Toyota COROLLA 1.4 D4-D
Toyotas High-Tech 1.4-Litre D4-D Diesel Engine Is Well Worth Tracking Down. Andy Enright Reports
If youre the type that views riding an escalator an unnecessary gamble, Toyotas Corolla 1.4-litre D4-D diesel may well be the car for you. Were the property market were not in quite such a state of flux, we wouldnt hesitate to dub this car as safe as houses. Truth is, its as close to a risk-free vehicular purchase as youre ever likely to make.
Once in the not too distant past, purchasing this sort of security meant buying something that was about as satisfying as a thumb in the eye. The old Corolla was a case in point. It was almost as if
Toyota had engineered premium quality dullness into every moving part. The latest car is a long way removed from that sort of utilitarian blandness.
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Although you probably wouldnt mistake one for a
Ferrari Enzo, the latest Corolla is a neat piece of design, and one thats been constantly updated to stay with the best of the rest. The diesel engine line up has changed significantly and the 1.4-litre diesel shows just how quickly and how effectively technology in this particular sector has developed. When the current generation
Toyota Corolla emerged, it utilised two versions of the same 2.
0-litre D4-D diesel. The 89bhp version was carried over largely unchanged from the outgoing car and an intercooled 109bhp version that had previously seen service in the Avensis was also included. Fast forward to today and the more powerful 2.0-litre D4-D continues, though now it has 114bhp to spirit the Corolla along.
The entry level diesel is of more interest because the 2.0-litre 89bhp engine is now a 1.4-litre 89bhp. This smaller Euro IV compliant engine has the same power but delivers improvements in terms of fuel economy and emissions, while also being the first diesel to be offered with Toyotas MMT gearbox (a £500 option).
"Toyota have resisted the temptation to laud the D4-Ds as engines that usher in a new generation of sports diesel driving, which is refreshing because they dont"
The 1.4-litre D4-D engine is available in the now familiar T2, and T3 trim levels with prices looking very competitive. The entry level 1.4-litre T2 pitches in at £12,695 with the T3 relieving you of an additional £1,200.
Thats not a huge price to pay for a car thats been designed in France specifically around European tastes. Like its rival, the
Fiat Stilo, the Toyotas styling does little to betray the parent companys nationality, instead opting for the sort of clean, global village styling that many pundits would pigeonhole as Germanic. The latest post facelift Corolla can be identified predominantly through the sculpted teardrop style headlamps but changes to bonnet, grille and rear light clusters are also in evidence. Trim levels are up across the board and the T3 trim level has been given a more dynamic edge by side skirts and interior upgrades.
Three doors are on the agenda but only if you go for the 1.4-litre option in sporty T3 trim. Unlike the overwhelming majority of diesel engines finding their way into family hatches, Toyota have resisted the temptation to laud the D4-Ds as engines that usher in a new generation of sports diesel driving, which is refreshing because they dont. What the engines do offer is the sort of thing that diesels do best, namely providing superb economy allied to the predictably satisfying mid-range shove.
Both D4-D units have a deliciously gravelly feel to them that could almost be described as a husky wallop were it not for the fact that this sounds like something that could get you permanently ostracised in Inuit communities. The five-door hatch versions of the Corolla D4-D are built in Britain, the domestic build quality apparently being a key factor in the decision to award the contract. The outgoing Corolla was probably the greatest exposition of the car as an example of white goods: unexciting, utterly reliable and representing the classic low involvement buying decision. Basically, it was a vehicle bought by people who had no interest or affection for cars. Theres little doubt that a fair proportion of old Corolla buyers will suffer the effects of inertia and buy one of the latest models. Just as a number of buyers bought the
Ford Puma for its cute good looks and lucked into the fact that it was also a great drivers car, so those automotive grazers who sleepily move from one generation Corolla to the next will unwittingly find themselves at the wheel of something unexpectedly class competitive.
You lucky people. Quality is the first area of improvement. Toyota has quite unashamedly used the
Volkswagen Golf as its quality benchmark and the cabin therefore features silicone-damped grab handles, soft-touch plastics on the fascia, enough rubber-lined recesses to put a twinkle in the eye of a back-bench Tory MP and doors that say thunk rather than ding when they close. Closer inspection shows little evidence of corner cutting.
Although the steering wheel only adjusts for height, its easy to obtain a comfortable driving position and the sheer ease and intuitiveness of all the minor controls is a testament to Toyotas understanding of how we interact with a car. The trade off in playing safe is a certain lack of excitement. While the Corolla 1.4-litre D4-D is no tarmac muncher, it offers a more satisfying steer than even the range topping T Sport model.
With more than adequate muscle and almost unbelievable fuel economy, it makes getting a hustle on guilt free and enjoyable. When it comes to Corollas, the 1.4-litre D4-D is a solid home banker.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Toyota Corolla 1.4-litre D4-D range
PRICES: £12,695-£13,895
INSURANCE GROUPS: 5
CO2 EMISSIONS: 127g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 13.3s / Max Speed 112mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [114bhp] (combined) 58.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [5dr] length/width/heightmm 4180/1710/1475
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