Toyota Corolla T Sport- Sport Compact Car Magazine

In Europe, just as in the United States, Toyota's image is paradoxical. Its niche products, like the Celica and MR2 roadster, have stirred the loins of the enthusiast and imbued the company with some sporting cache. But the Corolla, with the exception of the AE86, which was built from 1984-1987, and Toyota's other mainstream products have been derided as worthy, but dull.

For a company with a budding Formula One team, this was unacceptable. A new Corolla had to be built and it had to invoke the passion of the company's niche products. The most obvious solution was to pinch some of the Celica's ingredients and create a hot hatch, which is exactly what Toyota's engineers have done.

In America, Toyota's engineers cooked up the Matrix XRS, which we tested in the January 2002 issue, but in Europe, the land of the hot hatch, the wagon-like Matrix wouldn't do. Toyota Europe needed a three-door hot rod to take on the Honda Civic Type R and Renault Clio.

And this is it, the new T Sport (or Toyota Sport), the first performance three-door Corolla since the FX-16 went out of production in 1992. Like the Matrix XRS, the T Sport is powered by the same 2ZZ-GE 1.8-liter engine (rated at 189 hp on that side of the pond) and six-speed gearbox as the Celica GT-S. This makes it the second most powerful car in the U.K.'s burgeoning hot hatch market, trailing only the Civic Type R.

Crucial to its success will be the T Sport's styling. The old Corolla was a Japanese blandwagon, but the new model draws heavily on the lessons learned from the successful introduction of the Yaris supermini, which was styled on the Mediterranean coast.

Buoyed by its success, Toyota tried the same trick with the Corolla, which was styled in the south of France. However, despite a plentiful supply of Beaujolais, the outcome is a little disappointing. The new Corolla is a neat and inoffensive little hatchback, but it looks too much like an amalgam of its rivals. The rear, for example, borrows heavily from the Audi A3 and the nose looks like a cross between a Ford Focus and a Honda Civic.

Sadly, the stylists have also done little to differentiate the T Sport from the rest of the range. The rear spoiler looks like an afterthought and the 16-inch alloys look lost beneath the gaping wheel arches. Some people, of course, will delight in its subtlety, but the U.K. hot hatch market was built around go-faster stripes. It's not difficult to conclude that Toyota has missed the point.

Similar criticisms can also be leveled at the cabin. The staple ingredients of a sporting interior are there, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter and lurid red dials, but the cumulative effect remains disappointingly conservative. The seats, for example, are comfortable and surprisingly supportive, but they lack the visual flair of the high-back, heavily bolstered seats found in the Civic. And while the steering wheel adjusts for rake, it won't move to and fro, so the vertically gifted are forced to adopt a crab-like driving position.

What can't be criticized, though, is the build quality or the standard of the fixtures and fittings. It's a quantum leap forward from the old car and dashboard feel is almost a match for an Audi A3, with the aluminium effect inserts being a particularly nice touch. There's also room for a quartet of six footers and a decently sized trunk. Over time and distance, you begin to appreciate these subtleties, but the "drive-me" factor, crucial to this type of car, is once again missing.

It's an impression that only momentarily subsides when you turn the key. The 1.8-liter engine fires easily and settles to a slightly restless idle. Toyota is justifiably proud of the technology behind its flagship performance engine. Its specific output of 106 hp/liter, is almost a match for performance cars such as the Ferrari 360 Modena (111 hp/liter) and the BMW M3 (107 hp/liter). This is achieved through the use of Toyota's Variable Valve.Timing and Lift (VVTL-i) system.

As a result, the T Sport delivers its maximum power at 7800 rpm, which precedes the arrival of the rev limiter's 8250 rpm. Its peak torque figure of 133 lb-ft occurs at a similarly lofty 6800 rpm. The upshot is a car that needs to be worked hard to deliver its best. At low engine speeds, the T Sport feels tepid and little different from a standard 1.6. But a downshift and a determined prod of the throttle bring it to life.

At 6000 rpm, the engine note takes on a harder edge and the Corolla justifies its hot hatch credentials. Keep the engine spinning in this powerband, which is made easy by the gearbox's close ratios, and the T Sport surges forward with alacrity.

Toyota claims a 0-60 mph sprint time of 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph. Although we were unable to test the car against our radar gun, the former feels somewhat pessimistic. According to Honda, the Type R covers the same increment in 6.8 seconds, and although the Corolla will be behind, we'd expect it to dip under 8 seconds.

A rapid overtake does require a downshift or two. But this is no chore, thanks to the slick, precise shifter. At an 80-90 mph cruise, however, the short gearing does make for some excessive engine noise. This is the only hatchback we've driven that genuinely needs a seventh gear.

Like the styling, the bulk of the chassis development work was carried out in Europe. The Corolla is 45 percent stiffer than the old model and leads the class for torsional rigidity, which benefits both its passive safety and the driving dynamics. It employs a MacPherson strut suspension set-up at the front, while a torsion beam rear axle has been chosen in the interests of packaging.

The T Sport has been lowered by 15mm compared with the standard car but Toyota's engineers have placed the emphasis on all-around comfort and versatility. The ride is impressively supple at town speeds and minor surface imperfections fail to permeate the cabin. And as the speed builds, the Toyota displays excellent body control, making it a comfortable long distance companion.

However, anyone expecting boy-racer dynamics to suit the character of the engine will be disappointed. The trade-off for the cosseting ride is a little more body roll than might be expected of such a sporting car. Turn in at pace and the Corolla pitches a little before settling and assuming a neutral balance. It's far from disconcerting and the grip from the 195/55VR-16 Bridgestone Turanza ER30's is impressive, but it's an attitude that demands a smooth, flowing driving style and carefully chosen cornering lines. This is not a car that responds to being hurled around and it lacks the tactility of the Honda.

The steering perpetuates this impression. Electrically powered and speed sensitive, it responds in a smooth, linear fashion but fails to communicate the minutiae of the road surface and grip levels. Drivers seeking to add additional steering input via the throttle will also be disappointed. Lift off the throttle mid-bend and the rear of the Toyota stays firmly planted. It's utterly benign, but it denies the experienced driver the adjustability that makes the new Mini, for example, such a delight to drive hard.

For the benefit of the foolhardy or the unfortunate, the T Sport features an upgraded anti-lock braking system with Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Brake Assist fitted as standard. VSC works on all four wheels and brakes individually to restore control when the sensors detect a loss of grip, while the Brake Assist system ensures maximum stopping power in an emergency. A traction control system is also fitted as standard, although this can be turned off with a button on the dashboard.

The presence of these systems, together with such niceties as climate control, a superb CD player and four airbags, underlines what a thoroughly well-rounded and versatile car this is. The latest Corolla represents a quantum leap forward from the old car and will undoubtedly succeed in attracting the new audience that Toyota so desperately craves. Yet after 2,000 miles of mixed driving, the T Sport's Jekyll-and-Hyde personality remains a source of frustration. To make the most of the engine, you need to drive it like an old-fashioned hot hatch: mash the loud pedal, snap change on the redline and delight in the din. But this approach runs counter to the smooth, flowing style demanded by the chassis and steering.

With a torquier engine, the Corolla's cosseting ride and exceptional interior would make it an excellent long distance express.

Or, with the same engine and a more focused chassis it could be a rip-snorting hot hatchback in the mold of the Honda Civic Type R. Sadly, in its current tune, these conflicting facets of its personality can't be reconciled. In the end, it feels like a wasted opportunity.