I recently had the opportunity to test drive the new 2003 Toyota Corolla at my local dealership. The Corolla is Toyota’s high volume, economical, compact sedan. It is routinely a best seller each year.
EXTERIOR
I drove the sporty looking, Corolla S. The S version is actually a very nice looking car. The S version adds a rear spoiler and a body kit which dramatically improves the overall look of the car from the base versions. It also had nice 16 inch wheels and a sunroof which furthered the sporty look of the car. All these options give the car a nice looking Euro look to it.
INTERIOR
Inside the Corolla has a suprising amount of room for a subcompact sedan. I had plenty of leg room and an amazing amount of headroom for such a small car. Also, the back seat was more than adequate for most passengers. The trunk is also very spacious. The Corolla S version featured white faced gauges and carbon trim on the dase which created a sporty, race car like interior design. Toyota did very well with the interior design. You can even get leather seats in the top of the line LE version of the Corolla!
ENGINE/DRIVE
The Corolla S I drove had the standard 1.8 130hp engine equiped with an automatic transmission. I was really dissapointed with this engine. During the drive, I noticed that the engine is too underpowered for this vehicle. It is also way too noisy when pushed. Toyota could have offered a different engine option for their sporty looking Corolla S version like the 1.8, 180hp Celica GTS engine. This would have dramitically improved the cars performance. Granted, the Corolla is designed as a basic transportation, economy car. It gets terrific gas mileage, at 32 city and 38 highway. I think the performance would have been better if the car was equiped with a manual transmission. This is an option, but I was informed by my salesman that its very hard to find Corollas with manuals. The ride and handling of the car was good enough for a car in this price range.
VALUE/PRICE
The Corolla starts around 12k for the base model. The mid-level Corolla S that I drove stickered for 18k loaded. I think the Corolla is a good value, because Toyota vehicles are very well known for their reliability and good build quality. I know this for a fact as my family as owned many Toyotas and they all run well over 100, 000 miles w/ little or no maitanence required. The Corollas is also the best selling car in automotive history w/ over 25 million vehicles sold worldwide since its inception.
OVERVIEW
The Corolla is a decent car for those looking for inexpensive, economical transporation. Its not an exciting, or fast car, but it will get the job done w/ no complaints w/ out breaking down like most domestic cars. Toyota did it again with their new Corolla and I recommend it for young families or students w/ limited budgets who need good, reliable transportation w/out breaking the bank.