2020 Toyota Corolla Debuts To Challenge Chevrolet Cruze
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The Honda Civic has taken the compact-car segment by storm the past few years, but Toyota is back with a new Corolla. The 2020 Toyota Corolla sedan debuted last Thursday as it looks to further rival the Chevrolet Cruze.
The Japanese brand is keen to keep its Corolla a best-seller with a new platform, more powerful engine and an inbound hybrid model. Although compact car sales continue to slump in the United States, the Corolla has still found over 217,000 new homes this year.
The 2020 Toyota Corolla will be the 12th-generation of the car and rides on the automaker’s new TNGA platform. The brand said the new platform will elevate the car’s driver dynamics past the frumpy stereotype the car has garnered for years. Two powertrains will be available: a 139-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine (the current engine) and a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 169 hp. A hybrid powertrain will join the fray based on the new 2.0-liter engine at a later date. A CVT takes over from the previous automatic transmission, but buyers will still be able to order a six-speed manual.
Compared to the Cruze, the Corolla will offer a more powerful gasoline engine, but Chevy’s compact still offers the 1.6-liter turbo-diesel engine to differentiate itself. While the diesel only makes 137 hp, it produces a lofty 240 lb-ft of torque. The standard 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 153 hp—a sweet spot between the two Corolla engines to be offered.
And unlike the Cruze, Toyota’s Safety Sense system will be standard equipment. The system bundles active safety equipment such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, road sign assist and adaptive cruise control. Chevrolet continues to price active safety equipment outside of entry-level models.
Buyers will find the 2020 Corolla at dealerships in spring 2019. Meanwhile, the updated Cruze sedan and hatchback are on sale now as the vehicle’s U.S. plant, the Lordstown facility, has an uncertain future.
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LOL at the wording.
The Cruze has never been a threat to the Corolla. GM needs to get off their butt a make a Cruze that actually challenge the Corolla.
The Cruze has always outperformed the Corolla. Car buyers drive right past Chevy and ford dealers to go and by Toyotas and Honda’s. The basic Cruze has always won the numbers game and if you want to get the desiel hatchback, it starts loosing the nbers game, but becomes a whole new class of vehicle. The Cruze has always been a great looking car as well.
The Cruze has never outperformed the Corolla. Where are you getting that from? In reliability, the Corolla wins every time. The Corolla’s new look will only push it further in number of sales. Also, the Corolla will offer more engine choices compared to legarthic 154HP turbo 4, which is only an updated engine architecture w/ add direct injection. GM does the bare minimal. Every safety feature that a cruze would have, is all OPTIONAL added features, and never standard.
The only cars that the Cruze challenges is the five year old used cars in the class on used Lots LOL
GM needs to step their game up ASAP or lose the current new Generation as you’ve lost countless ones prior.
If only I could upvote more than once.
The Cruze never will be a threat because Toyota Corolla is just automatically a reliable choice as it’s reputstion always carries itself to driveways of many who want a compact car. The fact is though that the Cruze since 2016, is Faster, more fuel efficient, and arguably handles better than the current (2013-2018) Corolla. It is even as reliable. But once again it’s not selling well against the Corolla. Even if they were to repackage the Cruze, which where I feel it is floundering against the competition where standard safety tech are optional on the Cruze and it doesn’t even offer LED headlights, even if it were to add such things as standard it wouldn’t catch the sales of civics and corollas.
GM has a solution to make the Cruze more Competative with the Corolla It won’t be making it better or better equipment or even advertisement to better promote it. They are going to change the name, the traditional GM cure all. First you had the Caviler then the Cobalt and now the Cruze. I am guessing the new name will be something like the Cuss.
No they won’t this time around. Away from everyone bashing the Cruze on every front, it is actually leaps and bounds from what the cavalier and Cobalt was. The next car will still be called Cruze. It will be more improved than the current gen. But even when it can rival the next Civic and this Corolla, it will face the same issues now as perceptions are a permanent systemic that domestic anything sucks no matter in reality how good they are and that import brands are better all around.
But even when it can rival the next Civic and this Corolla, it will face the same issues now as perceptions are a permanent systemic that domestic anything sucks no matter in reality how good they are and that import brands are better all around
I agree that perception is a big part of the Cruzes lack of success against the Corolla and Civic, but that just mean they have to try harder. What ever they can do the Cruze has to do better. What ever the offer the Cruze has to offer more or at least the same. Then there is the ads. The Cruze ads needs to do waaaaaaay better.
Biased people. How about real life results. My daily driver is a cavalier, I change the oil filter every 5k and oil every 10k. 215k and rolling baby! Can’t say the same for my brother’s Corolla. Struts, shocks, and tranny all getting real rough at 176k. My sister’s Cobalt is holding together better at 156k. Toyota reliability comes from the days of the pinto and vega
GM has given up the car market. Overpriced SUV’s and pickups is where the money’s at.
It was a mistake to not have IRS in the newest generation Cruze, because Chevrolet has to to over perform to increase sales over Toyota/Honda juggernaut.
The cruise doesn’t even offer ACC…
Dont compare to Cruze, its a shame for corolla. Compare to Civic. Cruze is a mee too car who doens’t have any presence in the segment.
I really like the Toyota strategy :
Toyota Safety package is standard regardless of trims ..
I can smell low cost hybrids are on the way ( probably a $1000 more than standard ).
Again i remember reading CRV hybrid is also getting in with 42 mpg. So corolla hybrid will have to be 50 mpg+ (lets wait for Nov 28 ) .
