Every forty seconds, another new Corolla rolls off a dealer’s lot. Statistically speaking, it’s piloted by a middle aged woman without a college degree. She could be your house cleaner, mother or receptionist. For forty years, the Corolla has satisfied her with its predictable blend of reliable, economical and durable transportation. These days, old is out, youthful is in. Toyota’s PR professed and ambitious goal for their tenth generation Corolla: “to connect, more than ever, with younger buyers on every level” (Toyota’s italics/underlines). So, has the new Corolla hooked up?
The first half of Toyota’s “Plus-Alpha” program to attract younger buyers is “creative style packaging.” Corolla designers were sent to Italy for four months to discover “What would stand out, even on the streets of Turin?” I’m thinking a Fiat 500 Abarth SS. Their answer was not quite as dramatic. In fact, on the lowly streets of Eugene, the new Toyota Corolla was utterly lost in the sea of… older Toyota Corollas.
Goal number two is the “plus-alpha criteria of new value ‘improvements in sensitivity performance.’” What sounds like an ad for a sexual dysfunction remedy is actually all about improving the “five-meter impression” (no, not THAT “five-meter impression”). In Toyota-speak, it’s the aesthetic appeal as the customer approaches the vehicle, gets in and drives the car for five meters.
The presumption that the Corolla will sell itself within 16.4041994750656 feet is not without merit. It’s safe to say that the majority of Corolla buyers are pre-sold by the sea of virtually unbroken “happy faces” in Consumer Reports’ reliability stats, as well as the class-leading EPA mileage numbers (27/35).
Within my first five meters of acquaintance with the new car, I had an overwhelming “improvement in sensitivity performance”– from my nose. As I opened the door, my olfactory sense was assaulted by the intense smell of the still-polymerizing plastics. A pungent reminder of Toyota’s industry leading “just-in-time” manufacturing process? I cautiously touched them to make sure they weren’t still hot.
My other senses weren’t any happier with the plastics. The Corolla’s interior looks and feels distinctly cheaper than the preceding model. The flimsy ventilation controls feel much more Tianjin than Toyota City. I notice that my NUMMI built tester’s domestic content is down from 60 to 50 percent relative to last year. How else is Toyota going to offset the cost of an extra 150lbs of steel in the new model and keep their profit margins healthy?
Toyota deployed the extra metal to widen the Corolla by a couple of inches, as well as make it quieter. The only noticeable result: the hard, sharp-edged plastic door panels were that much more prominent in my field of vision. For a middle-aged man who’s 6’4” tall, the Corolla’s rear seat leg, hip and head room is woefully inadequate. But the cleaning-lady carpool will be happy enough.
Even in those first five meters, the Corolla’s new electrically-assisted steering made a powerful impression. Mother will love its over-boosted lightness in the Costco parking lot, but not me. It’s a necessary trade-off to keep the EPA numbers up (what with that extra body weight), but its synthetic feel and unpredictable weighting are a let down from the predecessor’s perfectly adequate hydraulic tiller.
That first drive almost turned into seven meters. The Corolla’s brake pedal felt like it was going to drop to the floor. We’re talking seriously mushy stoppers, unlike the firm ’08 comparison tester at hand. In sum, my five-meter impression was not a success; every time I hopped out of the ’09 and sat in the ’08, my “sensitivity performance” improved, and not just because of the smell. If any connection was going to happen, a longer drive was in order.
The revised 1.8-liter engine offers a few more horsepower. More importantly for the Corolla’s target market, it’s noticeably quieter. Given Toyota four-cylinder engines’ long, flat torque curves and the car’s intended mission in life, the four-speed automatic is adequate. With improved sound insulation and a soft ride, the Corolla is truly the Lexus of small car freeway cruisers. Your receptionist will love it.
When it comes to spirited driving, highlight and delete. The “old” ’08 is clearly the more dynamically engaging of the two models, with its pleasant steering and firm brakes. Or maybe I was just getting bored.
