[Dazzler]

Currently driving a current model corolla hatch. It's the standard non-hybrid one which I believe is probably the better drive.

I think it's only the base model which comes with 16" Alloys including the spare.

I rent cars from No Birds AKA Bayswater Car Rentals (highly recommended)
They have been pretty much exclusively Toyota (Corolla and Rav4) in the past but have now startef to add i30s to their fleet and they spoke highly of them.

I had pre-booked a used corolla for 13 days with a nil excess for around $380. When I spotted the new Corolla I decided to upgrade for under $50 more in total.I could have had an i30 go for the same amount extra but wanted to try the new Corolla.

Anyway here are my impressions which I will update over the next week or so if anything else comes to light.

Quite like the new styling particularly in white. Not so impressed with the interior though. Looks a bit messy. Fancier than the base i30 but not as cohesive.
Entertainment screen has very dull graphics.  Very little colour.

I was impressed to find the base model has adaptive cruise but disappointed to find it doesn't hold speed down hills like my SR does, which takes away around half the benefit for me!

I really like the speed sign recognition feature though. If you miss a speed sign in my car you have to rely on the GPS speed limit to be correct which is often not the case. In the corolla the radar detection of the speed limit signs seemed very good.

Another couple of issues with the Corolla cruise is the status screen and even the controls for it are not as user friendly or easy to understand.

I don't find the seats particularly comfortable either. The backs are ok with good bolstering but the seat bases are hard and a bit flat.

Another neat feature I don't mind though is the fact the electronic parking brake is fully auto. Pull up and select park and it comes on. Select drive and it disengages.

The full size alloy spare would be rated as a plus by many, but not me as it msked the boot almost exactly half the size of mine. 

The performance is acceptable but think i still prefer even the standard 2.0 petrol i30 and the SR engine is heaps sweeter.  It is hard to tell without a back to back drive, but the corolla may be a tad quieter than the i30 on the road.  It is certainly quieter than the previous model.

I will update things like fuel economy etc at some point.

[Blazorax]

No birds?? .. but i want birds   

[The Gonz]

Thanks, Dazz. I’ve often had that model from Europcar and Thrifty (but now getting upgrades to Pajeros and such with the new Defence / Hertz contract). I agree with your observations. Despite enjoying the diversity, I always like getting back into Firty.

[Dazzler]

Just to clarify a couple of points with the electronic parking brake and the cruise control. 

In my SR The Electronic parking brake is released when you select drive but only turns on automatically if you have used auto hold on that particular trip. In the Corolla Auto hold has to be set manually each time you use the car but the electronic park brake comes on when you select park irrespective of whether you have used auto hold or not.

With my automated cruise (in the SR) it is so well calibrated that I can sometimes drive for 50 or 100 kilometres without touching the brake or accelerator (if for example im following a good steady driver who observes all limits) or sometimes by just using well timed adjustments of the + and - buttons on the cruise control.

Because the Corolla runs away on even fairly minor downhill slopes you need to hit the brakes and take over speed control until the road levels out then hit resume button. 

To make it worse the Corolla speedo is only 2 or 3 Kph under reading at 100 kph (according to my GPS) so little margin to play with speed camera wise!

[mickd]

Car manufacturers come up with some really strange ideas on how to deal with down hill runs  don't they. 
Our auto GD CC changes down a gear or two - I cancel & use brake or let it roll.
Auto Santa applies rear brake -it pulsates -on /off etc etc - most annoying 
Our 2004 Mitsu Challenger manual applied light constant pressure on the rears. 
Is it  Manual verses Auto  problem?

[Dazzler]

My SR is the first car other than my 2012 Hybrid Camry than has been good at maintaining speed down hills. Hybrids use regenerative brqaking. 

Manuals are trickier.

[Shambles]

Hybrids use regenerative braking.

My Ioniq doesn't. It just switches to "charge only" and continues to gather speed downhill - no braking for this bad boy