In a post by our managing editor about that part of the European automotive market referred to as the “C segment”, what Americans would call compact cars, some of our readers commented on how “Toyota Corolla” means different things in different parts of the world. In Europe, Toyota sells a Corolla branded car based on its subcompact platform. The car that Toyota sells in Europe that is most comparable to the North American Corolla is called the Auris there. While built on the same platform, the Auris comes with a multilink independent rear suspension, while the U.S. spec Corolla gets a less sophisticated torsion beam setup in back. At the ride & drive for the launch of the 2014 Corolla that I attended a few months ago I asked Paul Holdridge, vice president of sales for Toyota Division, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A, how come Europe gets IRS and we don’t. Holdridge said it had to do with differing driving styles, needs and expectations of American and European consumers. One might thing that means that American drivers don’t care that much about better handling, but it seems to me that the differences between the Auris and the U.S. spec Corolla may have more to do with the expectations of Europeans, than American driving styles.

While reading through the comments on Derek’s post that contrast the Auris to the North American Corolla, it occurred to me that while our readers were surmising the differences between the two related Toyotas, I actually can speak to the topic. In the span of a couple of months last autumn I had the chance to drive the latest U.S. spec Corolla and a couple of 2012 Auris models sold in Europe. As a matter of fact, when I attended Toyota’s Hybrid World Tour event, which brought together all of the hybrid models that Toyota sells around the world, I specifically test drove both the Auris Touring Sports station wagon and 5 door hatchback Auris that they had for us to sample because Derek and I discussed possibly doing a capsule review of the Euro ‘Corolla’.

As it worked out, other things had higher priorities, so that review never got written, which is probably fortuitous because soon afterwards I had the opportunity to attend the aforementioned Corolla ride & drive, allowing me to better make a comparison between the North American Corolla and the Auris. You can read my TTAC review of the 2014 Corolla here (http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...oyota-corolla/).

After seeing that people are indeed interested in comparing the Auris to the Corolla, I went back to the archives and dug up my audio notes from the Auris drives. First, a caveat must be made. This is going to be an apples and oranges kind of comparison. The 2014 Corollas that I drove all had conventional powerplants and braking systems while the Aurises had the 1.8 liter ICE version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive with a total of 136 horsepower. As with other HSD Toyotas, both Aurises had regenerative braking. Another difference was that the Corollas were sedans while the Aurises both had hatches, with one being a longer station wagon. The driving experiences were different too. The Corolla event was a typical ride & drive, where I could take a car on my choice of routes up to about 30 miles. At the Hybrid World Tour, on the first day we could take the cars on a similar loop as you’d find on a ride & drive but on the second day we were also able to drive the cars on handling and high speed courses at Aisin’s test track near Fowlerville, Michigan.

The track day now also seems to have been fortuitous since most of the interest in comparing the two cars seems to be centered on the rear suspensions and how that affects handling.

Before I get into any differences between the Corolla and Auris, first let me say that the cars are indeed similar. There’s a familial resemblance on the outside as well as the inside, with the new Corolla featuring a dashboard obviously influenced by the Auris. Controls are also similar. The Auris cars had leather upholstery and other interior trim comparable to the higher trim lines on the Corolla.

You want to know, though, how the Auris handles compared to the Corolla. Both the Auris hatch and wagon have good mechanical grip and hold the driving line well. Turn in is sharp and steering feel is good at lower speeds, though at freeway speeds there is significantly less feel. My audio notes say that the 5-door hatch’s steering isn’t quite as crisp as the wagon’s, but both Auris cars react quickly to steering inputs and seemed to have a bit more steering feel than the Corolla.

One of the design goals of the redesigned 2014 Corolla was to give the car better driving dynamics. Toyota doesn’t want to be seen as the maker of boring cars. The new Corolla’s rear suspension had been tweaked towards that end, with relocated shock absorbers. In the end, though, the Auris’ more sophisticated rear suspension yields better handling. How much better? Enough that an enthusiast or car reviewer would notice, but I’m not convinced that an average consumer on either continent would find the difference dramatic.

It’s not a night and day kind of contrast. I’d say that the difference in handling between the Auris and the Corolla S is about the same delta as between the Corolla S and the less sporting Corolla LE. Ride quality went in the other direction, with the Corolla LE being the most comfortable and the Auris having the firmest ride. The two Auris models handled very similarly, though the 5-door had a bit busier ride than the wagon.

When I asked the Toyota rep about why America gets the Corolla without IRS and was told that they tailor models to markets my initial thought was that Toyota product planners don’t think Americans can appreciate a more sophisticated, better handling car. Upon reflection, considering the less than dramatic difference in the way the Auris handles compared to the Corolla, it seems to me that which rear suspension Toyota chooses for which market may have more to do with European expectations than with those of Americans. Europeans may expect IRS, even if in the case of the Corolla platform it doesn’t make a dramatic difference in rear world performance.

