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2017 Toyota Corolla iM 2017 Toyota Corolla iM

2017 Toyota Corolla iM

Formerly part of the Scion lineup, the Toyota Corolla iM is a Volkswagen Golf-sized hatchback designed to lure new buyers into the company's showrooms. <strong>Overview</strong> If the iM looks familiar, it's likely because it shares many components with the Toyota Auris that's sold across Europe. It looks a lot sportier than the Auris, however, thanks to a muscular front fascia characterized by blacked-out headlights, a strip of piano black trim at the bottom of the hood and a model-specific grille with honeycomb inserts. The grille creates a visual link between the iM and the rear-wheel drive <a href="http://www.leftlanenews.com/new-car-buying/scion/fr-s/">FR-S coupe</a>. Past the front end, the iM boasts side skirts, sharp LED tail lamps that stretch far into the hatch and a discreet roof-mounted spoiler. All told, the hatchback is unabashedly aimed at a young, image-conscious target audience. <strong>Life Aboard</strong> The iM offers an ergonomic cockpit that looks like it was inherited from a car in the next segment up. Contrast stitching on the dashboard, the seats and the steering wheel add a premium touch to the overall ambiance, and the door panels feature a long strip of piano black trim. The iM comes with a seven-inch touch screen designed by Pioneer. It groups the hatchback's connectivity and entertainment functions into a single unit capable of recognizing voice commands. HD Radio and Aha, which offers tens of thousands of stations of Web-based content like Slacker, MOG and Rhapsody, both come standard. The instrument cluster is made up of four analog gauges and a 4.2-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) screen, a first in Scion's relatively short history. The TFT screen can be configured to display information about the car and its surroundings including the outside temperature and how much gas is left in the tank. Trunk space checks in at a generous 20.8 cubic feet with four occupants on board. <strong>Under the Hood</strong> The iM is exclusively available with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine tuned to make 137 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 126 lb-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. A six-speed manual transmission comes standard, and buyers who want to go clutch-less can select a CVT with seven pre-programmed gears and a sport mode at an extra cost. When the manual transmission is selected, fuel economy checks in at an EPA-estimated 27 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway. Opting for the six-speed raises mileage to 28 in the city and 32 on the highway. <strong>Standard and Optional Features</strong> There is only a single trim level to choose from. It includes dual-zone A/C, a leather-upholstered three-spoke multi-function steering wheel, whiplash-reducing sport seats up front, a cargo cover, a six-speaker Pioneer sound system, a rear-view camera, a seven-inch touch screen in the center console, automatic headlights, power-folding door mirrors, LED daytime running lights and tail lamps as well as 17-inch alloy wheels. Navigation is extra, and buyers can further spruce up the iM by choosing from numerous dealer-installed add-ons like a roof rack, all-weather floor mats, a kit that lowers the suspension and an air intake system. <strong>Occupant Safety</strong> The iM comes standard with eight airbags, including a driver's knee airbag and a front passenger seat cushion airbag. Additionally, all iMs regardless of trim level come with Lane Departure Alert, Automatic High Beams and a Pre-Collision System. <strong>Key Competitors</strong> Buyers looking for an affordable, well-equipped hatchback can also look at the <a href="http://www.leftlanenews.com/new-car-buying/volkswagen/golf/">Volkswagen Golf</a>, the <a href="http://www.leftlanenews.com/new-car-buying/ford/focus-hatchback/">Ford Focus hatchback</a>, the <a href="http://www.leftlanenews.com/new-car-buying/kia/forte5/">Kia Forte5</a> and the <a href="http://www.leftlanenews.com/new-car-buying/subaru/impreza-hatchback/">Subaru Impreza</a>.

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