OVERVIEW

The Corolla iM will catch the eye with its snazzy hatch style, and its affordable price will create a smile. Bargain priced, its 137-hp four-cylinder is a snoozer, but what the iM lacks in power it makes up for with its list of standard features. These include an aero body kit, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, and active safety tech such as automated emergency braking. Apart from that, Toyota’s hip hatchback is a one-size-fits-all model with minimal options. Buyers content with its econobox performance will still enjoy the Corolla iM’s combination of cool and cheap.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

Save the manuals! We love that the standard transmission on the Corolla iM is a six-speed shift-it-yourself unit. Now save your excitement because the iM’s underpowered four-cylinder engine will drain whatever reserves you might have left. The iM is also available with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). We’re not proponents of CVTs, but Toyota’s operates better than most of its rivals’. Hot-hatch styling suggests the Corolla iM is quick and athletic. It isn’t. While it doesn’t shy away from spirited driving on two-lane roads, its engine needs to be thrashed to extract even modest acceleration, killing the fun before it barely gets started. The Corolla iM shares most of its underpinnings with the pedestrian Corolla sedan, but it benefits from an independent rear suspension (the sedan uses a less sophisticated setup) that helps provide a compliant ride and better handling. The iM’s shocks are stiff enough to minimize body motions without sacrificing comfort, and its steering is relatively precise. Despite its comfortable ride, harsh bumps and rough surfaces are communicated to the cabin by shakes and rattles.