BY H. THROTTLE
AUTOMOTIVE COLUMNIST
Transportation can travel down many rural roads and city freeways. Freedom of travel has been an American tradition from the early pioneering era. Newly arrived citizens were free to wander wherever they pleased with only the predication fears of wild animals or Indians tribes attempting to protest their lands.
Horses, carriages, wagons, “shanks mare” (walking) were the early modes of transportation and river passages for boats and barges also played a role in the development of major cities along the banks of American pristine rivers.
Then came the trains, and then Henry Ford building the Model T and later the more improved powerful Model A, still a prized possessions of car collectors to this day.
A transportation revolution is occurring presently with the rise of the electric battery powered vehicles that are rapidly sweeping the auto industry with advanced hybrid technology. These cars with small engines and a friction scientific charging system can keep powerful batteries fully charged for hundreds of miles without the need for additional boosting as sole battery driven cars are now reaching hundreds of miles on powerful battery systems with warranties up to five/years and 150,000 miles.
The sole electric cars, while still a small percentage of the nation’s fleet of cars and trucks, is expanding at an exhilarating pace and President Biden is planning massive charging stations to be constructed across America to serve the electric fleet of vehicles.
While the internal combustion engine still runs the world’s major fleet of cars, trucks, planes and trains, a major evolution in transportation is underway and progressing successfully.
Leading the way in the new hybrid concept is Toyota that has many hybrid vehicles along with some new hydrogen powered experimental models and no doubt someday nuclear fueled vehicles.
This leads to the car feature of the week that is a 2022 Toyota Corolla SE hybrid model with a very competitive price tag of $23,650 with only a few additional upgrades.
This circles back to transportation taking many roads and choices for travel relating to taste, travel demands and personal wealth. There is a vast gap in today’s auto world in choice and pricing.
The Corolla hybrid is a wise and frugal choice for those who just want to get to work, have a second car, and really like to drive a simple car that can produce over 53 miles per gallon in fuel economy with rising gasoline prices.
The test-driven Corolla is no slacker in acceleration with more than adequate performance, along with exhilarating economy. The 1.5L, four-cylinder engine works perfectly with the continuous variable transmission. This is a “Drive” mode only with an option to run on battery power, if desired, and can be changed instantly from battery to engine while in motion.
Toyota has equipped the Corolla with their latest 2.0 Safety Sense System that includes the outstanding pre-collision warnings such as pedestrian detection, lane departure alerts, and radar cruise control and the Star Safety System. The car is so new that it has not been given a safety rating but should maintain Toyota excellent scores.
The price is right, the drive is sporty with the instant electric power surge, fully loaded with safety systems, and lastly this Corolla is attractive with sweeping lines and “Celestite Gray” metallic paint, riding on 15” alloy wheels and has final assembly in Aichi, Japan.
This Corolla will take you anywhere you want to travel and leave some money in your wallet or purse.