Corolla 1.4D4D - underpowered?

Cole

I'm posting this for someone else, who is considering buying a new diesel over the coming months. I'm not much help to him, so some knowledgeable views here would be appreciated.

He is interested in the new Corolla 1.4D4D. It will be a retired couple's car, A to B driving mainly..the 'boring' reputation of the car is not a major concern. Reliabilty and comfort more important.

Obvious difficulty at the moment, is actually finding a local garage with a new diesel in stock to test drive.

His main doubt is the power. I think he perceives 1.4 combined with diesel to equal 'sluggish'.
Like I said, not looking for a high powered car...but as an experienced driver of many years, he still appreciates a decent performance.

Any opinions?
Thanks

R.O.R

Over the past few months I've had a few of the older Corolla hatches and new Auris 1.4D4d's "racing" me on the motorway (Octavia 1.8T VRS), and to be honest, they don't do such a bad job about it.

I haven't driven one, but I'd have no doubt that the performance is more than adequate for the majority of people.

Supply is an issue with the Corolla, but if he test drives an Auris it will give a good idea of the performance.

E92

I haven't driven the car either but I have gone in a 1.4 D-4D Corolla taxi and I remeber being distinctly underwhelmed by the performance(well considering that the taxi driver was like your typical taxi driver i.e. always in a hurry:D, so he wasn't giving it any mercy). It does do 0-100 in 12 seconds though, and that is rather unspectacular really.

I wouldn't be getting carried away with reliablity; they don't make Toyotas like they used to either, though it's not going to have you at the side of the road at the same time.

VH

It's not going to set the world on fire, but it's not under powered either.

Slig

Rented on in portugal and I remember thinking it was adequate enough for a 1.9 diesel that is until I found out it was only 1.4. They are nippy enough and will easily do motorway speeds with fantastic economy, it was actually good craic driving it on the mountainous portugal roads but required a lot of gear work. I would definately have one, they are quiet(for a diesel) and really comfortable but some people are only interrested in how quickly you can get to 100kmph (which you will NEVER do yourself in 12 seconds)

Biro

Cole wrote: »

I'm posting this for someone else, who is considering buying a new diesel over the coming months. I'm not much help to him, so some knowledgeable views here would be appreciated.

He is interested in the new Corolla 1.4D4D. It will be a retired couple's car, A to B driving mainly..the 'boring' reputation of the car is not a major concern. Reliabilty and comfort more important.

Obvious difficulty at the moment, is actually finding a local garage with a new diesel in stock to test drive.

His main doubt is the power. I think he perceives 1.4 combined with diesel to equal 'sluggish'.
Like I said, not looking for a high powered car...but as an experienced driver of many years, he still appreciates a decent performance.

Any opinions?
Thanks

When you say "the new Corolla", I assume you mean the current shape saloon. If he's worried about performance, then tell him to get the 1.8 civic saloon. More reliable, much nicer looking (subjective!), and quicker. As a retired couple they won't notice the difference in fuel economy. They're more economical than the 1.4 saloon from 8 years ago was.
What does he have now?

E92

OP, the best thing you can do is tell the people in question to wait. Honda may bring in the diesel Civic(hopefully they now will), and that engine is well known at this stage for power and reliability. Only €150 road tax too from July, the same as a 1.4 diesel Corolla. Personally I think the hatchbak is fantastic looking.

The Corolla's sister car, the Auris is certainly NOT living up to Toyota's reputation for reliability, just go on to the Toyota owners' club website and you're in for a tale of woe....

As Biro said, what car do these people in question drive? It's hard to say how they'll find car x for performance unless we know what base they're working from currently.

Dabko

not a bad car that corolla D4D 1.4. Drove one last week and was pleasantly suprised with the performance, nice kick for a 1.4diesel. Id say go for it. Sound reliable, cost efficient car.:)

maidhc

Cars are now insanely quick really.

the 1.4 D4D Corolla is as quick or quicker than about 90% of Audi A4s and all 316is for one thing!

