Johannesburg - Black colour schemes are all the rage these days and even Toyota’s normally conservative Corolla is joining in the fun with this new special edition called the ‘Prestige+’.
You might notice that the edition is not as shiny up front, with the chrome trim that you usually find on the Corolla’s grille making way for a glossy black treatment, which has also been applied to the lower air dam, side mirrors and roof. Two-tone 17-inch alloys wheels add further contrast and buyers can choose from three exterior colours: Glacier White, Satin Silver and Graphite Grey.
The sportier theme continues inside, where the silver door trim makes way for Piano Black accents, while a leather and cloth upholstery combination replaces the full leather treatment found in standard Prestige models and Toyota has thrown in a set of ‘Prestige+’ branded floor mats.
Only one engine is available, that being Toyota’s 1.6-litre normally aspirated unit, rated at 90kW and 154Nm, but customers can choose between a six-speed manual and CVT transmission.
Apart from the aforementioned stylistic changes, the ‘+’ has the same feature count as regular Prestige derivatives, with standard fare including a touchscreen audio system with reverse camera, manual air conditioning, cruise control, electric windows, front and side airbags, ABS and stability control. All Corollas are sold with a three-year/100 000km warranty and five-year/90 000km service plan.
The Prestige+ sells for R318 500 in manual form and R333 000 when paired with the CVT gearbox - this is a R7900 premium over the regular Prestige models.