[Atmo]

I drove an XSE CVT Corolla Hatch last week while on a parts run for another Toy. It was a short demo of a few miles on suburban streets with many stops. I fully expected a droning launch like on other Toyota CVT's but this is the new trans with an actual 1st gear that made the car competitive in city driving to 25-30 mph. The CVT part engages above about 25 mph and then you can play with the paddles that actually seem to help acceleration, such as it is. Steering had acceptable feedback and quickness. Didn't test the brakes.

Exterior styling was very attractive. It's a small car with a low stance and well-proportioned lines at the expense of some rear passenger and cargo space. Front seating was outstanding, a little snug but driver-focused, just the way I like it. Visibility was good in all directions. XSE materials and trim are way above the last Corolla. The whole car had an expensive look and feel.

Accessories included the high-end media/nav system, BSM, adaptive bi-LED's and fogs, power heated front seats, dual zone a/c, and a slew of new safety nannies plus full speed active cruise control, pretty good for an "economy" car" that was EPA rated 30/38/33 on regular.

The bad part was the price. The loaded one I drove was over $25K MSRP but there are no factory cash back incentives on them this month. You could save over $2K and get the M/T like you know you really want anyway.

About TNGA, it's remarkable what they did. It's a comprehensive package. Here's a recent 10-minute puff piece Toyota produced about their goals for the platform. It worked, and few if any other manufacturers could have pulled this off as well as they did to position themselves for the transition to hybrid powertrains available throughout the car and crossover lineup worldwide within the next year.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVumxSarcdc[/ame]