If you are looking for a compact sedan, why don’t you take a look at used cars in Orange County like the 2018 Toyota Corolla iM? It would be a serious mistake to overlook this vehicle: it offers good fuel economy, a low price, and is easy to use for all your everyday driving needs!
Essentially, the 2018 Toyota Corolla iM is a hatchback variant of the ever-present Toyota Corolla, which you have probably heard of. Also, if you prefer easy decision making, the 2018 Toyota Corolla iM is only available in one trim.
The Corolla iM has many of the nameplate’s advantages. The ride and seats are comfortable, the material quality is good and the user interface is intuitive. Also, you get many standard features for your money.
Driving
If you are still a little confused on what a Corolla iM is, the dealers selling used cars in Orange County gently let us know that the vehicle was introduced to the Scion brand in 2016 and was purchased under the Toyota umbrella in 2017. In a nutshell, the best way to understand a Corolla iM is that it is a hatchback version of a Corolla sedan. However, there are some discrepancies, for instance, the 2018 Corolla iM is sold in single trim level, and it is slightly cheaper than a comparably equipped Corolla.
Under the 2018 Toyota Corolla iM’s hood, you will find a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 137 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque that drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission or continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
While driving you will notice that the Corolla iM launches with an energetic sprint from a stop and reaches cruising speed very quickly.
Another feature that makes the iM a fun car to drive is that there’s a manual transmission available. However, if you find the manual too much work, just pay a little extra for the CVT.
Although the iM Corolla has a modest driving performance, it returns good fuel mileage that averages 7.5L/100 km of about two-thirds urban driving, which is slightly better than the 7.9L combined. This means its 53-liter tank is suitable for around 700 km of driving before having to get to a gas station for a fill up.
Technology
Standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights with auto high-beam control, LED daytime running lights and taillights, a rear spoiler, heated and power-folding mirrors, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, a driver information display, a height-adjustable driver seat and 60/40-split folding rear seats.
Also, you get a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a 7-inch touchscreen, and a six-speaker sound system with a USB port and HD radio. Standard advanced safety systems include lane departure warning and forward collision warning with automatic braking.
Sadly, there is no built-in navigation system, so you will either have to use your smartphone or buy an aftermarket GPS unit. If you do use an add-on system, the highly polished vertical surface to the right of the touchscreen is an ideal and secure mounting point for a suction-cup base that puts the unit within easy reach.
Comfort
While used cars for sale in Orange County such as this sub-compact five-door segment isn’t necessarily well known for luxury, the cabin is still welcoming and spacious. The interior is functional.
The front seats are manually adjustable and comfortable and there’s a center armrest that opens up to reveal a small storage compartment. Controls are within easy reach and the seat heat switches are situated behind a door at the bottom of the center stack, where you will also find the USB and auxiliary ports and a smart-phone cubby.
The controls are well-placed and simple, including those for the standard touchscreen interface. Its menus make sense, its buttons are of a reasonable size, and reactions are very quick. Auto climate controls are a wonderful touch in this segment.
Although there are five seats in the vehicle, you may be more comfortable with two adults in the front and two in the back. That being said, when there are five riders, five will fit!
There is a lot of storage space behind the rear seats to fit massive loads of groceries with room to spare. When you drop the 60/40 split back seats you will be amazed at the fact you can fit large boxes, and even furniture back there.
Getting access to cargo is straightforward with a low rear deck height, and a flat floor. When you lift the floor of the cargo compartment, it reveals a space-saver spare tire.
In IIHS testing, the 2018 Corolla iM has been evaluated for side and moderate-overlap front-impact tests, where it received a Good score, which is the highest rating to receive in this category.
The IIHS gave the 2018 Corolla iM a Basic rating for front crash prevention for its standard forward-collision warning system.
Toyota Safety Sense-C comes standard on the 2018 Corolla iM and it bundles together automatic high beams, lane departure warning, and the Pre-Collision System, which bundles together forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking.
Plus, many people have remarked that the lane departure warning is the least intrusive they have ever experienced since it only emits a gentle beep when you stagger off-center.
Overall
If you are looking for a sporty-looking, but useful hatchback, then you can’t go wrong with the 2018 Toyota Corolla iM. Although it may look sportier than how it drives, it definitely is a comfortable and great commuter car that is well equipped and takes you where you need to go!