Editor’s Note: The Toyota Corolla iM had a short life under the Toyota badge, arriving for 2017 after the Scion brand was discontinued. Today, it’s an interesting used-car option for buyers looking for a practical, affordable compact hatchback. We spent two weeks with the Corolla iM when it was new; here’s how it performed.
2017 Corolla iM at a glance:
- 1.8L four-cylinder with 137 hp and 126 lb-ft of torque
- 6-speed manual or CVT automatic
- Front-wheel drive
- Nearly 600 litres of cargo space
- Standard Toyota Safety Sense C
- Best for: affordable commuting and hatchback practicality
- Biggest drawback: an underwhelming powertrain
Related – 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Review
From Scion iM to Toyota Corolla iM
It’s rare for a car maker as successful as Toyota to make marketing mistakes, but the recent discontinuation of its Scion brand proves that it does happen. Toyota introduced that nameplate in the U.S. in 2003, in an effort to appeal to younger people whom the company assumed wanted cooler cars than the ones available in its main line.
“We’re happy to see Toyota back in the hatchback game, but the iM feels like a half-baked attempt unworthy of the Corolla name.“
Ultimately, it didn’t work, even with a 2010 expansion into the North American market with models like the 2012 Scion tC Release Series 7.0. Scion closed up shop in 2016, keeping a handful of its more mainstream models to be sold as Toyotas. One of them is the 2017 Corolla iM, an all-new hatchback variant of the ubiquitous Corolla that started its life barely more than a year ago as the Scion iM.
A five-door Corolla is hardly unprecedented: the most recent was the Matrix, a mechanical clone of the Corolla whose popularity kept it around for more than a decade. But the Corolla iM seemed like an afterthought when it was introduced following Scion’s folding, a notion reinforced by a couple of weeks behind its wheel.
Related – 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Core Review
Styling and Size
The iM looks good, with taut body lines that wrap nicely around 17-inch wheels. It appears smaller than a Corolla sedan, and that’s no styling trickery: this new hatch rides on a wheelbase 100 mm shorter (it’s 320 mm shorter tip to tail, and nominally narrower as well), which takes a serious chunk out of rear seat space. It feels tighter up front too, where the driving position favours shorter drivers, or at least those with short legs. On the plus side, Toyota says the iM boasts nearly 600 litres of cargo space — much more than the sedan’s 369.
Interior and Cargo Space
Thoughtful interior touches include bottle holders built into the rear door handles. Dual-zone automatic air conditioning is standard in the iM’s single trim (it’s become common in compacts), and we like the straightforward climate controls, but the dials for the seat heaters are inside the cubby at the base of the centre stack, a less-than-convenient spot for something that will be used nearly every day in wintertime.
A small rear window hampers visibility behind the car, but we appreciated the simple mechanism for lowering the rear-seat headrests to mitigate that issue; it also doesn’t interfere with folding the seat down for extra cargo space.
For all of our reservations about the iM’s interior, we were impressed by the fit-and-finish: the steering wheel and shifter get leather trim, and the dash is dressed up with some gloss black bits and a contrasting white soft-touch piece that runs from the centre stack out to the passenger side of the cabin.
Engine, CVT & Driving Impressions
The iM’s 1.8L engine (shared with the Corolla sedan) is all there is, meaning your only choice for what’s under the hood is between a six-speed manual and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Our tester had the automatic, and while we’ve found it to be a fine fit in the sedan, it provides a joyless driving experience in the iM that’s at odds with the edgier personality promised by the car’s styling.
Acceleration generates a droning engine note, a behaviour most other automakers have engineered out of their CVTs. A sport drive mode shifts the transmission through preset ratios for more aggressive acceleration, which we found made for a more interesting driving experience overall. Sport mode’s more immediate throttle response is a better fit with the iM’s firm ride, which is good in a car targeted at younger drivers, but not necessarily in one labeled a Corolla.
Safety Features & Fuel Economy
Standard safety items include pre-collision and lane departure alert systems and automatic high beams, all of which rely on a set of cameras that look forward from the top of the windshield. We never needed these features, but the system did warn us they were unavailable on one drive because of compromised visibility. Oddly, the windshield was spotless at the time. These features can be useful, but camera-based safety systems like Toyota’s and Subaru’s EyeSight need a clear view forward: if you can’t see well, neither can they.
Toyota estimates the iM’s fuel consumption at 8.3/6.7 L/100 km city/highway (about 28/35 mpg US); our tester averaged just under 10.0 L/100 km (about 24 mpg US) in wintry city driving.
Price and Trim
The Corolla iM came in a single, well-equipped trim, a carryover from its origins as a Scion. When new, it started at $22,540 CAD ($23,375 with the automatic) in Canada, while U.S. pricing started at $18,750 USD with the six-speed manual and $19,490 with the CVT. We thought that represented fair value, although we wished passive keyless entry was part of the package.
Toyota Safety Sense C was standard, bringing a pre-collision system, lane departure alert and automatic high beams. The Corolla sedan, however, offered the more comprehensive Safety Sense P system with features including pedestrian detection and dynamic radar cruise control.
Takeaway: Is the 2017 Toyota Corolla iM Worth It?
Pros
- Practical hatchback cargo space
- Good fit and finish
- Well-equipped for its time
- Available 6-speed manual
Cons
- 137-hp engine feels underpowered
- CVT isn’t particularly engaging
- Tight rear-seat space
- Less versatile than the old Matrix
Put those missing items together with the iM’s less accommodating interior and unexciting powertrain, and we find ourselves missing the old Matrix. It was no thrill ride itself, but its upright shape made for a roomier cabin, and an optional engine upgrade made it a little more fun to drive. We’re happy to see Toyota back in the hatchback game, but the iM feels like a half-baked attempt unworthy of the Corolla name.
2017 Corolla iM Specs:
- Engine: 1.8L four-cylinder
- Power: 137 hp
- Torque: 126 pound-feet
- Transmission: 6-speed manual or continuously variable automatic (CVT)
- Brakes: Four-wheel disc
- Steering: Electric power-assist rack-and-pinion
- Suspension: MacPherson strut (front); Double wishbone (rear)
