look of previous Corolla models.

The new compact, which goes on sale in the U.S. in September, balances a relatively conservative profile with a contemporary front end replete with swooping lines, sharp edges, menacing LED headlamps and a big-mouth grille.

Toyota expects the 11th generation model will easily surpass annual sales of 300,000 units in the American market. Corolla sales in the U.S. were 371,400 units in 2007. Last year they reached 290,900 units, up 21% from 2011, according to Autodata Corp.

The company hopes the new Corolla will gain buyers with a roomier design. The car is slightly lower and wider and nearly four inches longer than the current model, making it bigger than such rivals as the Ford Focus and Honda Civic.

Toyota says the car's more rounded corners make the Corolla look smaller and sleeker than the old one. The smoother shape, coupled with strategically placed aerodynamic panels under the car, help reduce the car's drag coefficient to 0.28.

Inside, 3.9 inches of additional wheelbase shifts the rear-seat hip point back about three inches and significantly improves legroom. Toyota refined the Corolla's interior with better soundproofing, more supportive and adjustable seats and an expanded list of upscale trim choices.

The base engine is Toyota's 1.8-liter four-banger, which makes 132 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque. The same engine fitted with Valvematic, Toyota's continuously variable intake valve timing system, produces 140 hp and 126 lb-ft of torque and boosts fuel economy 5%.

Toyota also will debut its first continuously variable transmission for the American market. The pulley-type unit uses seven discrete "shift" points to produce a crisper response. The CVT is optional with the base engine and standard with the Valvematic variant.

The latter engine powers a new Corolla model, the LE Eco, which is fitted with full aerodynamic underbody panels, a rear spoiler, low-rolling-resistance tires and optional aerodynamic wheels. Toyota says the Eco will have a U.S. highway fuel economy rating above 40 mpg.