Background: Toyota's compact Corolla four-door sedan continues holding its head and hood above the automotive fray. Low gasoline prices and a strong economy, good news for overall vehicle sales, don't always fare well for small, fuel-efficient cars. Consumers tend towards sport utilities, midsize sedans and luxury offerings; notably un-fuel efficient means of travel, during good bull market hey days. But 1998, a tough year for tiny offerings, saw Corolla sales increase by 14 percent from 1997. Japan's largest automobile company introduced Corolla to US. roads in 1968. The current eighth-generation Corolla, whose name derives from a flower's outer crowning portion, debuted in the 1998 model year. Few changes or additions are on tap for 1999. From 1974 to 1977, when small, fuel efficient cars were all the rage, Corolla earned the best-selling vehicle in the world title. And since the subcompact Tercel was jettisoned from Toyota's marketing mix this year, the front-wheel drive Corolla represents the automotive giant's lowest priced, entry level offering in the United States. Over the years, Corolla developed a solid reputation for reliability. So much so that Corolla outsells its virtually identical automotive twin, the Chevrolet Prizm, by huge margins. Both are assembled side by side in Fremont, Calif. at General Motors and Toyota's New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) joint venture assembly plant.
Trim levels: Corolla includes three, four-door trim levels: the entry-level VE, mid-range CE and top-of-the-line LE. As is the case with most small compact offerings, optional equipment is plentiful than standard features. This keeps prices down in a segment more money-sensitive than most others.
Safety equipment: Daytime running lights; dual front air bags; rear child safety door locks, side-impact door beams; five-mile-per-hour bumpers and front and rear crumple zones come standard in all three trim levels. Anti-lock brakes ($550) and side impact air bags ($250) are optional across the board. Traction control and remote keyless entry are not offered.
Standard equipment: Five-speed manual transmission; tinted glass; rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel independent MacPherson strut system come standard everywhere.
Options. Top-of-the-line LEs come with many options standard while VE trim levels have the least. Compact disc players, automatic transmission and mud guards are optional in all trim levels. Air conditioning, comes standard only in LE while optional in VE and CE. Cruise control, not available in entry-level VE is optional in CE and LE. Sunroofs, outside temperature gauge and white face instrument panels come optional only in LE. Rear window defoggers, optional in VE come standard in up-levels editions. Power windows and locks not available in VE come optional in CE and standard in LE. Special "Package" option groups are available depending on the trim level desired.
Engine: Corolla features one four-cylinder engine in all editions. The 1.8-liter, in-line aluminum alloy block engine produces 120 horsepower. It's the same electronically fuel injected, chain-driven powertrain Toyota introduced in the 1998 model year redesign.
Price: The amount of money spent to purchase a Corolla can vary by $10,000 depending on the model an options chosen. Toyota provided the Daily Herald with a mid-range Corolla CE featuring such options as air conditioning; automatic transmission; power windows and locks; anti-lock brakes; side-impact air bags and cruise control. Starting price was $13,708. After factoring in said options and a $420 destination charge, the bottom line totaled $16,423 after subtracting $500 for a value package discount. The most cost-effective Corolla, a five-speed, entry-level VE with no bells or whistles, checks in at $12,638. A top-of-the-line LE with automatic transmission starts at $16,088.
Seating comfort: For a small offering, headroom remains remarkably plentiful. Corolla enjoys better headroom than the newer, larger Solara coupe test driven a few weeks ago. Leg and hip room are on the snug side. Since Corollas an entry-level car, cloth seating is the norm while leather nuances are saved for Toyota's larger Camry. While Toyota promotes this compact entry as a five seater, two adults fit most comfortably in back. If three people occupy the back, they best be the pre-teen variety. A single, pull out cup holder is available in back, too.
Interior: The remarkably simple instrument panel consists of a circular, right side analog speedometer with built-in digital odometer and a left circle with fuel and engine temperature readings. Headlights operate from the turn signal stalk while windshield wipers activate from a right-side stalk. Dual beverage holders retract from the center of the dashboard, below a storage area. Three ventilation dials control fan speed, direction and temperature and situate between the stereo system (top) and cup holders (bottom). When in use, cans of soda don't block temperature controls; a smart design. Power window functions, found on all four doors, have standard rectangular shapes. Power lock buttons are on front doors. Between standard front bucket seats are a flip-top storage bin and hand-operated parking brake. The flip-top's inside cover includes a holder for sunglasses. The floor-mounted, automatic transmission shifts easily once the brake pedal is depressed. A stand-alone digital clock, separate from the radio-frequency readout, is centrally located on the dashboard in CE and LE editions. Floor designed remote fuel-door and trunk release levers are left of the driver's seat.
Exterior: Jewel-like headlights adorn the front, wrapping around to side fenders. Flush-mounted, pull-up door handles and outside mirrors feature black color tones in CE Corollas. Up-level LE models include body-colored mirrors and door handles. The radio antenna slides in and out diagonally front the front, driver's side A-pillar. Black body side molding, standard in CE, is not offered in VE and LE editions. The locking, square fuel door is found in the left rear quarter panel. Aluminum alloy wheels come optional only in uplevel LE. Fourteen-inch tires along with fourteen-inch tires roll along on all trim levels.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 97 inches Overall length: 174 inches Overall width: 66.7 inches Overall height: 54.5 inches Weight: 2,503 pounds
Trunk: Top-of-the-line LE trim levels include a full-size spare tire under the flat-floored trunk while VE and CE versions feature a temporary variety. Cargo capacity measures 12.1 cubic feet, above average for a sedan of its size. The trunk lid dips almost to the rear bumper, creating a low liftover design making loading and unloading boxes and widgets easier. The rear seat back folds down with a 60/40 split after engaging long, trunk-located pull tab rods.
Economy: Fuel economy remains on par with Honda's Civic compact offering, but much better than Chevrolet's Cavalier: With four-speed automatic transmission, Corolla averages 28 miles per gallon in city driving, and 36 m.p.g. highway. Corollas with five-speed manual transmission add a couple of miles per gallon for both city and highway. The fuel tank holds 11.9 gallons of 87 octane (regular unleaded) fuel.
Final thoughts: Corolla's not the lowest-priced compact sedan on the road, but with a solid, thirty-year history of reliability and an ability to hold resale value, it's one of the smartest buys in the long run. According to R.L. Polk, an independent research firm, 76 percent of Corollas sold in the past 15 years are still on the road. Corolla wasn't the best-selling compact sold in the United States last year, that title went to Honda's Civic. Civic enjoys a longer wheelbase (103.2 vs. 97) than Corolla. A longer wheelbase tends to improve handling in cars with similar lengths. But Corolla's interior remains remarkably quiet when compared with competitors. Corolla offers four-door sedans exclusively while Civic features coupe, sedan and hatchback versions and Cavalier includes coupe and sedan body styles. |