The 2009 base Corolla automatic lists for $16,050. That’s none too cheap, considering it has manual window cranks. Call me an old crank, but I don’t foresee a wave of new younger buyers connecting with the new Corolla. In fact, some traditional Corolla buyers may begin to question the price/value equation, in light of the cheap interior and the improved competition. That still leaves the Corolla’s stellar reliability reputation; hopefully the development team’s four months in Italy didn’t have an affect on that.
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Having worked detail at a Toyota dealership for two summers, I’m no fan of the ‘rolla though I did have a level of respect for it for what it was: a well-built, economical car. I think the styling update makes it better on the outside, but I did want to get one to see if they had done anything better. Apparently they didn’t, and apparently I’m still not gonna fit in it (I’m 6′7″).
My question is: what small cars are better? Obviously the Mazda3 and Civic, but that’s not gonna win on price. Would you recommend a Focus over this? Sentra?
Chrysler should have never axed the Neon, it could have been better than this…
Too bad that the long-needed ergonomic improvements (more cabin width, tilt-telescope wheel, driver’s seat height adjustment), came at a price.
That electric power steering really bugs me; it seems to be the “innovation du jour” these days, but I’ve heard enough bad things about it (i.e. Honda Fit’s steering sometimes “shuts off, requiring reboot”) that I would consider it a “work in progress”.
I’ve heard the EPS in the new 4cyl Malibu is an improvement in feel over last year’s unit (from the G6), but I’m still wary about durability.
It’s unfortunate the new model pales in comparison to the prior one. I had an ‘05 when I was in college, and I think it was better to drive than my overpriced car right now. The seats were extremely comfortable, the car was nimble enough to navigate urban environments, and I had great gas mileage.
As pragmatic transportation goes, a Toyota may cost more up front, but it retains its value so well you’re really not out much at all. I was offered zero percent for 36 at the time with a few free oil changes. My middle of the road model went out the door after taxes for $16.5K… amazing stuff.
I don’t think a Corolla is supposed to be a fantastic car with great dynamics. But it is a ubiquitous “car” and that’s where it excelled. Seems like Toyota f’ed that up.
@ Brendino: I owned a Mazda3s sedan at the same time as the Corolla. The Mazda3 is better on paper and when you feel like driving fast. In all other facets, the Mazda3 was inferior to the Corolla. The Mazda was less comfortable, less reliable, cost more to insure, achieved very poor mpg, had sub-standard paint and quality, and developed lots of creaks and groans. Corolla wins out if you want your car to be effective transportation. The Mazda3 wins if you don’t want to be branded as an uneducated receptionist based on your vehicle.
Me: Hello, I’d like to test drive a manual transmission Toyota Corolla.
Salesman: You’d like to test drive a Corolla?
Me: Yes:
Salesman: A manual transmission Corolla?
Me: Yes.
Salesman: A Corolla.
Me: Yes.
Salesman: We don’t have any manual transmission Corollas.
Me: Then I’ll test drive an automatic.
Salesman: You want to test drive a Corolla.
I remember that conversation, the bored salesman, the salesman who really never had to SELL a Toyoto but had to write up the same boring list-price sales agreement several times a week.
I don’t remember anything about the car. No. Wait. I do remember a few things. It started. It went. It turned. It stopped. It smelled bad. It looked cheap.
By the way, I’m the guy who, along with my son, drove a rental Camry from Toronto to Myrtle Beach S.C. We both agreed that it was dangerous to merge onto an interstate in a four-cylinder Camry. I’m trying to accelerate and merge and the transmission computer is trying to figure out what gear we need. At a 75mph cruising speed, the Camry was almost as pleasant as my 2000 Crown Vic with 120,000 miles on it. The Camry’s radio wasn’t as good though.
And now Toyota wants to dilute itself into aircraft production?
