Money is gas Pink Floyd (The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973)

I open my eyes and look at the cracked ceiling with spots of moisture. The engine noise dies down. Tonight is the third time I’ve been woken up by an impossible noise. Impossible because I live alone. Only in this house, which belonged to the town doctor Fermín. Just because I’m the only one living in this town, because Paco, the bar owner who sold me this house, left six months ago. “I’m selling you Fermín’s house, but it’s like I’m selling you the whole city,” he told me, putting the keys in my hand. And he drove off, leaving behind only the dust kicked up by the wheels of his brown van. I get out of bed and pull back the covers. The bed creaks, actually the ones that creak are the century-old floorboards. I lean against an old sideboard that is too big for the room to sit on. I wrap myself in a sheet and walk barefoot down the hallway, feeling the chill of the broken tiles that lead to the back door. On the patio is Fermín’s car, engulfed in rust, covered by a tarpaulin covered in dust, cobwebs and some debris from the roof of the shed. It would be a miracle if this car woke me up. The wind shakes the branches of the oak in the square, which I can see through the holes in the roof.

Maybe it was the noise of the wind that woke me up. It could be the loneliness that my friends in the city told me would drive me crazy. That loneliness, which, even if it was responsible for my insomnia, I wouldn’t trade for anything now. I look at my mobile to see the time. It’s the only thing this expensive sandwich of glass, plastic and metal can do for me. Because there is no coverage. Then I hear the doorbell. A church bell that tolls four. That bell that Paco told me was stolen fifteen years ago. A collector picked it up, he said. But it rings. I go out the back door and approach the church. But the bell tower is still one-eyed. The moon lengthens the shadows of the trees that have lifted the cobblestones with their roots. I leave the city and pick up the pace, shining with the flashlight of my mobile, which is also used for this. Little by little I make my way up the hill, avoiding the petrified vines the priest left to his fate, as well as the few souls left behind when he left town. At the top of the hill, I look for the line on the screen by holding out the phone and moving. Needlessly. I look down and see the city suddenly filled with voices and shadows.

A few years ago, Toyota decided to revive one of its most mythical models in order to compete in a market segment in which the battle is particularly bloody. The Corolla adopted the hybrid mechanics that the Japanese manufacturer is known for with different body variants to compete in a field where electrification is becoming an increasingly important factor, of which it soon became the protagonist thanks to the efficiency of its engine and its ECO. designation.

We had the opportunity to test several versions of the Corolla, with the original 122-horsepower engine, which was somewhat fair depending on the use of the car, and the 184-horsepower one, which already began to show more faithfully what this Japanese saloon was capable of. On this occasion, we wanted to test a variant of the five-door Corolla with a specific finish with a sporty air, which carries the GR designation, which Toyota uses to denote the most extreme versions of its models.

aesthetic touches

Aesthetically, this variant is identified on the exterior of the car by some decorative elements, among which stands out the different design of the front grille, in which it is blacked out and has a new metal trim that gives it a somewhat more aggressive look. On the sides, the new sills stand out, underlining the dynamic character of the car, and some specific wheels for this version of 18 inches in a very attractive black/metallic color combination.

At the rear, the look of the lower diffuser has been changed, with details in black and metallic trim, in addition to the two exhaust outlets on the sides in the form of a quadrilateral, also in metallic color. The version identifiers can of course be found on the back of the car. As for the rest, the Corolla’s appearance is already quite sporty and aerodynamic, so these few tweaks give it an aggressiveness that manages to convey the sportiness that the manufacturer is looking for without too much modification.

changes inside

Inside, the changes are also minimal, but perhaps the most important is the change of the seats to the sports type, which stand out with an increase in the lateral support area to achieve greater comfort when cornering at high speed. In terms of comfort, they are on par and even more so than those found in the Corolla models we have tested in other versions of this model.

Of course, there are decorative details in the interior that distinguish this GR from other versions, especially with regard to the red stitching on the upholstery, gear lever or dashboard and steering wheel. The result is a slightly more attractive interior, especially with regard to the design of the seats and stitching, but as with the car’s exterior, it doesn’t stray too far from the aesthetics of the rest of the range, staying in some very well-measured brushstrokes.

In the remaining details, we find the same habitability characteristics as its brothers. It’s still a more comfortable car in the front seats than in the back, where both headroom and legroom remain somewhat fair compared to other models. It is true that the seats are comfortable and have good padding, which makes them suitable for long journeys, but they are not very suitable for passengers of a certain height.

Somewhat insufficient trunk

As for the boot, this 184bhp version has a reduced capacity compared to models with a less powerful engine, so its volume remains at around 313 litres, which is somewhat fair, especially for long journeys where it is needed. a lot of luggage or for transporting a large number of parcels. On the other hand, it is fully upholstered and has openings for very practical items, as well as a double bottom where we find tools and a puncture-proof kit.

As for the benefits, as we progressed, this version of the Toyota Corolla has a powertrain called 180H, which combines a 152-horsepower internal combustion engine and a 109-horsepower electric motor to produce 184 horsepower. , s The battery also has a larger capacity compared to the 120H versions, so there is less space in the trunk than in less powerful versions.

Advantages

This Toyota engine pushes determinedly from low revs, although it does not convey sporty sensations or the sensation of too much acceleration. The manufacturer’s figures speak of 7.9 seconds for acceleration from 0 to 100, which is not bad, but the touch and feelings rule over the numbers in the sports variant. The reasons are in addition to the configuration of the engines in the type of change, the continuous variator, which is designed more to optimize consumption and smooth and progressive driving than to evoke emotions.

Even in Sport mode, it is noticeable that the transmission revs the engine without really transferring all the power and we do not perceive the change in ratios that we feel with other automatic changes. The combination of the hybrid system with the smooth change of the variator achieves good results in terms of consumption, but even in this most powerful version it cannot quickly provide power, an important element for sporty driving.

Even so, it is possible, always in sports mode, to drive with enough joy and after getting used to the operation of the gearbox, get a little more punch from the car’s behavior. And it is that, although we are talking about sensations, the performance of the car is very good and allows fast and very comfortable travel with the efficiency we have already pointed out. We won’t have the exhilarating roar of the engine, but we’ll manage to pollute less and squeeze more miles out of our fuel investment.

conclusions

This Corolla GR Sport is more of a cosmetic surgery than an extreme version of the efficient and attractive Toyota Corolla. The aesthetic details match very well with the aerodynamic and modern design of the car and the choice of the most powerful engine available ensures a good performance that is in line with the logo of this model. However, we can’t expect the claws and personality of the sports version because it’s not an idea.

This aesthetic exercise also goes into other more specific details, such as the sports seats, which are not at all uncomfortable and quite functional, which are an interesting contribution to the careful interior, which still lacks a little space, so that life for the passengers in the back is more comfortable, or a slightly larger trunk , to be able to face long journeys and the tasks of urban transport a little more tolerably.