Toyota will debut Special Edition versions of the Camry and Corolla at the Chicago Auto Show next week, with both limited edition models featuring a sportier look both inside and out.

One year after its major refresh, the Toyota Camry gets a Special Edition model for the 2016 model year, which brings a more dynamic appearance. Based on the Camry SE, the limited production 2016 Camry Special Edition’s exterior gets unique 18-inch alloy wheels with gloss black painted accents, smoked taillights, unique badge and two colors - Blizzard Pearl and new Blue Streak Metallic.

Inside, the limited edition model features high contrast blue stitching on the seats, shift boot, and dash, sport appearance seats trimmed with black SofTex bolsters and blue patterned inserts, sport meter cluster with blue details and white background as well as floor mats with logo.

Other standard features include a power tilt/slide moonroof, Entune Audio Plus system, Smart Key System with pushbutton start and Qi wireless charging. Camry Special Edition models are powered by the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

As for the Toyota Corolla Special Edition, it gets similar styling features to the Camry, as well as an improved driving experience thanks to the addition of steering wheel paddle shifters, rear disc brakes and Sport Driving Mode.

Based on the sporty Corolla S Plus grade, the 2016 Corolla Special Edition features unique 17-inch alloy wheels with gloss black finish, Special Edition badging, and three colors - exclusive Absolutely Red, Black Sand Pearl and Super White.

The Corolla Special Edition features a black interior with red contrast stitching, red accents on the dash and door trim and Special Edition floor mats with logo. Standard equipment also includes a Smart Key System with pushbutton start, while optional features include Entune Premium Audio with Navigation and App Suite, as well as power tilt/slide moonroof.

The Camry Special Edition will be produced in a “limited” run of about 12,000 units from August 2015 to January 2016, while the Corolla Special Edition will see 8,000 units being built between August and December 2015.

Toyota is truly a global automaker, if there’s ever been one that fits the description. It’s very prolific in terms of production outside of Japan too, with announcements like the one for the 500,000th Corolla produced at its Blue Springs plant, in the US state of Mississippi.

Fred Volf, the VP of manufacturing at the plant was on hand for a statement to mark the occasion. He said “the 500,000th Corolla vehicle is a milestone we’re excited to be celebrating. We are proud to produce the Corolla, and it wouldn’t have been accomplished without the 2,000 dedicated team members who support this operation.”

The Corolla is obviously a very popular model around the world, with bigger markets getting more specifically designed variants to meet local buyers’ needs. Toyota reports to have sold over 10 million cars bearing the name in the US, with the global all-time total rising to 40 million units.

Has a 1.5-liter engine and an electric motor

Toyota has unveiled the Corolla Hybrid during an event in China.

Expected to go on sale in the country in the second half of the year, the model is based on the ASEAN version of the Corolla. Notable design changes compared to the standard variant include a new radiator grille and front bumper and redesigned headlights.

Power will reportedly be provided by a hybrid system that consists of a 1.5-liter petrol engine, running on the Atkinson cycle, and an electric motor. If the system is identical to the one in the Yaris Hybrid, it will generate 100 HP (73kW).

The Toyota Corolla features exterior and interior styling upgrades, as well as improved fuel efficiency. Furthermore, it’s the first model to feature the Toyota Safety Sense C package of safety technologies.

Toyota Safety Sense C uses both a laser radar unit and a camera and includes safety systems such as Pre-collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) and Automatic High Beam (AHB).

Both the Corolla Fielder and the Corolla Axio get Toyota’s signature “Under Priority” front face, which features a large trapezoidal lower grille. The headlights were also redesigned, as was the shape of the taillights. New exterior colors are also available: Orange Metallic and Cool Bordeaux Glass Flake for the Corolla Fielder, Vintage Brown Pearl Crystal Shine for the Corolla Axio.

Additionally, the popular W×B grade, featuring a white and black color scheme, has been added to the Corolla Fielder lineup as a special edition.

Inside, the Corolla Fielder and Corolla Axio get minor upgrades including genuine leather for the steering wheel and shift ****, piano black shift lever housing and shifter bezel and reshaped side air-conditioning vents, among other things.

Technical improvements include the addition of a Stop & Start System as standard on all grades, a newly-developed 1.5-liter 2NR-FKE engine which returns 23.4 km/L (4.2 l/100 km or 55 mpg US) in the two-wheel drive and CVT Corolla Axio models. Hybrid models feature improved fuel efficiency, as low as 33.8 km/L (2.9 l/100 km) or 79.5 mpg US).

Prices start from 1,464,873 yen ($12,225) for the base Corolla Axio.