@ Brendino – A Honda Fit is priced the same. And kills it in comparison. By the way Paul, “cleaning lady”? “receptionist”? Ahh those lower forms of life… what about the frugal millionaire? Like my landlord, who owns about a dozen buildings in Manhattan and drives a 96 Hyundai Accent.
It’s really too bad that we don’t get the same Corolla interior as the Europeans and Middle Easterners do:
http://213.8.154.195/toyota/corolla/images/gallery/800/t8_cor07_car_gal_18_prev_tcm280-514089.jpg
From the reviews I’ve read, they have a similar number of complaints, but at least they don’t have to be reminded of them every time they turn the flimsy air conditioning switch.
If they are going for a different market then why does the only Corolla commercial I see (and I see it twice an hour at night) stress how quiet the Corolla is INSIDE? Talk about inconsistent message. I guess they do try to be funny in a wacky Japanese way by having some nursing critters inside the car while a cannon is being shot outside the car. WTF?
It’s a very good econo box but I wish they change THE STYLE. I mean.. it never look so appealing to everyone especially with the teenagers, who craves for speed and a four wheel motion.
I mean it doesn’t have to be fast just “Look” fast.
Every forty seconds, another new Corolla rolls off a dealer’s lot.
That’s tragic. Not Sally Struthers tragic, but still…
I commented on this car over at the Matrix review, but I’ll do it again here…I have had the opportunity to try out two ‘09 Corollas, almost back to back against an ‘05 Corolla and a couple of ‘07 Civics. Personally, I like the new Corolla. The tilt/telescopic wheel makes the driving position ten times better for me (I’m kinda short)and the overall size of the car just seemed right for me. My first ride was in the XRS model, I really liked it but at $22K, it was a bit out of my budget. The LE seemed too plain, so I’m leaning towards an S model. I know, it’s all looks and not much sport, but it works for me. The ‘05 I drove, while a nice car, just felt too tall for me, and, my hand kept brushing up against some sharp cut outs on the door trim.
What about the new Civic? Well, I liked it, but I would have to go with the coupe, as the sedan’s steeply raked windshield and A-pillars made me feel as if I was driving a scaled down GM Dustbuster minivan. The coupe felt more natural, though the steering wheel blocked the speedo for me.
Of course, this could all just be a case of nostalgia kicking in, as I drove two Corollas, a ‘93 and a ‘95, and a ‘92 Civic during my college years.
Truth be told, I really don’t want to give up my Olds just yet, as it has been a very good car to me, but with the threat of $4 gas, the idea of an extra ten miles per gallon sounds really good to me, and so does the new Corolla.
Call me confused, but how does Electric power steering help with gas mileage? Does a hydraulic power steering pump really draw that much power off the drive line? Doesn’t an electric power steering system require a bigger alternator, sucking more power off of the engine?
Paul
The only person I actually know that owns a Corolla is a Journalist for a major newspaper.
Please be careful with the stereotypes. Plus my cleaning lady rides a Harley.
My brother in law’s mother picked one up after totaling her new Civic. I got in it the other day and was not impressed. To my surprise he told me that he liked it. It was so bland to me and felt cheaper than the Civic.
To me, this is a commuter car to drive to work downtown and not care if someone breaks into it. I know it sounds silly, but I have no attachment to bland cars that appear to have no ’soul’.
As a 20 something male and car enthusiast, I really, really want a Corolla…just not this one. I want an AE86 GTS. I don’t know why Toyota would want to market a corolla to young people as they have Scion for that.
As for this car, I liken to how the Top Gear boys once described BMW. It is a good, reliable machine, but it has not character or soul. You simply walk into a Toyota dealership and order the size of car you want small, medium, large, or supersize (Yaris, Corolla, Camry, Avalon) and they write it up for you. No thanks.
I’m surprised at this. I was looking at the 2008 coupe model of this car versus the Honda Civic coupe, and thought that they’d make the 2009 model a tad sportier looking, perhaps at the same level as the Civic. I don’t think of either as a “sporty” car, but as a fuel-efficient alternative to a V-6 Ford Mustang if you don’t need the power and would like slightly better handling.
