I pulled the trigger! - 6-spd Manual 2020 Corolla SE Sedan

[Hamster]

Kalispel - I plan to keep the Corolla forever, just like my Yaris. I come from a family that keeps their cars 20+ years, so I don't know any different. Anyway, because I plan to keep the car forever, I ordered the SE trim. I really liked the leather, heated seats of the XSE trim. However, the XSE had an electronic instrument cluster, rather than the physical, analogue gauges of the SE trim. I don't trust a TV screen to last a couple of decades. I'm not pleased with the tech bloat, either. However, I wanted a compact car that didn't have a plain, direct-injection engine, and the Corolla was basically the only option.

[KALISPEL II]

Originally Posted by Hamster

I'm not pleased with the tech bloat, either. However, I wanted a compact car that didn't have a plain, direct-injection engine, and the Corolla was basically the only option.

I agree. The TNGA innovative combo direct+port 2.0L engine design in the SE/XSE sedan is the only reason I even considered my new 6-MT Corolla, otherwise I might have rolled the dice on a new Mazda3 sedan with regular 6-speed automatic & their SkyActiv direct-inject engine (which is supposed to be the best in terms of straight GDI designs & minimal carbon sludge buildup). I was actually surprised that Toyota carried over the (very reliable) legacy port-injected engine from the previous Corolla gen to the new 2020 Corolla's in non-SE/XSE trims - though shame that they likely ruined the overall reliability of the vehicle with yet another push-belt CVT automatic. Toyota had the most reliable regular automatics on the planet, & it is a shame that they didn't stick with them like Mazda has with their's.