The 2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco is all-new with improved styling, more space and exceptional fuel economy that will continue to make it a top choice.
| STATS | Starting Retail Price | As Tested Price | HP / Lb-Ft |
| 2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco | $18,700 | $19,510 | 140/126 |
| EPA Rating MPG | As Tested MPG | ||
| Rating: BUY IT! | 30 / 42 Combined 35 | 34.4 Combined |
Taking a look at the car you’ll see they’ve made an effort to shed its utilitarian, compact sedan image in favor of something with a little more spunk, a little more jazz. They’ve made it bigger with 3″ added to the length and about 4″ of additional wheelbase. This puts the wheels further apart at the four corners and helps make it look more aggressive. Other exterior enhancements include a large lower grille, and new LED headlamps and running lamps that help the front become more rounded and sportier.
The interior was not forgotten when updating the 2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco with finishes that frankly look better than the vehicle’s $19,510 price (as tested) would have you expect. There’s a piano-black center stack that’s simple and not at all fussy with too many buttons. Seat fabrics have textured finishes that give them extra appeal and the soft-touch dashboard with stitching looks and feels nice.
Those seats are comfortable, front and rear, with good bolstering but minimal adjustability. The front passenger will find the dash a little low and close if he’s tall, but even with the seat pushed back, rear occupants will have room for their knees. As for getting three people back there, technically it’s possible and there’s enough legroom, but shoulder room is going to be uncomfortably tight and headroom is severely lacking.
The back seats also feature a 60/40 split for carrying extra cargo though they don’t fold entirely flat. The trunk has a very wide and low opening making it easy to load things right through to that folded rear seat.
There’s a three-dial instrument cluster trimmed in chrome and an infotainment system with a 5.1″ touchscreen featuring Entune Audio with Bluetooth, USB, AUX and CD. There’s also a backup camera, cruise control, and steering wheel mounted audio and hands-free phone voice command controls.
Under the hood there’s a 140 horsepower 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine that will give you 126 lb-ft of torque with a continuously variable transmission. It’s a peppy ride for an economy car that’s a fantastic fuel miser. It doesn’t jump off the line though, which is where you’ll most feel that this is an economy car, but passing and accelerating at highway speeds it’s more than capable and can actually be fun.
Electronic power steering is responsive and the 2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco handles corners nicely with a stable feel and sure braking. Engine noise is well-managed as is road noise, but wind noise was obtrusive at highway speeds.
The standout feature of this car continues to be its mileage and on the LE Eco trim level, which is new for this year, it’s hard to beat. It’s rated 30/42 city/highway for a combined 35 MPG, thanks to improved aerodynamics an it’s Valvematic CVT.
This is the ideal choice for those looking to pass the pump as much as possible. Whether it’s a long daily commute or running errands all over town, you’re going to be saving on gas and you’re going to be in a car that’s both comfortable and enjoyable to drive. There’s plenty of room for the family, and that ample trunk means you can also haul all their gear.
The 2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco is an affordable, compact sedan that offers a good balance between miserly fuel economy and fun behind the wheel. Those looking for an entry-level sedan will be pleasantly surprised by just how much they’ll get for their dollar.
On the TFLcar scale of:
- Buy it!
- Lease it!
- Rent it!
- … or Forget it!
I give the 2014 Toyota Corolla LE Eco a Buy It!
Check out this review of the 2014 Toyota Corolla First Drive Review…
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