I don’t understand the purpose of this car. Maybe at fourteen thousand dollars it could be a value choice, but the Honda Civic I looked at was about $18 thousand with what looked like a better package overall, with equal reliability and a way better look and more fun-to-drive.
As #1 automaker, you’d think Toyota would make a better car than this. Then again, GM was #1 for years, as was Ford, so I guess it’s not as simple as that.
The EPS should be more reliable than hydraulic. No messy fluids to leak out.
The Corolla still looks pretty nice and if the reliability stays on it should do well.
I would have to discount any comments from “car enthusiasts”. The Corolla was never for them, it still isn’t. A lot of people are looking for classy not cool. In Toyota parlance a young person is anyone under 50. The Corolla is not for high schoolers. Quieter is a good way to go. (especially when the biggest complaint about the Civic is interior noise) More comfort is a good way to go. The cheaper plastics are unfortunate. (I’ve never actually seen it)
At this price, give me a Mazda3. The slightly higher price is worth it for the extra standard features that I’ll get with the Mazda. In particular, the lasting smile on my face when I drive it. I own a Mazda6 and I find it is very comfortable for me even on long trips to my mom’s in Idaho. I test drove a couple of Mazda3’s and I thought that they were comfortable cars as well. I may only be 6′1″, but I had plenty of leg and headroom in the back of the Mazda3 with the front seat set at a comfortable position for me. I can’t say the same about my mom’s ‘03 Corolla, that’s for sure, And I doubt that the new one is that much bigger and more comfortable.
v65magnafan1: “By the way, I’m the guy who, along with my son, drove a rental Camry from Toronto to Myrtle Beach S.C. We both agreed that it was dangerous to merge onto an interstate in a four-cylinder Camry.”
Not that I’d noticed (even at 5 people on board plus luggage), it had enough giddy-up for me. However, if v65magna refers to a motorcyle, then I guess I can see where you’re coming from. And, why didn’t you just drive your own car?
—
Anyway, the Corolla has class-leading fuel economy? Many people aren’t going to wait the 16 and whatever feet. They’ll check the EPA rating and pull out the checkbook. I’m disappointed that it’s bigger and heavier but if they still wring however many miles out of a gallon of gas, what are the other options?
Maybe Toyota could do better at that price point, maybe they should do better at that price point but maybe they noticed they don’t NEED to do better at that price point.
If it’s a durable, reliable, economical car… that’s not exactly a crime.
I think the majority of posts here, for or better worse, miss the point of the Corolla’s intended audience.
This is primarily what folks who buy this car will consider…
1) Toyota reliability… and maybe Honda’s reputation is what most of these customers will covet above all else. Everything else in this segment is publicized by the mainstream media as a tier below.
(As an aside, perhaps Subaru and Hyundai may want to consider a more extensive advertising campaign for the Impreza and Elantra).
2) Durability: The Corolla isn’t a passionate car. It’s an economic proposition. Folks who buy it will mostly want it to last around 10 to 15 years.
3) Fuel economy: A tie into the economics of number two. Corolla buyers want to feel like they will have an advantage when it comes to paying at the pump.
4) Space: In many ways the Corolla represents a ‘new American midsized sedan’. It’s interior space is comparable to the Camry of the mid-90’s and a lot of folks want to consider a design that can fit four well and carry a fairly decent amount of stuff. The Corolla is a bigger car for that reason.
5) Ergonomics: I can’t think of a mainstream car that would do worse with a confusing ergonomic display than the Corolla. Consumers who buy these cars want simplicity, and perhaps a small touch of luxury.
I think the Corolla will have a nice 12 month run. Then it’s all a matter of how strong the competition will be in this market.
“As a 20 something male and car enthusiast, I really, really want a Corolla”
As a 20 something male and car enthusiast, I find this comment hilarious.
