The first point to remember about the 2020 version of the Toyota Quest is that it a totally new model, but not a totally new car. If that sounds a little confusing, the previous Corolla Quest was based on the 10th generation Corolla. Now the new Quest, launched just before lock-down, is based on the 11th generation Corolla.
The latest Corolla Quest is built at Toyota South Africa’s plant just outside Durban, while the new much more upmarket 12th-generation Corolla sedan, also recently launched, is built in Japan. That’s an important point to take note of, because this means that factory tooling for the latest Corolla has not been brought to South Africa.
This could mean that the latest Corolla Quest may well have a life cycle considerably longer than the normal five or six years between model changes. And if you are planning on buying a new Corolla Quest and keeping it for a long time, that should see its value retention increase, as it will not automatically be superseded by a new model.
The Quest is one of the best-selling cars in South Africa
The previous-generation Quest was a regular in the top-6 list of new-car sales. Between 2014 and late 2029 some 64 000 examples of these cars found their way onto our roads. Where does this leave the new Corolla Quest? The answer is: in a very strong position. Like its predecessor, it is an excellent value proposition.
Pricing of the new Corolla Quest
The latest Corolla Quest comes in six derivatives, all of them using a 1,8-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine developing 103 kW and 173 Nm of torque. There are three trim levels and they are each available with a 6-speed manual gearbox or with a CVT gearbox, which offers automatic operation with no clutch. Prices range from R260 000 for the Quest 1.8 manual through R295 000 for the Quest Prestige manual to R 327 300 for the top-of-the-range Quest 1.8 Exclusive Automatic.
Toyota South Africa has kept the pricing down well. When the 11th-gen Corolla was in its final on-sale phase here in 2019, pricing for the 1.8 models ranged from about R339 200 for the 1.8 Prestige to R377 400 for the 1.8 Exclusive Auto. The previous Quest, however, was a much more affordable car at R230 400 for the Quest 1.6 to R248 000 for the Quest 1.6 Plus.
Of course, the buyer of the latest Quest is getting a much more sophisticated car and with more power from a 1,8-litre motor. The previous 1.6-litre Quests had 90 kW engines.
The new Corolla Quest in brief
What you get with the new car is a more spacious 5-seater, with a large boot measuring 452 litres. The claimed 0-100 km/h time is 9,8 seconds, top speed is 200 and the fuel economy ranges between a claimed 7,0 litres/100 km to a more-economical claimed figure of 6,3 litres/100 km for the CVT model.
The entry-level 1.8 is fitted with steel wheels and wheel covers with 195/65 R15 tyres, while the Prestige and Exclusive models enjoy alloy wheels and 205/55 R16 rubber.
The entry level model has cloth upholstery, the Prestige model has a mixture of faux leather and cloth, while the top-of-the-range Exclusive models have leather upholstery.
All models have ABS braking, as well as stability control and hill-hold assistance. The entry models have 3 airbags, while the Prestige and Exclusive models have 5 airbags.
There is a touch screen infotainment system on the Prestige model and a TFT colour screen on the Exclusive, but none of the Corolla Quest models have Navigation as standard, or smart-phone mirroring. However, the Quest Exclusive has a reverse camera as standard and another luxury fitment is cruise control.
Competitors
The interesting aspect to the latest version of the Toyota Quest is that it suddenly finds itself in a market segment where many of its traditional competitors have dropped out of our local market. Hyundai has recently withdrawn its Elantra range here, and a few years ago Volkswagen discontinued its Jetta sedan range. Nissan still offers its Almera sedan in two versions, but this is an ageing model specced and priced very much as a no-frills fleet sedan and is no longer a direct competitor to the latest Corolla Quest.
For those Hyundai buyers who loved the stylish Elantra’s looks, AutoTrader currently lists 90 Used Hyundai Elantra models for sale. These cars make excellent used buys.
Thus we have chosen two similarly-priced competitors for the new Corolla Quest that would previously have been considered cars in a smaller sedan category.
Hyundai Accent. R281 900 to R320 900.
The Accent is now Hyundai’s only player in the traditional sedan market, once again illustrating the inroads that SUVs and cross over models have made on a car configuration that was once considered the mainstay of the new car market.
Corolla customers would previously not have considered the Accent as big enough for their needs, but the latest Accent sedan, with its rather dramatic dome-roof profile, is surprisingly spacious, and a genuine 5-seater.
The 1.6 Accent Fluid manual model, priced at R302 500, offers 91 kW and 156 Nm of torque, as well as a 6-speed gearbox. It offers cloth upholstery, Bluetooth connectivity and two airbags, and its 2 570 mm wheelbase offers acceptable legroom, but not quite in the new Quest’s league. Its performance is quite close to that of the Corolla Quest Manual, with a 0-100 km/h time of 10,2 seconds and a 190 km/h top speed.
Overall, it is the Accent’s sophisticated ride and performance delivery that appeals, as well as its excellent build quality. Another very enticing aspect is the 5-year (7-year mechanical) 150 000 km warranty and the 5-year/90 000 km service plan.
Volkswagen Polo Sedan. R244 300 to R306 200
In a sense this is Volkswagen’s most direct Quest competitor, as the current Polo Sedan is actually based on the previous-generation Polo, and arguably could be badged as the “Polo Vivo Sedan”.
The fact it is based on a previous-generation Polo is not a huge negative, as in many respects the earlier trim quality could easily match the latest-gen Polo. The Polo Sedan is also a very well-sorted car, with excellent road-holding and ride quality.
Size-wise, the Polo sedan is essentially a smaller car than the Corolla Quest. It nevertheless offers good room for five people, and a useful boot capacity of 454 litres, but its shorter wheelbase means it has less legroom than the Corolla.
The 1.4-Trendline model starts at R244 300, which offers 63 kW and 132 Nm of torque. The 0-100 km time is 12,8 seconds and top speed is 178 km/h. The 1.6 Trendline, with 200 extra cc, delivers 77 kW and 155 Nm, and in 5-speed manual form lowers the 0-100 km/h time to 11,1 seconds and ups the top speed to 190 km/h. Fuel consumption is claimed at 6,0 litres/100 km.
Equipment-wise, the Polo sedan comes with four airbags, ABS braking but no stability control functions. The Trendline models have steel wheels and plastic caps, while the Comfortline models have alloy wheels. They don’t have the latest modern infotainment systems enjoyed by the Polo hatch range.
Warranty-wise, the Polo sedan comes with a 3-year/120 000 km warranty, with a 45 000 km service plan as optional. In this department, the Volkswagen is out-gunned by both the Hyundai and, to a lesser extent, the Toyota.
Verdict
The Hyundai Accent and VW Polo Sedan are both excellent cars, with good dynamics and build quality. But when measured up against the latest Toyota Corolla Quest, which offers more space and more performance, and is also dynamically very competent, for your typical conservative sedan buyer, there can be only one winner here. The 5-seater sedan may be under threat as a concept, but the fact that Corolla Quest sales are still so strong is a testament to the sedan’s continued relevance.
The fact that the Corolla Quest is locally produced gives it a price advantage over its competition, as there is no import duty.This enables it to be priced close to these smaller sedan competitors. Back that up with Toyota’s reputation for amazing reliability, and even though its 3-year/100 000 km service plan and 45 000 km service plan is out-gunned by the Hyundai’s, the latest Corolla Quest makes the best sense.
Recommended next:
Toyota Corolla Quest 1.8 Executive Review (2020): A search rewarded
Top 3 things you need to know about the Nissan Almera
Toyota Corolla Quest vs Suzuki Ciaz vs Honda Ballade: which one has the best infotainment system?