2012 Toyota Corolla Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Toyota Corolla overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Corolla, and includes Toyota Corolla safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The 2012 Toyota Corolla is a compact, front-wheel-drive, five-passenger sedan built to compete with models such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, and Mazda3. Three trim levels are available, all of which draw power from a four-cylinder engine.

Unlike days of old, the modern compact sedan is anything but a stripped-down four-door. Case in point: the 2012 Toyota Corolla. This year’s model has been updated with standard amenities like power windows and door locks, as well as keyless entry. Mid-level LE variants now boast an iPod-compatible USB port, Bluetooth connectivity, and steering wheel-mounted audio controls, while the monosyllabic S model arrives with new double-stitched upholstery.

With the base L trim receiving upgrades like standard power windows and door locks, the idea of a true econobox Corolla is history. As noted above, the collection of comfort and convenience amenities includes keyless entry, which is added to a list that features a four-speaker audio system with an auxiliary jack, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, an exterior temperature gauge, a trip computer, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, air conditioning, and, unfortunately, a set of lackluster 15-inch steel wheels. The only option is an audio upgrade that fits the Corolla L with an extra pair of speakers, an iPod-compatible USB port, Bluetooth connectivity, and steering wheel-mounted controls.

Those stereo upgrades are standard on the 2012 Corolla LE, as are 16-inch steel rims, heated mirrors, cruise control, metallic interior accents, and a sportier steering wheel. More significant differences can be found under the options heading, where the LE’s Premium Package resides with its power moonroof, 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, and a touch-screen navigation system. Toyota’s Entune mobile media feature is also part of the deal, employing Bluetooth technology and the user’s smartphone to open the door to applications such as Pandora streaming music and a limited version of the Bing search engine.

The moonroof and navigation system with Entune are optional on the Corolla S, as well. Standard goods on this trim level include sport front seats, unique 16-inch alloys, a lower body kit, smoked headlight lenses, analog gauges, and a chrome exhaust tip. But, c’mon. This model isn’t actually sporty.

What you won’t find on the Corolla S is any type of engine upgrade, meaning it, like the L and LE, draws power from a 1.8-liter four-banger that cranks out 132 horses and 128 pound-feet of torque. Transmission offerings include a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic.

According to the EPA, drivers can expect to average 34 mpg on the highway with either gearbox, but the stick-shift’s 27-mpg city rating betters the automatic’s by one mpg.

As is the case with other Toyotas, every 2012 Corolla is backed by a two-year/25,000-mile free-maintenance plan that includes roadside assistance. The basic warranty spans three years or 36,000 miles, while the powertrain is covered for five years or 60,000 miles. But, based on its placement on Consumer Reports’ list of Recommended vehicles, it’s safe to assume that Corolla buyers will rarely encounter a need for unscheduled service. J.D. Power and Associates had not published 2012 predicted reliability ratings at the time of this writing, though it should be noted that the 2011 model scored very well in this regard.

From a safety perspective, the Corolla promises to serve and protect with standard stability control, antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, six airbags, and technology engineered to stop the vehicle if and when the gas and brake pedals are pressed simultaneously. Charged with bringing things to a halt are vented front discs and old-school rear drums.

Put it all together and you have a compact sedan that earned four stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) front-impact and rollover categories (overall and side-impact crash-test results were not available when this review was written). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) hadn’t published results for the 2012 Corolla as we published this review, though last year’s essentially identical model was named one of that organization’s Top Safety Picks.

Think back to 1968 and there’s a good chance the vehicles you imagine are big American cars with V8 engines sporting hundreds upon hundreds of cubic inches. Interestingly enough, that was also the year the Corolla made its U.S. debut. Forty-four years later, the relatively little Toyota soldiers on, while many of that era’s thirsty land barges have gone the way of the dinosaur.

As a decades-long survivor of the ever-changing and often fickle U.S. car market, the Toyota Corolla deserves its fair share of respect. Through the years and countless iterations, this compact car has existed as a trusted and economical chariot depended upon by millions of American drivers. However, remove the history and you find a 2012 model that lacks the style, power and efficiency of a burgeoning crop of redesigned and all-new rivals.

By Thom Blackett