Test Drive Toyota Corolla 2007 - 2009 Hatchback

All photos Toyota Corolla 2007 - 2009

Everyone for themselves

In this market segment, the Japanese are fighting for Russian money with other Japanese. Sedans that grew up from a golf class, at a price of about 20 thousand dollars, meet a new player: Nissan against Toyota and Mitsubishi. A fight, where everyone for himself, judges Sergey Voskresensky. Photo: Konstantin Yakubov.

Mitsubishi Lancer.
The tenth generation of Ulan with the body of the sedan is sold in Russia since June 2007.
Engines: 1.5; 2,0l (109,150 hp).
Gearbox: 5-speed mechanical, 4-speed automatic or variator with 6 fixed gears (2.0 l).
Options: Invite, Invite +, Intense.
Price in Russia: 482 000 - 651 000 rubles. ($ 19600-26500).
Nissan Tiida.
We have sedan and hatchback sales started in the fall of 2007, in the market of America a car under the name of the versa selling for several years.
Engines: gasoline 1.6; 1.8 L (110, 126 hp).
Transmission: 5-speed mechanical or 4-step automaton, 6-speed mechanics (1.8 l).
Complete set: Comfort, Elegance, Tekna.
Price in Russia: 499 900-600 900 rubles. ($ 20400-24500).
Toyota Corolla
The debut of the next version of the popular car took place in 2006, since February 2007, the new Corolla is sold in Russia.
Engines: gasoline 1.4; 1.6 L (97, 124l.s.).
Transmission: 5-speed mechanical or automated.
Comfort: Comfort, Elegance, Prestige.
Price in Russia: 529,500-661 000 rubles. ($ 21600-27000).

Meet the clothes
To love the eyes of Mitsubishi Lancer, it seems possible to loss. Stylish, rapid front part, expressive profile and feed. Inside the car you are in the inertia weave the tongue, overlooking the spacious interior, giving tribute to clear scales. This is perfectly suitable for comfortable seats, low landing, flawless grip steering, gearbox lever. It seems trone ignition key - and even a modest 1.5-liter engine whirlwind will respond to your mood.
Well done machine creators! Delights do not notice the taste of synthetics in everything. You do not pay attention that plastics are not only digging, but also frankly cheap; That the front head racks are heavy, and the mechanism of controlling the box is noisy and vague. But Ulan is undoubtedly ready for criticism. Yes, something was saved, well, and the rest is a tribute of the alleged five-star security.
Unconvincing? Then pay attention to the elastic motor, an easily accelerating machine with a 1200 rpm. Of course, he is hard to touch the 16-inch wheels from the spot, it is not easy to be energetic when quickly driving. However, for everyday life, the engine and transmission are well balanced. The operating range is widely selected. That's just noise after 3000 rpm Lancer becomes like a bullshit metal box, in which it is impossible to speak normally. Save to shu-mowing? It seems. Indeed, on the two-liter version of this was not and in risen.
There was no compounded steering. At first glance, it is strictly and informative, Lancer again begins to play muscles. His reactions are fast, temperamental, impulsive, but alas: they again pushed the synthetics. The steering wheel is clamped on direct and requires effort for an almost invisible eye correction. In a rapid turn, an artificial stabilizing effect is almost unchanged, so you can guess about the beginning of the slip, you can only change the trajectory. And then the high springs of the suspension also interfere. Mi-Tsubisi is very effectively clinging to the road with powerful wheels, but reaching the limit, slunctually slides the front axle outside.
In general, Lancer Yapik and charming, but the settings of the budget version of the too artificial and may not justify expectations.

Take on manneram
In the frequency lines of racks, high roof, skinny wheels and a large trunk of Nissan-Tiid there is something unpacable relative to him with a popular Renault. Although almost a changeable tide (tidis translated) is not deprived of pretty branded damns.
From the inside the machine is restrained. Wide and flat front panel, compact, traditional combination of devices, simple steering wheel and lever boxes are not trying to take possession of your attention. Only corporate climatic installation hints at some originality. A little later, pay attention to good upholstery materials, soft plastics, unexpectedly cozy armrests. And immediately you will subscribe to an uncomfortable seat - with a short back up with a pillow, why, by the way, an externally high roof suddenly hangs over the top of the top. Finally, mark the unusual location of the adjusting handles, and with it, and the obsessive proximity of the seating on the right of the passenger. Lancer is much spacious! And only sitting down from behind, where you can throw my leg to the leg, you know, for whom all this is done. In the head flashes the word taxi.
For a peculiar architecture of the tiid body hides an increased laptop platform. Produce this model in Mexico. So on the move of Tiida, it will not be determined with the national and class affiliation! Hence the shortcomings and inconsideration in the driving characteristics.
Empty in force of the steering wheel Nissan - the complete opposite of Mitsubishi. The reaction of the machine, which is also prone to digs at speeds above 140 km / h, sluggish and thoughtful. In principle, all this can be considered insignificant. Indeed, within the framework of the rules of the road, the behavior of the tidis is quite reliable, it is understood even predictable. And only moving the line, you understand what the variability of the tide.
Commonwealth of an inclusive gearbox and flexible motor, on the contrary, looks very impressive. Tiid is light, canceled almost with the speed of idle. Perhaps the only thing that the motor is not enough - brightness, aggression in the zone of high revolutions. Not tires Nissan and noise accompaniment. Basovic notes of the engine penetrate the cabin approximately with 3000 rpm, but it is rather a background that does not interfere with communication.
Oh, there would be more comfortable pendants! And they - on the contrary, short-terrestrial, as if from the donor class below. Tidis pretty hard leads itself on small irregularities, demonstrating a jumping and a strong vertical star at a good speed.
Drivers without special ambitions are tidis for whom. Justice for the sake of: It is with such best that passengers feel.

