If you desire more sport from your Corolla, act fast.
Toyota has announced pricing for the Corolla Apex, but only 6,000 will be made.
The car was announced way back in July, but now we have a price tag.
That’s $26,065, including D and D, for SE models (plus $390 for a manual transmission) and $29,205 for the XSE. That’s $2,695 and $2,385 over the SE and XSE trims, respectively.
Apex models get a body kit (bronze accents, a front splitter, fog lamp covers, side skirts, rear diffuser, and optional rear spoiler), sport-tuned exhaust, black mirror caps, and either a continuously-variable automatic or the aforementioned manual. The manual will be available on just 120 of the Apex SE models, and it rev-matches on the downshifts.
The Apex is lowered by 0.6 inches, thanks to different rear coil springs. The spring rate is also increased, and the shocks are tuned for stiffer, sportier driving, and the stabilizer bars are more rigid. The car is 47 percent stiffer than a regular Corolla upfront and 33 percent stiffer in the back.
Special 18-inch wheels are 2.2 pounds lighter per wheel, painted gloss black, and can be shod with all-season or summer rubber.
The electronic power steering is tuned for more sport, too, and the car is available in three exterior paint choices.
One thing that isn’t tweaked is the engine. It’s the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque as in the standard SE and XSE.
[Image: Toyota]
“Apex models get a body kit (bronze accents, a front splitter, fog lamp covers, side skirts, rear diffuser, and optional rear spoiler), sport-tuned exhaust, black mirror caps” and 18″ wheels seem to be totally unnecessary bling.
The suspension upgrades combined would make an attractive $500-1000 upgrade from stock if they offered that which of course they don’t. But that only comes with the boy-racer appearance package.
What is the point of this? What slow minded enthusiast is looking for a little extra corner carving from their Corolla??
About 6000 people, according to Toyota’s estimates. And they probably aren’t wrong (when are they ever?).
Can’t say I agree with you dwford. I am of the mindset that just because you might want economical operation, that does not mean that you automatically want a softie. Abysmal handling is why I gave back the Prius that was given to me at work. I sure could do without the appearance junk, but the suspension upgrades, sure. Even dowdy GM made such a package available on most product lines for decades.
In a world without the Civic Si, this Corolla might make sense.
So thankful we can’t obtain the GR Yaris here. https://toyotagazooracing.com/gr/yaris/
Allows me to save my money. Apex Corolla is a performance sedative.
There is a Gazoo Corolla hatch supposedly coming next year.
It’s a snoozy Corolla with a big mean grill? I kinda like the shape of the 5-door hatch, but the sedan doesn’t do anything for me at all.
I didn’t realize Dustbusters came in a Sport model.
Extra suck
It will be popular in Russia.
Available in grey (Cement), white, and black. Wow, they really know how to make this stand out from the crowd.
This is very much on par with the Scion Release Series. All show, no additional go. Nothing wrong with that, even the TRD tC had a bunch of handling improvements and no more grunt. When done and priced right it’s an easy way to make a few extra bucks.
This will not get me into a Toyota dealer. If I were to get a Corolla, I’d get the regular version since, after all, it’s a Corolla. A Corolla is a regular car.
Black mirror caps are not an upgrade – especially for anyone who was around cars in the 90s. Body color painted mirrors were an extra cost option.
And enough with the black wheels.
I’m with you on the black wheel fad It’s ‘WAY past it’s best before date. But I’m afraid it will last as long (or longer) than the third brake light in the trunk mounted spoiler fad…..
For $26,065, I’ll wait for Z
Toyota must have one heck of a sense of humor to price this all but identically to the two trims of Jetta GLI. A car which will run away and hide from this. And looks about 100X better.
I’d gladly pay the $390 to lose the CVT though.
GLI is Mexican. This is going to be Japonese
Then make it a GTI and it’s German.
Urlik
you think too good… NOPE! Mexican still
Slavuta,
Not with the Mk8. Back to Wolfsburg.
So what? The robots are the same the world over.
krhodes1,
nice try. Let me tell you -tool calibration. I wouldn’t trust …
I keep hoping Toyota will learn how to style a car and each year they just keep getting more and more bizarre. This thing looks like a Hoover.
I had a new Corolla as a rental recently, massive improvement over the older model. I though it would make a nice commuter for about $14,000. The only way to make this car worth $29,000 is to put $15,000 in cash in the trunk.
Except a base Corolla is about $20K these days. Not that I disagree with you in any way.
But a Corolla with, being generous, $2K in suspension, wheel and tire upgrades for $29K? And some added body ugliness. ROFL!
How come Toyota never adds any power to these performance variants? Couldn’t they stick a cam in there and give it a few more horsepower, and a nice little lope at idle?
There is a GR Corolla hatch coming that will have similar suspension, 250-260hp, and possibly AWD.
“and the stabilizer bars are more rigid. The car is 47 percent stiffer than a regular Corolla upfront and 33 percent stiffer in the back.” Do you mean to refer to the stabilizer bars being stiffer or the whole car’s body structure?
Has to be the bars.
This reminds me of the Corolla ‘S’ of a few years ago; a package consisting of a few stick on trim pieces and an ‘S’ on the deck lid, and NOTHING else for a higher price! Not impressed.
Except… it’s not like that… at all. The S had the same suspension as the LE.
This Apex has a stiffer suspension than the regular SE. And the regular SE has a stiffer suspension than the LE already.
29 k is GTI money
Almost $30K for a Corolla if you tick all the boxes…and no more grunt under the hood.
$26K to enter the stadium – the same base price as a Mustang.
I would genuinely like to meet the person who would buy one of these, especially the $29K version.
Great example of niche marketing. In this case, the niche is “enthusiasts who have never heard of a Civic Si, Elantra Sport, or Jetta GLI.”
My understanding is that this niche is about as big as the storied “brown manual diesel wagon” niche.
Kidding aside, I’ve heard good things about the new Corolla’s chassis, so maybe this is just Phase One; let’s hope Phase Two involves real performance.