Give me a Toyota Auris 5 door Hatchback with their diesel engine any day over this.
Foolish: the numbers I’ve seen suggest that EPS boosts fuel economy by 0.5 to 0.7 MPG. Thing is, the hydraulic pump is always running, whether you’re turning or not. The EPS only draws power when used.
On pricing: RF has asked for it, and TrueDelta will have it up on TTAC by Monday, maybe a few days earlier.
On reliability: even with Toyota, remains to be seen. Toyota has had some spotty launches lately. If enough owners sign up to participate in TrueDelta’s research we can have a result in 4-6 months.
Details on that research here:
http://www.truedelta.com/reliability.php
Seriously, why do you guys continue to do reviews on garden variety Toyota products to only pan them for all the attribute they never claim to have in the first place.
Toyota does not make the Corolla for the sports crowd that is easily understood. The Corolla is built and price to be the EVERYPERSON car. Yes, IT IS JUST A GOOD CAR! Nothing more nothing less. It is not a road burner or a corner carver. The Corolla key attribute is that it is an excellent ECONONY car.
It is a given that a Mazda3 will out perform a Corolla any day of the week and on Sunday too. But the difference between a Mazda3 and a Corolla can be felt when you slam the doors on either car. Compared to the last generation Corolla the doors on the Mazda3 felt like they were made out of tin foil.
The Corolla will contiune to sell well because the majority of car buyers understand the game. You generally either get one or the other; a solidly built car with minimal features or a car loaded with a ton of features at its price point but was built far more cheaply to get those said feature into a relatively low priced car.
I live in crowded NYC. Parking is extremely limited, the roads are beat to hell, NYC uses tons of rad salt every winter. Both MAzda3s and Corollas are very popular. I must say the Corollas are more durable than the Mazda3s. Now it can be said that the MAzda3s are being driven far harder than the Corollas. The difference is I can’t tell one year of the last generation Corolla from another 04 or 06, they are all still in good shape. On the other hand just about all of the round fog lighted Mazda3s have dented body panels and broken exterior trim. Yeah NYC is rough on cars!
Now I will readily admit that Toyota products appear to be getting cheaper in look and feel. With that said they still manage to avoid many of the annoying problems of other brands like trim peices that fall off and cheap buttons and knobs that break off. The sheet metal is far more dent resistant than the metal used by Mazda.
For the last twenty years the rule for economy cars has been Civic/ Corolla and everything else. There is a reason why Toyota and Honda have avoided much of the silly options that we find in low priced cars today like leather and large alloy rims. To get these items on a sub-$20,000 car something else, somewhere else on the car must be cheaper. So in the end you have a choice of nice rims and leather or a durable transmission. Since I am actually buying a car to use it and not just look at it I will always go for subtance over flash. Needless to say many, many shoppers feel the same way.
Juniper: The only person I actually know that owns a Corolla is a Journalist for a major newspaper.
Please be careful with the stereotypes. Plus my cleaning lady rides a Harley.
63% of Corolla buyers are women. Pardon the stereotypes; it’s not a put-down; I have more respect for some of the house cleaners I had the pleasure to know in CA than a whole lot of other professionals. And in CA, at least, a LOT of them drive Corollas because they’re smart enough to know its going to get them there, day-in, day-out, year after year.
WhatdoIknow1: I agree with you 100%, and think I said so (between the lines). I’m ribbing Toyota because of their stated goals to attract younger buyers.
Very good review.
What I want to know is, how does this Corolla compare functionally with the bigger new Scion xB? At first blush, the Scion seems to have all the same virtues (except for those wretched center-mounted gauges), with more maneuverability and higher equipment levels, all for the same money.
“By the way, I’m the guy who, along with my son, drove a rental Camry from Toronto to Myrtle Beach S.C. We both agreed that it was dangerous to merge onto an interstate in a four-cylinder Camry.”
I dont know about the 5spd transmission (dont even know if it is available on the Camry 4cyl).
