Car and Driver: 2016 Toyota Corolla Manual Tested: Beats the CVT, But It’s Still Stuck in the Basement

-Despite the Toyota Corolla’s sensible-if-dull persona and minimal evolution since its last overhaul in 2014, the compact sedan’s 363,332 U.S. sales last year show that it remains a popular transportation commodity. While fancier S variants attempt to up the Corolla’s fun factor with a slightly sportier chassis tune and some visual accessories, that model has previously failed to impress us when fitted with its continuously variable automatic transmission, finishing last in a five-car comparison test. The Corolla’s available six-speed manual—which only about 1 percent of buyers opted for last year—offers improved performance over the CVT, but that alone couldn’t convince us to elevate the Corolla’s status in an increasingly competitive field. READ MORE ››

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