Watch around the mind
The restraint of Corolla must be taken without reservations, otherwise it is better to refuse it. Toyota is not going to play with you, promising something more. She is as it is.
You can reproach a complete set of test machine in excess tackle: manual rear windows, deliberately plastic steering wheel, knob knob box. You can agree to the defiantly bright backlight of the instruments. Then you will have to spit on a short seat pillow, praising too high landing, and push the passenger's elbow a couple of times. Wow! The car seems to be big, but not very free.
But soon, without even noticing how it happened, you begin to pick up comfortable and spacious boxes, the verified clarity of the gearbox control, informative pedals, pleasant ram of the ram, adjustable, by the way, in the longitudinal direction. Each twist, lever, the button is not only located in the right place, but also pleasant to the touch. And the car, as if an old friend, surrounds care and attention.
Extra one and a half dozen horses under the hood tangible. Of course, they can be reproached for Lenza on small (up to 2000) revs. In this sense and Tiid looks more likely, energetic. But the engine Corollane is no equal, as soon as the tachometer arrow skips a three thousandths. For her - no longer just a good car: he is a born, with a light, in the character of power, energy and sense of superiority.
In the leaders of the Corolla and acoustic comfort. She does not press the sound of the graduation system like Lancer; Its motor sings at high speeds quieter than in tidida; Aerodynamics is also better than competitors. But there are weaknesses. The wheels are rapidly reacting to the roughness of the coating, filling the salon with a loud roe. They must be raised from the road every pebble, sand and grip on the metal. The ringing is worth such that you start to complain about the unacceptable roads, but you will relocate into another car - asphalt as if you were drunk!
Dense, elastic pendants manage to pamper comfort. At high speeds, a little tired by a detailed repetition of the road profile. But it is worth a little reset the tempo - the waves of the highway as if curly profile, the car stops jumping along their tops. In this, Corolla is very similar to Lancer, but he is slightly tougher in small irregularities.
It is unlikely that this car can be required to be more strong manageability. Corolla does not bother at all, her steering wheel is accurate and informative, the car is obedient and friendly. The main sensation was exactly so many positive sensations for his money as expected. Or maybe even more!
So, today's medium-class Japanese are no longer non-smoky lots, what they once were heard. Rather - very diverse, with a claim for bright characters. When the cars were built for the final group photo, an analogy of the film model came to mind: a manifold ballobs; Cautious coward; Thoroughly used. Remembered? The famous Trinity of the Soviet cinema is dumbfounded, but everyone is charming in his own way. Our car moonshoes are worse!
Sergey Voskresensky: I think more and more often: is it worth an infinitely increase the cars in the amount and mass, hiding behind ecology and security concern? Surely there are other paths of evolution, and no less interesting.
Mitsubishi Lancer - Having received a fashionable uniform and a spacious roomy salon, he painted the balance in the riding settings, at least in an inexpensive configuration.
Total rating of 7.8.
+ Expressive, convenient for the driver and passengers, well equipped, suspension is comfortable and energy-intensive.
- mediocre acoustic comfort, non-communal luggage compartment.
Nissan Tiida - for the dispute of some solutions is hidden quite well-thought-out, well equipped and quite practical vehicle, with the calculation of rational people.
Total rating of 7.8.
+ Spacious rear passengers, a spacious trunk, an elastic engine, good finishing materials.
- Inexpressive handling and smoothness, inconvenient landing of the driver.
Toyota Corolla - Someone she will seem too correct and uninteresting. You can destroy the stereotype only .. Checking the car in business.
Total rating of 8.1
+ Well-thought-out ergonomics, balanced, with a light of driving capabilities, a spacious trunk.
- Closed, especially for rear passengers, is poorly protected from road garbage.