Toyota Corolla

A Solid Choice

By CorollaSOwner (OH) on Monday, October 15, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 27,700

Pros: "Great Ride, decent fuel economy, reliable."

Cons: "Back seat a little tight"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"Have had my 2010 Corolla S for about 18 months and still enjoy driving it. Surprised by the mixed reviews of this car that I see. All still say it's a very solid car, with good fuel economy, excellent reliability, decent value, and rides great but then go on to say "ho-hum". I guess people are just ready for something new. You really won't go wrong with a Corolla, especially because you shouldn't pay near sticker price. For the price paid I truly don't think I could have gotten a better car. The good: decent fuel economy, I drive conservatively and get between 30 to 38 mpg (automatic). I think it is within a mile or two per gallon of any non-hybrid out there despite EPA figures claiming otherwise. If you look at other sources you'll see the Corolla is right up there at the top along with cars that claim 40mpg highway. It rides like a larger car, very smooth, and handles well. People & luggage space is decent, while not exceptional. We are a family of 6'+ and do find it just a bit tight for trips. For more average sized folks or with younger kids it will be fine. Many knock it's looks, and yes there are some other updated designs out there that are pretty sharp looking. But the Corolla isn't ugly by any means, and mine being an "S" version with a spoiler in red with alloy wheels gets many compliments. Some of the things that could be better, for large/tall folks the front seats could be a touch wider, and I wish they travelled back about another inch or two. My 6' 5" son can squeeze in the back but I do mean "squeeze". OK for around town but not good for longer trips. Obviously younger kids would be just fine in the back. Truck space for the size of car is OK, but not exceptional either. The space created with the rear seats down is only marginally useable as the opening through the wheel wells is tight. I am able to maneuver a bicyle in though but it is a challenge. Also the seats don't go down completely flat. The car doesn't handle like a sports car but is well more than adequate with the feel of at least a midsize. Personally I will take the ride comfort over a really stiff suspension for fast cornering. The center feel at highway speeds isn't great but not nearly so bad as some reviews note. I probably wouldn't have even noticed it if I hadn't scrutinized it more after seeing that was a concern. I even feel Toyota may have tweaked alignment a bit on the later produced 2010 models (such as mine) because it isn't at all that bad. So essentially what you get is a super dependable car, that drives nice, rides great, looks decent, gets very decent gas mileage, holds it's resale value, at an affordable price. Not sure what more folks are looking for?"

14 people out of 14 found this review helpful

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Great Car For The Money, But Not Perfect

By Paul (IL) on Sunday, September 02, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 6,200

Pros: "Price, MPG, Reliability, User Friendly, 5spd Manua"

Cons: "Cheap Plastics! Outdated 4spd Auto"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"I decided to get my first brand new car after my previous two cars were used. I was a fan of Japanese cars since their reliability speaks for itself. My previous Nissan Altima can attest to it. That car is still running. I shopped around to different brands ranging from domestic to import. Most other cars were decent, if not better, but their pricing left much to be desired. My top choices were the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, but I ended up going with the Corolla because Honda did not offer much with a manual transmission. The models were under-equipped and going up to a higher trim restricted you to an automatic. So I chose the Corolla S model with the 5spd Manual. Along with it came 16 inch alloy wheels, great sport styling, fog lights, upgraded cloth interior. Mechanically the vehicle is very good. Yes it is a 1.8 liter but for a city car it is excellent and more than capable on the highway. Acceleration is good standalone, but add a lot of weight to the vehicle and you start to feel it getting a little sluggish. In the city this car rules the pavement for a car in its class. It's peppy and very fun to drive as long as you're not hauling a trunk full of bowling balls. You won't be taking on a Ferrari with it but it can more than handle itself against cars in its class and even a few bigger engines like a 2.5 and 3.0 for decent acceleration and handling, primarily if you drive it with a Manual transmission. The transmission is pretty good and shifts well, however it could be a little smoother compared to other brands that I have driven. I would however, highly discourage the 4spd Automatic. It is old and outdated. It's not as smooth and really should not be in a car brand like Toyota. There are cars that are using 7 and 8 speed automatics (granted they are luxury cars) and Toyota is still using 4spd Auto? Come on, get with the times Toyota. That being said, the manual transmission is highly recommended. Compared to a Corolla with an automatic you do get better MPG with a manual. Power control is much better as well as the automatic tends to undercut in performance. Fuel economy with the Corolla is great but it could be better. I'm paying about the same at the pump as my previous 2.4 Altima. That being said, there is room for improvement MPG wise. The biggest downside to this car would definitely be the interior. The plastics are horrible and very, very cheap. Yes, it's an economy car but you could still make the plastic a little less brittle and hard. It feels like you are driving a little Chinese toy car you bought from the dollar store. The cheap plastics are everywhere in this car with the exception of the S model steering wheel. Even then, there are plastics in the crevice of the steering wheel that are cheap. There are other brands that are close to or equal in price yet offer much better interiors. If the Corolla loses major points anywhere it is in the interior. Even domestic brands are outstanding in comparison with the Corolla's interior. A highlight of the Corolla would have to be its very quiet cabin. Around town it is phenomenally smooth and quiet. Even on the highway it is very quiet and noise only starts to intrude when you really hit the pedal to the metal. The suspension on this car is great. It's not the best, but it is very comfortable and handles most road imperfections very nicely. The electronic steering is equally comfortable. Yes, it is a little weird getting used to it at first after driving hydraulic power steering for a long time, but it is still welcomed. Braking is good as well, though at times I have not felt too confident in them, especially during hard braking where the vehicle seems to take much too long to come to a complete stop. Needless to say I am most likely upgrading my brakes for better performance. Overall this car is still very good and a solid choice. It is not perfect but it's a great value. I'd recommend this car to anyone, but go for the 5spd Manual and for the S trim. It looks way better and you get upgraded cloth seats that are better than the lower trims. I'd skip the bluetooth. Too expensive when you can just get a bluetooth headset for $20 instead. The sunroof is actually not bad to have, but just be warned as nearly all sunroofs tend to need replacing rather quickly. The navigation package is also fun to have, but at a hefty price tag. I'd say you should definitely get this car. With the exception of the cheap plastics, this car is very good overall."

10 people out of 10 found this review helpful

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Reliable and Economical!

By KimiKat (CA) on Saturday, October 06, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 73,000

Pros: "Easy to drive, maintain, and insure!"

Cons: "Low-quality paint job."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"We love this car! Yes, it's not fancy, but it has great lines, comfortable interior with just enough "goodies". The stability is sure and sound, visibility is awesome, and the acceleration and braking are really excellent. I can't say enough about the gas mileage -- a tank lasts us a looooong time, especially on extended freeway trips. We have NEVER had a problem with this car, and I would not hesitate to purchase a new one. This is our first experience with a Toyota, coming from a Honda history. VERY pleased."

6 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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