The Toyota Corolla is a legend. After making its grand debut in the late 1960s, the Corolla quickly became one of the bestselling and most popular cars in the world. Currently in its 12th generation, the Corolla continues to be a favorite among drivers who are looking for something that's easy to drive, easy to park, and well equipped with the features they want. At Lake Charles Toyota, the Corolla is one of our favorite models to recommend. But we understand it's not the only small sedan competing for your attention, and we've done a little research pitting our car against the similarly sized Hyundai Elantra, to help you make the best decision for your needs.
The Corolla has undergone a lot of changes and updates throughout the years, but it always remains a steadfast and true car that drivers can depend on to reliably be there for them for the long haul. The current models we have in stock continue in that vein, delivering what drivers really want. For example, every Toyota Corolla comes with a range of the safety and tech features unlike any you'll get on competing models, such as:
When it comes to shopping for a new sedan for your commute, another well-know option is the Hyundai Elantra. Similarly sized in height, width, and length, the Elantra first debuted in 1990. It also gets a similar roster of standard features, although it doesn't get as many standard safety features. For example, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning are both only available on upper trims. However, the Elantra standard features list does include:
While on the surface these two cars appear to have a lot of similarities, when you dive a little deeper you'll find a variety of ways in which the Toyota Corolla comes out ahead and has more of what you want in a new car. We have the details.
The Toyota Corolla comes standard with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and offers drivers the option of upgrading to a nice 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine on upper trim levels if they want. It's also available as a cutting-edge, fuel-efficient hybrid model. The Elantra, on the other hand, has a base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and offers a couple of alternatives as well, but it doesn't have a hybrid model available in its lineup.
As mentioned, the Toyota Corolla has a more comprehensive list of standard safety features than the Hyundai Elantra, including offering standard adaptive cruise control. But the Corolla doesn't stop there when it comes to outperforming the Elantra with features. For example, when it comes to your tech and entertainment, the Corolla has a standard 7-inch touchscreen interface, which is something that's only available on upper Elantra trims.
Whether it's the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Toyota Corolla tends to perform better at safety reviews and tests than the Hyundai Elantra. Both were listed as a "Top Safety Pick" by the IIHS, but the Elantra headlights performed worse than the Corolla, earning a score of poor. Additionally, the NHTSA gives the Elantra an overall 4-star safety rating, while the Corolla earns a perfect score of 5 stars.
The best way to understand what makes the Toyota Corolla a legend, of course, is to meet it and test drive one for yourself. See firsthand why generations of drivers have chosen this easy-to-drive sedan from Toyota by visiting the Lake Charles Toyota team on Gerstner Memorial Drive soon.