Toyota Corolla Quest 1.8 Executive Review (2020): A search rewarded
With the new Corolla Quest, Toyota has ditched ‘cheap’ and made it more comfortable, spacious and luxurious than the old Quest. We get behind the wheel to see how it shapes up as a daily driver.
The year 1966 saw the birth of a legend. Along with the introduction of Miranda rights (“You have the right to remain silent”, and so on) the première of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and the growing popularity of the mini skirt, a funny-looking little car rolled off a production line in Japan. Affordable, practical and reliable, it soon became the world’s favourite car, spanning twelve generations.
Production of the 11th generation Corolla came to an end in 2019. Like before, Toyota rebranded the retiring car as Corolla Quest, making it a touch more affordable at the same time. Now, this may sound like a cheap shot, but the result is an affordable “compact sedan” that offers more space than you’ll know what to do with, while keeping the luxuries presented in the 11th generation Corolla.
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Styling
The reason you don’t often see Corollas delivering celebrities to red carpets is partly because it has never been much of a looker. But, with the 11th generation Corolla, it was clear Toyota had begun to change that. Of course, new Corolla Quest mimics that styling almost exactly. The bubble-like lights of the previous generation Quest, front and rear, have been made sharper and more aggressive than previous generations. One might venture the opinion that they look really good. The grille and bumper look like they were nicked off a very fast car and help establish a sporty character not seen for many years.
From the outside, the Quest does seem like a compact sedan. The styling is inoffensive but not dull, and its proportions are balanced, even though the nose is quite long and the rear appears short from some angles.
Drive
Overall the Corolla Quest is very comfortable on the road. It glides over all types of asphalt effortlessly and quietly. Turning the steering wheel is simpler than breathing, and braking brings the Quest to a stop on a dime.
The test car was equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission, which has its pros and cons. Compared to the CVT automatic, one can realistically expect less whining from the manual variant and more controlled shifting between gears.
Shifting gears manually is a pleasant experience in the Quest, with the exception of switching from second to third gear. This particular transition seems impossible to nail smoothly – unless performed very slowly. The shifting experience is largely sullied by the sponge-like clutch and throttle; both of which suffer from a large amount of play before engaging.
That being said, there is nothing wrong with them either. They do not encourage exuberant driving, but a fun car is not the Quest’s reason for existence. On the positive side, no matter how you drive or where you are going, the Corolla Quest is comfortable in town and especially on the long road.
Adding to the theme of non-exuberant driving is the push-button start, which doesn’t always allow the engine to turn over immediately (especially when you are in a rush and don’t follow the correct procedure accurately). But, the biggest challenge in driving the Corolla Quest daily might just be the droopy nose. Something the car definitely wasn’t happy with, was driving over average-sized speed bumps at any speed above 20 km/h. This led to scraping the underside of the front bumper. Going over bumps or any other undulating terrain too fast might just see you losing the bumper. Given local road conditions and hurried South African drivers, this could be a problem.
Related: How to change a battery on a used Toyota Corolla, or a new Corolla Quest
Performance
The Corolla Quest’s 1.8 litre, four-cylinder, naturally-aspirated engine produces a maximum of 103 kW and 173 Nm. While these figures won’t get anyone excited, the car exploits this modest output well. Torque is available nearly from the get-go, while power output is linear. Most of the torque is available between 1 000 and 3 000 rpm, which means acceleration is seamless and stronger than expected. Paired with the silence and general comfort in the cabin, one very quickly forgets the Quest isn’t weighed down by a premium price tag.
In general, the gear shifter effortlessly slips into each ratio, with a subtle but satisfying “click”. With power and torque always readily available, zipping through town is simple, even if you suddenly find yourself in one of the higher gears while progress has slowed. Long drives are a pleasant experience: just pop it into sixth gear, activate the cruise control, and enjoy the comfort of the Quest.
Space and Comfort
While the budget-friendly Quest is no Lexus LS inside, but it does feel upmarket, mostly because of the black leather upholstery and integrated touch-screen infotainment system. Linking your smartphone via Bluetooth is easy and allows for hands-free functionality and in-car entertainment. The controls on the steering wheel can accept or end phone calls and adjust the music volume, but that’s it. Other functions still require the driver to look away from the road.
Get into the cabin or open the boot, and the amount of space on offer all round is almost overwhelming. All seats provide premium comfort with ample leg-room. With a claimed capacity of 452 litres, the boot easily swallows just about anything you want to take with you.
Safety
The Corolla Quest comes with a respectable array of safety features, like five airbags, ABS with EBD, and electronic stability control. In the Executive guise, cruise control, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and auto-wipers add to the safety of the Quest. A rear-seatbelt warning light (that can’t be missed) reminds the driver to make sure any rear passengers are buckled up.
When shifting to reverse, the reverse-view camera quickly starts up and was used more than masculinity cares to admit. Unfortunately, the camera doesn’t perform well in bright light.
Related: Top 5 things you need to know about the new Toyota Corolla Quest
Fuel Consumption
Toyota claims consumption of 7.0 l/100 km for the manual variant, while our test vehicle averaged 8.0 l/100 km. This figure followed a 50/50 mix of freeway and town driving. While this is not a bad figure, it is not particularly good either.
For the automatic model, Toyota claims average fuel consumption of 6.3 l/100km. This figure will most likely also see some real-world inflation.
Price
The Toyota Corolla Quest 1.8 Executive we drove retails for R307 400, making it excellent value for money, given the superb driving quality, luxuries, comfort and space. Prices start at R249 900 and Toyota has gone a long way in ensuring value for money at every price point in the Quest range.
Verdict
The 2020 Corolla sedan is a much different car to its 1966 ancestor, especially because of its R380 000 starting price. However, the introduction of the Corolla Quest has re-rooted Corolla in its heritage. With the increasing popularity of SUVs and crossovers, it has become tough being a sedan. The Corolla Quest, however, puts the power of utilitarianism back in the hands of those who seek a practical, affordable and reliable car. It’s also a huge improvement over its predecessor.
Corolla Quest is not a name ever uttered with breathless excitement. But with the new model, Toyota has hit value for money out the park, and that’s probably of more value than an increase in your heart rate. Just remember to take it easy over speed bumps.
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