5 ms·

I have a newer Corolla that's pretty much the absolute floor of the base model (LE with I believe minimal packages) and it has all the technology one would expe

by jjice 9mo ago

I have a newer Corolla that's pretty much the absolute floor of the base model (LE with I believe minimal packages) and it has all the technology one would expect now, all while having physical buttons where it matters. Lane assist and adaptive cruise control are table stakes now.

tasty_freeze 9mo ago
Indeed, I have a 2023 Corolla. The dealer didn't like it when I said "LE" stands for "Low End" as a joke (it means Limited Edition). The technology for such a low end car is impressive. In addition to adaptive cruise control and lane keeping, the display shows the speed limit not by consulting a map but by reading the signs as you drive down the street. They call it RSA, Road Sign Assist. It also uses the camera and radar to alert when there are potential hazards (closing too quicky on the car in front, and lane changing into someone in the blind spot). All that in a $23K car, built into that base price.
- TheCondor 9mo ago
  Makes you wonder. Technology usually becomes less expensive. Car companies have used it as a differentiator for years though. There are giant cost differences between like a base line Tundra and a top of the line and the mechanicals are the same; it's more price for luxury and more tech. Seems like Toyota is about to make a big Lexus pivot in the next year or two.
- vostrocity 9mo ago
  I always thought Toyota's LE connoted Luxury Edition and SE Sport Edition
  - tasty_freeze 9mo ago
    You are right -- I just looked it up. All the same, the LE is the low-end Corolla model and I wouldn't have ever guessed it meant luxury edition.
    - NoGravitas 9mo ago
      In the 1980s, it was the high-end trim line, more or less across the board. I believe it gradually drifted down as special trim lines for different models were added until it was the base line on everything.
- borborigmus 9mo ago
  2022 Corolla owner here. Mine is UK spec with “Design” trim, which is middle of the range in terms of luxuries. I love mine. It’s got enough technology without it being annoying and has everything I want. The adaptive cruise is a killer feature. Best car I’ve ever owned.
  - ethbr1 9mo ago
    As the unofficial corporate tag line quips: 'Toyota: for when your favorite appliance color is beige' But in all seriousness, I'll give props to Honda, Toyota, and Mazda for amazing engineering cultures. In the sense of being extremely good at optimizing trade-offs.
sigio 9mo ago
I think in (most of) europe, most of the safety-related features are mandatory on all new cars these days, so all these features must come on all trim levels. This does make the base model a lot more expensive then a few years back, but you get all the nice features, so that also makes them cheaper in general.
- AlexandrB 9mo ago
  Honestly, I don't like this trend. Some of these features - like lane keeping - encourage/enable distracted driving. Meanwhile the necessary sensors make cars so expensive to repair that they're becoming a disposable good. As my driving instructor says: If you need a lane keeping system to keep your car in a lane, you shouldn't be behind the wheel.
  - rf15 9mo ago
    Lane keeping is also tremendously dangerous, if the system gets confused on e.g. construction sites. I hated how much I had to fight the car not to swerve into the huge barriers running along the middle of the original road layout.
    - NetMageSCW 9mo ago
      Like many (many) things, it is all about the implementation - not all lane keeping assist thinks it knows better than the driver.
      - bzzzt 9mo ago
        The problem is knowing which lane keeping assist systems are good and which are not. Every dealer just treats it as a 'checkbox' item and implementations vary by model and year. Had a Kia loaner a few years back that to my surprise tried to actively kill me by repeatedly steering into oncoming traffic on a provincial road. I really prefer steering myself to last-second correcting a temperamental computer.
        9mo ago
esalman 9mo ago
I have an acura Integra and a Toyota Highlander. Both have most of the capabilities as standard except stopping for obstacles/traffic lights and making lane change or turns. They can detect vehicles around it and follow the one in front. Theoretically once you are on the highway/interstate they can drive themselves.
digiown 9mo ago
Can you remove the modem or sim card to prevent it from phoning home without disabling these features?
CGMthrowaway 9mo ago
Tesla Model 3/Y will includes Lane Departure Avoidance (a reactive safety feature that nudges you back if you accidentally drift over a line), it just will not actively steer to keep you centered
octorian 9mo ago
I'm very happy that the "base model" of cars now has a lot of the modern tech. Not because I'd personally buy a base model, but because its what you get whenever you travel and need to rent something. In the past, when traveling, I'd be shocked at just how bare the rental cars were compared to my normal home experience. Fortunately that's no longer the case.
phil21 9mo ago
Yeah, I rented a Corolla recently which was about as basic as it got - and within less than 90 seconds of entering the vehicle/driving I had everything I needed figured out. CarPlay was trivial to pair up. Screen resolution was meh, but otherwise it Just Worked(tm). Adaptive cruise was trivial to turn on and read the indicators for. Lane keep assist was also overtly obvious - both if it was on, and how to turn it on/off. The A/C controls were nice easily understood knobs and buttons. Blindspot detection was standard, worked great. Overall just a very intuitive vehicle.