E92

No it's not, or even close to the 316i for performance. The 316i does 0-100 in 10.8 seconds, compared to the 1.4 D-4D Corolla's 12. The 316i also can do 210 km/h, while the Corolla gives up the ghost at 175.

maidhc

E92 wrote: »

The 316i also can do 210 km/h, while the Corolla gives up the ghost at 175.

I think the 316 would need the length of nevada and strong tailwind before it would reach that speed!

Spit62500

It depends what he's used to - if he's coming from a 1.4 Golf or Focus then he'll be very pleasantly surprised. The performance of the 1.4 D4D Corolla is very similar to that of the petrol so even if he were to drive a 1.4 petrol model he'd get a feel for the performance. The diesel does have more a bit more torque from 1900 rpm or so - it'll feel a bit more brisk from that point of view.

Other than that, its very refined, has the same service intervals as the petrol model, has a timing chain, not a belt - the only expense above the petrol is a fuel filter change at 60k km which won't break the bank. Toyota dealers tend to be good at the customer service end of things and servicing is reasonably priced (very reasonable compared with Peugeot and VW). Resale should be good too.

VH

E92 wrote: »

No it's not, or even close to the 316i for performance.

He said 316IS, which does 0-60 in 12.3 sec. Top speed 195km/h. No CD player tho.

Cole

Thanks for all the feedback.

He is currently driving a 02 Mazda 626, 2 litre petrol...looking to update to a new car, but within the mid range type models.

He has also looked into the Focus 1.8TCDI, which I know is a good bit more powerful and I think is a similar price...sounds like an obvious choice to me.

I think it is his traditional preference for Japanese cars that had him initially look at the Corolla but would not rule out other options.

bazz26

Cole wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback.

He is currently driving a 02 Mazda 626, 2 litre petrol...looking to update to a new car, but within the mid range type models.

He has also looked into the Focus 1.8TCDI, which I know is a good bit more powerful and I think is a similar price...sounds like an obvious choice to me.

I think it is his traditional preference for Japanese cars that had him initially look at the Corolla but would not rule out other options.

Focus is also available with a 1.6 TDCi engine but it has been detuned in the last couple of years from 110bhp down to 90bhp. I have the 110bhp version and it is nippy enough for a 1.6 litre.

BTW I drove the old model Corolla 1.4 D-4D and found it lively enough. Its not a rocket but then again it doesn't pretend to be.

E92

VH wrote: »

He said 316IS.

Which doesn't exist.

He meant the plural of 316i, which as I already said does 0-100 in 10.8 seconds and has a top speed of 210 km/h.

VH

316IS for sale:

http://pistonheads.co.uk/sales/370536.htm

E92

Which is a mistake on the part of the seller(it's either a 316i or a 318is), and besides we're talking about new cars, not an E36.

E92

I am now going to bypass a piss take and get back to advising the OP.

A 1.4 diesel is going to be a massive drop from a 2.0 petrol, no doubt about it. The Corolla is nearly as big as a Mazda 626 anyway. I appreciate that you say OP you're not into cars that much, and perhaps you don't know/don't want to know/don't care about the whole 0-100 malarkey but a time of 12 seconds is going very much backwards from a 2.0 petrol, which would do it in around 9.5 or so. That is a huge difference when it comes to performance. It is a crude way of measuring how fast cars are but it nevertheless is still a very useful guide.

Of course with modern engines, especially diesels, the engine size is no longer a good guide for performance, nowadays car markers make the same engine and sell it in 2 or more different power outputs, and all they do is simply change a couple of computer settings.

But 0-100 and how much power are the best guides. A 1.8 TDCi Focus would offer performance similar to a 2.0 626 I would imagine, though I haven't driven it so I don't know.