But I must say I have driven a number of Camrys, Rav4s, etc. with the Toyota 2.4l eng and 4spd autobox and can say these two peices work together rather well. I find that you simple drop your foot on the gas and the tranny downshifts! Oh, nice little understated growl from under the hood too!
In all honesty the drivetrain in a 4cyl Camry is excellent, right up there with the 4cyl Accord but it is really let-down by the chassis tuning (or lack-of) and brake feel.
I’m currently driving my wife’s 2000 Corolla with 118,000 miles as a commuter car downtown – she has the Grand Marquis since she is a stay at home Mom now. Both cars are stone reliable vehicles, but since I’d never put my 5 week old baby in a crackerbox car, I made the switch. I do miss the Grand Marquis terribly, but a man has to do what a man has to do.
The Corolla is a perfect car for the time in life when your priorities change, and you would rather spend your money on things other than transportation expenses.
With gas over $3 a gallon, for a commuter car you can run over 150,000 miles with minimal ownership costs, it makes perfect sense.
Seriously, why do you guys continue to do reviews on garden variety Toyota products to only pan them for all the attribute they never claim to have in the first place.
I think most of the “panning” has to do with how the ‘09 suffers in comparison with the relatively ancient model it replaces. The attributes the Corolla never claimed to have are lacking now more than ever, apparently. At some point that becomes a barrier to sales, no matter how reliable the thing is.
tonycd, the XB is a larger car, especially the interior, due to its boxyness. The Corolla is a sedan, gets substabtially better mileage, and doesn’t look goofy.
whatdoiknow1
Yes you are right but consumer wants more style,amenities beside the durability. Mazda3 is kind of durable and when you get inside the car you feel like in a Bimmer or high end car.
Look at the Mitsubushi Lancers. The old Generations were so ugly that I Won’t dare buy them and Now Me and my Father bought the 2008 Lancer because of 750 watts car stereo with sub woofer,Navigation system, blue tooth, CVT or pedal shifters,17 inch alloy wheels, F.A.S.T Key entry, etc etc etc
All those for only $18,654.10
Forgive me but Kids and Old kids like to have fun with their cars.
I think most of the “panning” has to do with how the ‘09 suffers in comparison with the relatively ancient model it replaces. The attributes the Corolla never claimed to have are lacking now more than ever, apparently. At some point that becomes a barrier to sales, no matter how reliable the thing is.
It is somewhat unfair to see reviews that are very critical of inexpensive cars that have seen a decrease in interior quality when the ALL of the “so-called” top brands are cheaping their products also.
Please have a seat in a 1989 560sel and feel the interior quality and then get inside a of a 2005 s500 or even a new s550. There is an undenible drop in the quality of plastics used by Mercedes Benz. Hell for that matter one can clearly see how MB is using cheaper/ simpler construction methods to save money. Now I will admit there has been an improvement from the s500 to s550 but the interior wood inside of new Benzs has a cheap “glued-on” aftermarket feel to it (BMW has the same problem) as opposed to the “inlayed” fit and finish of older models.
ALL cars look and feel cheaper than their counterparts of 10 to 15 years ago. Trust me I one a 1993 Camry wagon, the interior plastics in that car put just about EVERY car on the market today to shame, there are NO hard plastics anywhere! The only way to be compare the interior quality to that of a current competitor.
Now are the plastics in the new Corolla of lesser quality than those of a Mazda, Nissan, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Suzuki, etc?
When someone goes car shooping today will the interior and exterior quality of the Corolla lag in comparison to the competition?
It is somewhat unfair to see reviews that are very critical of inexpensive cars that have seen a decrease in interior quality when the ALL of the “so-called” top brands are cheaping their products also.
It’s never unfair to tell it like it is.
OK. So this was pulled from going into production at the last minute for a styling “makeover” following the intro of the current generation Civic? Hate to see what they had settled on in the first place.
But, I’m sure it’ll sell just fine, and provide perfectly adequate and reliable Point A to Point B transportation for those who require nothing more than that.
