So impressed with the reliability and cost-effectiveness
Broken door handle.
Stuck hood release hatch.
I bought this a year ago for 500 bucks. I've been commuting headache-free for a year now and so now I know why the Corolla has its reputation.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th August, 2016
The most boring car that I've ever loved!
Loose brake caliper ~ replaced for $30.
Interior driver's door handle broke ~ easily replaced for free, new spares were included with the car from the previous owner.
The styling is a bit bland, but the reliability is outstanding! I've bought and sold a number of vehicles over the years, and wasn't sure if I was going to keep this Corolla at first or if I was going to flip it for a profit. But I really wanted a car that got great fuel economy as I live about 90 miles from Las Vegas and drive there semi-frequently to buy and sell stuff. This car gets 36 MPG on the highway so it was hard to beat when gas prices were so high. The air conditioning is the coldest I've ever had on any car, which is a must have in the desert... it's 38 degrees at the vent even when it's 100+ outside!
As far as the blandness, I installed an in-dash DVD player, new speakers and an alarm with remote start as well as new rims so that made the car more appealing to me. I also installed a trailer hitch so I can pull a small trailer and I don't have to use my gas thirsty truck as often. The Corolla has an amazing tow rating of 1500 pounds!
Two-and-a-half years later, I've thought about getting something else, as I get bored with cars, but this car is just hard to beat and it's got everything I want so I changed my mind. This is the LE model and is factory equipped with all power options as well as cruise control.
Common with many cars -- including this Corolla -- is oil consumption... I usually have to add a half a quart after 2,000 miles so be sure to check your dipstick every 1500 miles or thereabout and add oil accordingly.
If you're considering buying one of these Corollas, go for it! It's a great deal for the money!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 21st June, 2016
Perfect allrounder with an extra punch
Front passenger side ABS sensor went wrong and lit the VSC/ABS/TRAC "Christmas light". Cost with replacement - 50 EUR. Rusted bolt that held the sensor snapped and was drilled to be replaced by a new one.
This car is not as bad as people claim. It does require some time to get used to. The gear shifting is notchy, valve "lift" (Toyota version of VTEC) is too far away (at 6200 RPM) and it revs to ~8200 RPM until the limiter and needs to be shifted very swiftly if you want to get straight into the "lift" zone in an upper gear. The clutch bites late and the pedal travel is too short and is too light. You really need to concentrate and have proper footwear to feel the car. Most TS Corollas have worn out engine mounts because of dodgy shifting, and stretched accelerator cables due to that. Shifting must be very well planned and rev matched at around 3K RPM if you want to operate this car smoothly in the city. Highway travel is OK, but very noisy due to high revs with the short six speed gearbox.
But then, there is the good part. Fuel consumption is really surprisingly good - around 8,3 liters per 100 km of mixed driving with occasional acceleration up to the "lift" and beyond. The engine itself proves to be very flexible, towing itself even uphill in any gear starting from 1,2K RPM. There is a lot of body roll because of the car's height, however it can really handle with its regular shock absorbers and stiff spring combination provided by Toyota without losing the comfort. The gaps between the arches do not make this car any prettier, but it's good for city driving around the curbs.
Then there's acceleration - 6,6 secs to 100km/h (with traction control off) instead of the official ~8 to 100! I can easily keep up with 535d Beemers while looking at their funny faces, and I'm able to beat EP3 Civics!
The downsides of this car are: a notchy gearbox that often requires a double clutch press when the gearbox is cold to let the disc go and to shift properly when the revs are matched, corrosion on a bruised body, and not that pretty gap between the wheel and the arch.
Good things: great acceleration (although you need to watch the speedo because the lack of torque does not make you feel acceleration that much), absolute reliability (just give it the oil it needs like 5w40 or 10w40, but not too dense as it's not good for the valvetrain, and not 0w20 or any other fancy watery liquid, and this engine will outlive you).
The car is very roomy too and has the best A/C I ever had on a car. The 55 liter fuel tank gives you a range of around 600-650 km in mixed conditions, and the ride component quality and geometry is top notch as it holds all the bumps without any problems requiring fixing.
It's the best hot hatch for money it's worth. It's not as great to drive as a Civic Type R, but it's a better allrounder and it's cheaper, and most important of all, it's far more reliable than any Renault/Peugeot/Ford or even VW.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 10th March, 2015
24th Dec 2022, 17:58
Still driving my Corolla and appreciating her more and more, especially when the cost of vehicles skyrocketed in the last couple years. Six-and-a-half years after my initial review and it's now got 132k miles as I don't drive to Vegas much anymore. I do end up off on some very treacherous, rocky and hilly unpaved roads in the desert to buy stuff or take consignments from people living in the rural areas, and this car handles them like a champ.
No problems to report, replaced another interior door handle which cost me less than $5 and is easy to replace. And that's it! It doesn't get garaged and sits out in the desert sun everyday, so it's getting a little tired looking, but I'll be doing some polishing and paintwork to the hood and other touch-ups soon to freshen it up. The interior looks great, the (velour, I think?) seat fabric is very good quality on the LE and holds up well.
After 9 years, this car has cost me virtually nothing to own and I love her for that! And my bank account is looking quite nice too, I might add...