Would they consider a hatchback maybe? There are plenty of diesels that offer plenty of power in hatchback form, like the 2.0 D-4D Auris for example.

ninty9er

E92 wrote: »

No it's not, or even close to the 316i for performance. The 316i does 0-100 in 10.8 seconds, compared to the 1.4 D-4D Corolla's 12. The 316i also can do 210 km/h, while the Corolla gives up the ghost at 175.

I have to laugh. 0-100....who gives a flying %&^*. Retired couple. Plodding along holding the rest of us up. It'll do grand.

VH

Someone mentioned that Civic 2.2 diesel. If that's brought after July it'd be a much better alternative. Same MPG, but hugely better performance. I don't know if the Toyota build quality not being what it used to be is true, but afaik Honda are still topping the polls.

Easy to compare the facts and figures here:
Auris:
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Detail.aspx?deriv=35996

Civic:
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Detail.aspx?deriv=32965

ninty9er wrote:

0-100....who gives a flying %&^*. Retired couple. Plodding along holding the rest of us up.

Not always the case. My 68 year old father in law is always complaining that his 1.6 Avensis is no good for over taking.

E92

ninty9er wrote: »

I have to laugh. 0-100....who gives a flying %&^*. Retired couple. Plodding along holding the rest of us up. It'll do grand.

In my defence, I said it in response to maidhc saying that "the 1.4 D4D Corolla is as quick or quicker than about 90% of Audi A4s and all 316is for one thing". Unlike Fianna Fáil, I like to deal in facts and back up my arguments with ones that are true;)!

And also the OP said that performance was a priority(especially since the car in question is a much faster petrol 2.0 Mazda 626), something a 90 bhp diesel(or petrol for that matter) in a car bigger than the old Carina E is never going to provide.

Biro

I still maintain my Civic suggestion! The 1.8 petrol saloon Civic is the car he needs! It'll give him at least 10 more mpg than the 626, will be quicker (slightly), and just as reliable. The 2.2 diesel would be good too, but it'll be too expensive.
re the Focus, haven driven both, the 1.6 diesel is streets ahead of the 1.8. Having said that the 1.6 I drove was the 110bhp one in the Mazda 3 saloon.

lafors

Biro wrote: »

I still maintain my Civic suggestion! The 1.8 petrol saloon Civic is the car he needs! It'll give him at least 10 more mpg than the 626, will be quicker (slightly), and just as reliable. The 2.2 diesel would be good too, but it'll be too expensive.
re the Focus, haven driven both, the 1.6 diesel is streets ahead of the 1.8. Having said that the 1.6 I drove was the 110bhp one in the Mazda 3 saloon.

I'd defo second the Civic.......but thats cause I have one.
I've driven the auris 1.4 d4d and its not bad for a diesel but having driven a mazda6 2l its way off it on pace. Not sure what difference the Corolla body would make?
The 1.8 civic saloon can easily give the same performance as the mazda6 with good economy (anyone know what the new mazda 6 is like?).
As for the 2.2 diesel civic, great car but I can't see them offering it here in saloon form, our saloons are JDM. The diesel is available in the UK, only in hatchback though, as they don't even sell the saloon in the UK (if you don't count the hybrid that is).

BrianD3

Have skipped most the thread but would the OPs mate consider a Kia Ceed 1.6 diesel 115 bhp.

vectra

Cole wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback.

He is currently driving a 02 Mazda 626, 2 litre petrol...looking to update to a new car, but within the mid range type models.

He has also looked into the Focus 1.8TCDI, which I know is a good bit more powerful and I think is a similar price...sounds like an obvious choice to me.

I think it is his traditional preference for Japanese cars that had him initially look at the Corolla but would not rule out other options.

Change of direction for him maybe?
Not everyones cup of tea but I recently came from a 1.8 petrol Mondeo zetec to a SEAT Cordoba 1.4 TDI s. Only 80bhp but once I got used to the transition from petrol to Diesel I will never go back. Maybe they should take a test drive in one?
German technology cant be bad.
Miser on Diesel. €150 road tax. and under €20k for a new one.. Is that around €4~€5k Cheaper than the Corolla ?