2021 Toyota Corolla Apex Edition First Drive

When we talk about the longest-running cars on the planet, the Corolla is among them which has stood the test of the time strongly and has always succeeded at staying relevant with the times. Toyota introduced the latest generation in 2020 where they focused to make the car more high-tech. The Corolla is not the first car that comes to the minds of enthusiasts, and Toyota wanted to change that which is why now we have the 2021 Toyota Corolla Apex Edition.

This “enthusiastic sedan” not only benefits from the technology and safety feature upgrades that the latest generation gets but also an aggressive-looking body kit and various handy mechanical upgrades. This limited edition variant will be limited to just 6000 examples.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla Apex Edition is quite different from what you have seen

Toyota has had several attempts in the past to make the Corolla sporty but none of them were sporty in the truest sense. Toyota is truly serious this time with the Apex Edition and to prove that let’s have a look at some numbers. As mentioned before, there will only be 6000 units of the 2021 Toyota Corolla Apex Edition inclusive of both the trims; SE and XSE. Only 120 examples of these will be paired with a 6-Speed Manual Transmission. later down the line, there are also rumors of a Beta program of the Toyota Corolla TRD.

Changes under the skin

Toyota has spent some time tweaking the chassis and suspension setup all in order to aid a more aggressive riding experience. You get summer tires fitted from the factory so that you can make full use of all the new dynamics.

The engine output will remain the same, Toyota did not even tinker with the performance graph. The same 2.0L naturally aspirated engine pumping out 169 hp and 151 lb-ft is the powertrain setup in the Apex Edition. Apart from the 120 units of the SE which will get the stick shift, the rest of the trims will have a CVT gearbox powering the wheels. Apart from having more control, the manual gearbox actually performs very similarly to the CVT gearbox. Even the MPG figures are quite conservative which can be important for some people.

The handling will have quite different characteristics because of the suspension setup which is now suited to take on curves with the maximum speed possible. The vehicle is lower by 0.6 inches as the coils springs have been tweaked to aid the cornering control. The steering has also been dialed up to provide a more direct response. All of these changes come together to provide a sharper and sure-footed cornering experience which is vital while you are out there gunning your car on the track.

Interior updates in the new Corolla Apex Edition

Only 6000 examples of this edition will be made, so the interiors better be special enough. The cabin is laden with premium fabric upholstery in the SE Apex Edition. The higher XSE Apex Edition gets the SofTex laden fabric upholstery; this trim also gets a lot more goodies when you talk about creature comforts. The higher trim instantly feels much more luxe as well as soon as you enter the cabin.

Infotainment and safety features

Android Auto was missing earlier in the Corolla, but that no longer is a problem. In addition to that, you get both Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alex compatibility in both the trims.

All the infotainment features are listed below-

• The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Amazon Alexa compatible
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• 6-Speaker audio system
• Audio Plus that includes Service Connect and Remote Connect
• Premium Audio Package (9-Speaker 800W JBL audio system — optional)

The driver assistance features are listed below-

• Blind Spot Monitor
• Push Button Start
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Toyota Safety Sense 2.0

Coming to the exteriors

The unique and aggressive exteriors of the Corolla Apex Edition is the first thing that will let an onlooker know that this is no ordinary Corolla. After all, the car should be as sharp outside the skin as it is under the skin.

To begin with, the car gets dual-tone exterior shades, Toyota has nailed the colour science as all 3 of them go quite well with the car. You have an edgy body kit that aesthetically looks quite sharp; to add some more visual drama you get the trunk spoiler. You get new metal in the wheels department as well, those would be the 18-inch cast-aluminum wheels. Apart from looking cool, they are designed to let the airflow in to cool the brakes as well. They also decrease the unladen weight which is good news in the cornering department. Other features include

• Dual-tone exterior shades- Cement with Black sand pearl roof, Super White with Black Sand Pearl roof, and single tone Black Sand Pearl
• Fog lamp covers
• Front spoiler
• Rear diffuser
• Side skirts
• Smoked LED tail lamps

Conclusive news

Toyota likes to play their cards pretty close to the chest when it comes to the pricing announcements of their vehicles. Reportedly, the prices of the 2021 Corolla SE is from an MSRP of $22,275 and the Corolla XSE from $25,725. Toyota can all the same surprise us with the true prices but you should expect a price bump of $3000–5000 in the coming years. We can only know for sure when they are up and about in the market. Having said that, in the truest sense possible, the 2021 Toyota Corolla Apex Edition is a no-sense car with a jacked-up price, now that you know there is TRD model coming in as well.