Great review.
I once drove a rental with EPS. It was in 2003, and my recollection is it was a Corolla or Prizm. In any case, the steering was dreadful. Very strong on-center reaction when you were within about 2-3 inches of on-center. Very unnatural.
Paul, my best friend, a professor at SUNY Albany, drives a Corolla. He wanted reliable, durable, cheap transportation. The other person I can think of who drives a Corolla is an elderly female economist whose brother got the Nobel in Economics in 05. And my aunt, who was acting pres of Hunter College for a while in the ’80s or ’90s, used to drive one (she doesn’t drive anymore). And there are a few in my affluent Lexington Mass neighborhood.
But those are anecdotes. Still, the range of people who drive them is as interesting as the “typical”.
I’m not about to get one, although my best friend’s 04 is not bad.
out of topic.
So, Mr.David Holzman you’re from Lexington, Mass
I live in Natick near Wellesley and Chestnut Hill Route 9 also a very rich towns but I rarely see a Corolla but I do see a lot of Jaguar and Porsche
I think people argue these points…especially against the very-difficult-to-find base Mazda3…from the wrong point of view. There is no reason to test drive a Corolla and then bitch about the engine performance, squishy brakes and lack of steering feedback. Come on…that’s not what this car is about. As many have said, it’s fuel-sipping point A to point b transportation that is mechanically reliable and retains it resale value. That’s it…nothing more, nothing less…functions as you expect (no suprises, no let downs). Duh.
As for using MSRP of $16K…again, who pays MSRP for anything? You can list the MSRP for a base Mazda3, but good luck finding one anywhere. And while the Mazda3 is a fine driving experience for what it is, Mazda could never produce in volume what the public is requiring of the Corolla.
Lastly, a 6′4″ tester in a Corolla? Maybe if the those in the lowest caste (untouchables/corpse washers/maids) were a little taller, having a power forward review the vehicle might make sense.
Sammy Hagar said:
Lastly, a 6′4″ tester in a Corolla? Maybe if the those in the lowest caste (untouchables/corpse washers/maids) were a little taller, having a power forward review the vehicle might make sense.
I agree. Perhaps this tester won’t give more than 2 stars to any compact economy car at all. He should have tested the Camry.
If I spent 4 months in Italy studying car design on a company’s tab, my cars would look like a cross between a Ferrari and a wine bottle.
Steve Lang hit it exactly on the head…
1) Toyota reliability, 2) Durability, 3) Fuel economy, 4) Space, 5) Ergonomics. As a Corolla (’92) and Matrix (’03) owner, these are exactly the reasons our next daily driver will be a Corolla or Matrix. We (the wife works at the same mega insurer) don’t need “soul” or “a driving experience” to commute 85 miles a day, we need something that will get us there and back day after day, year after year.
Lastly, a 6′4″ tester in a Corolla? Maybe if the those in the lowest caste (untouchables/corpse washers/maids) were a little taller, having a power forward review the vehicle might make sense.
I agree. Perhaps this tester won’t give more than 2 stars to any compact economy car at all. He should have tested the Camry.
Actually, I love (and own) small cars. I fit well in the front seat. Rear seats tend to be a bit of a challenge, though, except in my gen1 xB.
The fact that anyone buys a Corolla shows how the Japanese are getting back at the stupid Americans for WWII. For the price of this too small no power sedan, I bought a Ford Fusion that out performs a Camry ($5K more) in every important way. It certainly looks a lot better, the driver seat is more comfortable. The ride and handling is not matched by any FWD Toyota (even considering Lexus), the audio system is awesome and the “real world” fuel economy is better. I was thinking I should have bumper sticker on my car that reads: “You bought a Toyota?…DUMBASS!”
For you people that believe that Fords are more prone to failure, at 38K miles I’m still waiting for its first part failure to happen.
JFSVO,
I’m glad that I could oblige you. Like I said, just not this one.
