Toyota Blitz: Humble Corolla on steroids

Hold on when you take off in the Toyota Blade. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

Toyota's bland-and-boring image is personified by the sensible Corolla. But clearly its grey-suited engineers occasionally get a rush of blood to the head, which explains this Blitz.

For it's effectively a Corolla with a facelift and a 3.5-litre V6 engine wedged under the bonnet. Yep, the same unit that powers the much bigger Aurion, the RX350 and the Lexus IS350 performance sedan is fitted to a mainstream hatch.

The suspension's upgraded to cope with an independent double wishbone rear in place of the torsion beam of our Corollas, while braking's boosted by bigger, front ventilated discs.

Hubba-hubba was my first thought; here's a Toyota that could foot it with a hot Golf.

That impression holds when you pull away. The mighty motor's at its best in a lighter car, flinging its 206kW and 344Nm to the front wheels via a quick-shifting six-speed auto. There's less torque steer than expected and you literally rocket away from lights or on to motorway on-ramps with the sort of blistering delivery that'd give the average Corolla-owner indigestion.

Power ramps up smoothly but, when the road turns bendy, the engine throws its weight around - literally. Clearly this car's been designed for a lighter powerplant and the extra heft is felt via assertive understeer.

That apart, the suspension is compliant enough for comfort and makes a decent fist of carving round open corners; it's when they tighten that the Blade tries to cut a straight path.

Rather numb steering doesn't help and I soon throttled back for a more sedate approach to bends, saving the fireworks for the straights. Slowing down will ease your wallet, for the car returned a 13.3l/100km thirst during my spirited drive - a shock for a tarted-up Corolla.

Inside, the cabin's leather seats are inset with suede that's also been lavished over other surfaces. The Blitz is a Signature Class official used import, so it's been through Toyota's fettling process when the Japanese radio was replaced with a New Zealand unit.

There's an assortment of features, though I couldn't get the voice control to work - perhaps because of translation difficulties.

As a Corolla on steroids, the $33,000 Blitz didn't quite cut it for me; if I want a performance car I'd buy a better-handling and hotter-looking model. But it does deliver the sort of barbecue-boasting rights no ordinary Corolla can manage.

We like
Characterful engine, Signature Class approved used three-year warranty and AA Roadservice

We don't like
Handling not as sporty as the engine; it's still a Corolla

Powertrain
3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, 206kW at 6200rpm, 344Nm at 4700rpm, six speed auto with paddle shift drives front wheels

Performance
0-100 not available, 10.2l/100km thirst

Safety
Seven airbags, ABS brakes, stability control

What it's got
Radar cruise control, Bluetooth, Auto air con, keyless entry and start, leather, fog lights, alloy wheels

Vital stats
4260mm long, 350-litre boot, 60-litre tank