GM is a dead company . It was given a life by US Govt and i am sure the new management is same as old one ( i think bad than because i had more belief of Rick wagner than current person ) . They are no where near class competitive and still cheating American people pretending American company who makes American products but makes them where ever human exploitation possible and sell cheap products for a high price … Now a days Honda or Toyota products are more American than GM ones.
Toyotas are junk the Chevrolet cruze is a ugly piece of junk I dont like the wipers on the cruze they are weird im not a fan of small cars
Not sure how or why it’s junk, but even if it, it’s just that sells and makes money hand over fist.
Cruze needs to offer a cross trek type variant to really gain some steam in this market. That could be more wagon like and slightly lifted. This is what the market demands rnow. People don’t want to bend way down to get into a car.
The problem is they need to make it AWD which they seem not willing to do…They make the Spark “activ” which is somewhat what you’re asking for, the problem is its FWD only…Another issue is you can add the eyesight package (includes ACC, AEB, keep keeping assist, etc) to base trims…
The Corolla doesn’t come close to the Cruze. The hideous Corolla front end alone makes it bad.
Chevy makes the Cruze as well as Toyota makes the Tundra, not terrible but a waste for a serious effort. Since Ford dropped out of compacts all more buyers for Cruze, as long as GM don’t mess with it’s quality. Honda OTOH need to look-out for it’s Civic.
People buy Toyota’s for the same reasons they by crack. They are addicted to them.
Chevy could could the best car in class but yet the Toyota and Honda both have a captive following that see no reason to change because they like their cars.
Hyundai has risen to where they are at based on lower prices because of imports and non union plants.
GM hold none of these advantages. Adding a High cost Diesel failed with price and bad timing due to VW. The hatch did not really move the needle like so many here claimed it would. I bet all here that cried for it never bought one.
We have some crying for a performance model. But that would also change nothing. At best they would sell 10k units and that would fix nothing and cost as much to develop as they would make.
The small car market is dying as the Corolla is only up due to price cuts to clear the out going model as they have been watching sales decrease for a while while their CUV models also increase like everyone else.
Global sales are all that will save small cars. GM May have a problem there on this.
But they will do well with the CUV models they have and save coming. Purist hate them but customers buy them.
People don’t buy Toyota’s just because their Toyota’s. People buy Toyota’s because you’ll find several Toyota’s that have never had their oil changed, and have never had any problems, and it still purrs like the day you rolled it off the lot. It’s reliability. I’ve never had anyone I know complain about their Corolla’s water pump, transmission, radiator, fan, or lack of fuel efficiency. Everyone in my family told me that I should have bought a Corolla after all the problems I’ve had with my Chevy. Also, don’t claim that I’m a horrible driver and I don’t take care of my vehicle. I’ve got all the service records to prove it. Truth be told, GM makes sh***y vehicles. ??♂️
The Toyota’s used to be ok and most American cars were crap.
Today they all make good and bad and the difference is slim. But the reps have not changed.
Zack while you have had issues I have had a number of trouble free GM cars as my buddy makes a good living fixing Toyota’s, Honda’s and Hyundai’s.
So to cut between the collective web BS the truth is there is slim difference with most cars outside Fiat and Mitsubishi.
It is time to stop trying to promote a narrative of false claims of quality good and bad. They all have their good and bad.
Excellent comment , scott3. The Cruze had put Chevrolet back in the compact car segment, and is a superior vehicle compared to the Cavaliers and Cobalts of yore. The thing is Honda stepping up with the current Civic and Toyota with Corolla’s rep have a lock on the segment.
GM can do the old Honda/Toyota/Nissan trick of using a modified version of the current platform but with new technologies styling and packaging for a new Cruze. I’d also like to see a new Cobalt coupe on the Cruze platform.
stupid people buy imports making the company of origin wealthy
Ron White said it best, you can’t fix stupid!
It’s probably going to be a pretty good little car as they usually are, even if they’re on the bland side. The only thing i see that I’m not too fond of is the front end looking like it has a snout.
If Toyota invented the crappy front grilles that go all the way down and eliminating the bumpers the designer should be fired. They are beyond horrible and hideous.
2020 Corolla emerges to beat the Cruze into submission.
The Corolla has been around for over 50 years and has sold over 45 million vehicles around the world, since then. You cant say that for the Cruze. GM/American junk doesn’t compare to the reliability and quality of Toyota. The 2020 Corolla will be another best seller for Toyota.
Yes Toyota is the best brand in the world, but their cosmetics would be a deal breaker for me. Grilles that cover most of the front end eliminating bumpers are beyond dog crap. Say what you will, I’m going with the Cruze before years end.
I test drove a Chevy volt earlier this year. I know it’s not the same car, but they ride on the same platform. If the volt is anything to go by, the cruz is probably a solid car that will win over a decent number of buyers that aren’t brand loyal. The Corolla will continue to sell like crazy though partially because the Corolla has a long history of being reliable and partially because the people that buy Corollas couldn’t care less about cars.
If anyone’s wondering what I bought, I ended up getting a Jetta because I wanted a more powerful engine and a car that didn’t have a CVT.
Toyota doesn’t need to challenge GM, period. GM is already “challenged” enough as it is. Toyota is a forward thinking company at the forefront of the industry. GM is doing all it can just trying not to go bankrupt, laying off more workers and discontinuing models left and right. Meanwhile Toyota is opening new plants.
Toyota isn’t “challenging” GM. They are a forward thinking company at the forefront of the industry. GM is already “challenged” enough as it is, laying off workers and discontinuing models. Meanwhile Toyota is opening new production plants.