As for all the defense of the car. I would agree except that now Toyota is offering a 2.4 in it that isn’t really fuel efficient. Frankly, the xD or xB make better daily transport than this.
A lot of enthusiasts don’t seem to understand that the utilitarian, appliance-like qualities of the Corolla are not only not a problem, they are actually a selling point.
This example might help: Walmart entered Germany with the idea that a discount retailer with friendly service would be successful. They transported over the same business model that worked for them in the US, including the folksy greeter concept and staff available for bagging your purchase, which is not the norm in Germany. (German customers tend to bag their own.)
Walmart has been a flop, not despite the extra service, but because of it. As it turns out, they were not always the low-priced competitor compared to some of the domestic competition, and customers presumed that all of that service just led to higher prices. Ultimately, all of the American-style politeness backfired, because it took away from the value proposition of saving money. Germans didn’t want to pay anything extra for benefits that they didn’t particularly care about, even if the prices still tended to be fairly low.
Corolla buyers want a reliable runner that offers good value (not necessarily the lowest price) for the money. If the car had too much pizazz, otherwise interested buyers might assume that they are paying for performance that they don’t want or that might detract from reliability.
It seems that Toyota employs a typical tiered pricing and positioning strategy, providing a few higher-priced sporty models and a few stripped base models so that the more normal packages purchased by most people look sensible in comparison. The high priced package makes the middle car seems less extravagant, while the lowest priced offering assures the customer that s/he didn’t buy from the bottom of the barrel.
All of the automakers do this. The hot models help to sell the medium priced models. Often times, the bigger engine is available so that you get to congratulate yourself for your logical moderation in choosing the smaller motor. Good marketers understand us better than we understand ourselves.
Sometimes, 6′4″ people ARE called to sit in the back of a car. Or just feel self-conscious about grabbing the front seat all the time. Sometimes, we tall people have tall friends.
So, it’s nice to know how the back seat works out (or doesn’t) for tall people.
Just recently, I took a ride in the back of a new Camry. I like ride in the front seats well enough but the back was fairly unpleasant for a tall person.
BEAT,
My neighborhood is affluent but not money out the wazoo wealthy. There are about 80 houses in the neighborhood, (it was developed by an architect in the ’50s and ’60s). Two Boxsters, no jags, one 3-series (another just moved away), at least one Audi, one Mercedes that’s probably about 15 years old, a number of Camrys, Subies, Volvos, 3 Priuses, I think, a couple of New Beetles, at least one Jetta, some Hondas. One of the top people at Bentley in North America just tried to buy the nicest house in the neighborhood, but the seller sold it to someone with kids, more in keeping with the flavor of the neighborhood.
It’s a budget car, a compact vehicle. Treat it as such.
Regarding fitting into Toyotas, I’m 5′10.5″ with a long torso, and Toyotas are always a bit tight. As is almost anything with a sunroof.
realtruth, get back to us at 150,000 miles, if it lasts that long. My experience with American iron is that it will basically last, but will nickle and dime you to death. My small town mechanics are intimately familiar with my Expedition, Club Wagon Van and Ranger, they never see the Matrix, and it has more miles on it than any of the others. The Fusion may be good, but it and Ford have to prove themselves over the long haul.
My father in law’s recent Corolla purchase is already showing an interior durability on par with my VW. Not good.
Off topic
BEAT, more automotive demographics of my neighborhood. Almost no SUVs, a few minivans, several more 3 series than I remembered at first, a 20-plus year old Carrera, two Miatas (one owned by a lively old lady in her late 70s), a few Tauruses and Sables, and the most interesting car was a ‘64 Chevelle convertible that had been in the neighborhood since new, and was just sold two years ago. That family has one of the Priuses. I can’t think of any Chevies (aside from the Chevelle), kCaddies, or Pontiacs, or Acuras, or Infinitis. The neighborhood is unusual in that probably about 10-15% have lived here 40-55 years.