by jjice 9mo ago

tasty_freeze 9mo ago

Indeed, I have a 2023 Corolla. The dealer didn't like it when I said "LE" stands for "Low End" as a joke (it means Limited Edition). The technology for such a low end car is impressive. In addition to adaptive cruise control and lane keeping, the display shows the speed limit not by consulting a map but by reading the signs as you drive down the street. They call it RSA, Road Sign Assist. It also uses the camera and radar to alert when there are potential hazards (closing too quicky on the car in front, and lane changing into someone in the blind spot). All that in a $23K car, built into that base price.

TheCondor 9mo ago
Makes you wonder. Technology usually becomes less expensive. Car companies have used it as a differentiator for years though. There are giant cost differences between like a base line Tundra and a top of the line and the mechanicals are the same; it's more price for luxury and more tech. Seems like Toyota is about to make a big Lexus pivot in the next year or two.
vostrocity 9mo ago
I always thought Toyota's LE connoted Luxury Edition and SE Sport Edition
- tasty_freeze 9mo ago
  You are right -- I just looked it up. All the same, the LE is the low-end Corolla model and I wouldn't have ever guessed it meant luxury edition.
  - NoGravitas 9mo ago
    In the 1980s, it was the high-end trim line, more or less across the board. I believe it gradually drifted down as special trim lines for different models were added until it was the base line on everything.
borborigmus 9mo ago
2022 Corolla owner here. Mine is UK spec with “Design” trim, which is middle of the range in terms of luxuries. I love mine. It’s got enough technology without it being annoying and has everything I want. The adaptive cruise is a killer feature. Best car I’ve ever owned.
- ethbr1 9mo ago
  As the unofficial corporate tag line quips: 'Toyota: for when your favorite appliance color is beige' But in all seriousness, I'll give props to Honda, Toyota, and Mazda for amazing engineering cultures. In the sense of being extremely good at optimizing trade-offs.

sigio 9mo ago

I think in (most of) europe, most of the safety-related features are mandatory on all new cars these days, so all these features must come on all trim levels. This does make the base model a lot more expensive then a few years back, but you get all the nice features, so that also makes them cheaper in general.

AlexandrB 9mo ago
Honestly, I don't like this trend. Some of these features - like lane keeping - encourage/enable distracted driving. Meanwhile the necessary sensors make cars so expensive to repair that they're becoming a disposable good. As my driving instructor says: If you need a lane keeping system to keep your car in a lane, you shouldn't be behind the wheel.
- rf15 9mo ago
  Lane keeping is also tremendously dangerous, if the system gets confused on e.g. construction sites. I hated how much I had to fight the car not to swerve into the huge barriers running along the middle of the original road layout.
  - NetMageSCW 9mo ago
    Like many (many) things, it is all about the implementation - not all lane keeping assist thinks it knows better than the driver.
    - bzzzt 9mo ago
      The problem is knowing which lane keeping assist systems are good and which are not. Every dealer just treats it as a 'checkbox' item and implementations vary by model and year. Had a Kia loaner a few years back that to my surprise tried to actively kill me by repeatedly steering into oncoming traffic on a provincial road. I really prefer steering myself to last-second correcting a temperamental computer.
      - 9mo ago

esalman 9mo ago

I have an acura Integra and a Toyota Highlander. Both have most of the capabilities as standard except stopping for obstacles/traffic lights and making lane change or turns. They can detect vehicles around it and follow the one in front. Theoretically once you are on the highway/interstate they can drive themselves.

digiown 9mo ago

Can you remove the modem or sim card to prevent it from phoning home without disabling these features?

CGMthrowaway 9mo ago

Tesla Model 3/Y will includes Lane Departure Avoidance (a reactive safety feature that nudges you back if you accidentally drift over a line), it just will not actively steer to keep you centered

octorian 9mo ago

I'm very happy that the "base model" of cars now has a lot of the modern tech. Not because I'd personally buy a base model, but because its what you get whenever you travel and need to rent something. In the past, when traveling, I'd be shocked at just how bare the rental cars were compared to my normal home experience. Fortunately that's no longer the case.

phil21 9mo ago

Yeah, I rented a Corolla recently which was about as basic as it got - and within less than 90 seconds of entering the vehicle/driving I had everything I needed figured out. CarPlay was trivial to pair up. Screen resolution was meh, but otherwise it Just Worked(tm). Adaptive cruise was trivial to turn on and read the indicators for. Lane keep assist was also overtly obvious - both if it was on, and how to turn it on/off. The A/C controls were nice easily understood knobs and buttons. Blindspot detection was standard, worked great. Overall just a very intuitive vehicle.