I've tested drive a Corolla and I gotta say I'm somewhat disappointed. It's very unrefined that makes loud buzzy sound at higher revs, vibrates at idle and not the most pleasant sounding motor. Do every 4 cylinder Toyotas really that unrefined? While the Germans make better sounding, smooth 4 cylinder engine than this.
Thank Greta Thunberg. They weren't like that 5 years ago.
While the Germans make better sounding
German cars have different issues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXijFZoENhU
Some 4 cylinder engine don't have balance shaft on it so they have an tendency to vibrate at idle.
I have driven the previous generation RAV4 and the current generation RAV4 regularly. Both have 4 cylinder engine.
The previous generation had a Corolla engine, and the current generation has a Camry engine (for the most part).
I totally empathize with the "unrefinement" comment regarding the Corolla based engine. It's not that impressive, IMHO.
But the Camry engine is different. It feels a little more refined.
Granted this is an isolated case, so who knows how it pans out across other 4 cylinder Toyota engines.
With that said, I don't think base and mid Toyota and even Honda motors have the best sounding engine.
