Cons: Bland personality, mushy responses on twisty roads, driving position a bit cramped for six-footers.
The Bottom Line: How does a budget Lexus sound to you? If you value luxury and smoothness, you'll absolutely love this car. If you want a sporty twisty-road runner, this probably isn't it.
I test-drove a Toyota Corolla CE 5-speed at a local dealership. My test drive lasted over half an hour and consisted of winding secondary roads, city streets, and the freeway.
Performance
The Corolla's engine provided impressive acceleration and a considerably gutsier feel than I had expected. Around-town driving felt effortless, with plenty of torque from the 1.8-liter engine. It also inspired confidence when merging with freeway traffic, charging up to speed with an eagerness that's lacking in its toughest rival, the Honda Civic. The Corolla's 0-60 times back up my seat-of-the-pants impression, with most magazines quoting runs of less than 8.5 seconds. Just so you don't get the wrong idea, the Corolla doesn't feel like a sports car--its engine is too smooth and refined for that, and the quiet hum it emits isn't that exciting. But I was never left wishing for more power, and that's saying something.
Transmission/Clutch
The Corolla's transmission is good, but not a match for the light, effortless precision of that in the Honda Civic. The Corolla's shifter is heavier and mushier in feel, so it's not as satisfying to use, but it still has precisely-defined gates that make gearchanges easy. I always had a good sense of just where to move the lever, even if it was less fun than flicking from gear to gear as in the Civic. The Corolla's clutch was light and easy to modulate, making it near-impossible to jerk the car when shifting.
Steering/Handling
The Corolla feels like a pint-sized luxury car, and that attribute pays off in many areas--but handling is not one of them. On my test drive, the Corolla's soft suspension allowed the car to lean heavily when I took fast corners, and it felt a bit wobbly and uncertain when driven hard on twisty roads. The Corolla never felt anything but safe and stable under these circumstances, but it didn't seem to enjoy it much. In gentler, around-town driving, the Corolla felt eager and maneuverable, and it was easy to nip in and out of tight spots--which means that most drivers will find the Corolla's dynamic qualities perfectly adequate. The steering was commendably precise, with a firm on-center feel that gave the car good straight-line stability. Steering effort lightened up dramatically when I turned the wheel, though, which made parking a breeze, but gave the Corolla's helm a somewhat numb, artificial feel on twisty roads.
Ride
This car's ride quality is exceptionally good, and is probably the Corolla's single most outstanding strong point. The level of comfort and quietness is superior to the Corolla's principal rival, the Honda Civic, and is impressive even when compared to bigger, more expensive midsize sedans. Over rough roads, the Corolla's soft suspension simply soaks up the bumps, transmitting little noise and zero harshness to the car's occupants. It may be a cliche, but this is really one of those cars where you hear the bumps more than you feel them. And unlike most of the other soft-riding cars in this class (think Nissan Sentra and Volkswagen Golf), the Corolla doesn't bounce or float excessively when you encounter dips and rises in the pavement. In addition to the deftly-controlled suspension, the Corolla also provides excellent isolation from road and wind noise--most of the time, all you hear is the muted hum of the engine. Truly a class act.
Interior
The Corolla's interior is another area where this car makes an extremely strong case for itself. The plastic materials are soft, rich-looking, and of very high quality. The dashboard looks classy, and all of its controls are placed where they're easy to see and reach. The minivan-like center console places the radio and climate controls high on the dashboard, so you don't have to take your eyes off the road for long to use them. The switches and buttons moved with smooth, softly damped motions, and there were lots of thoughtful drawers and cubbies to hold all the stuff that would otherwise end on the floor (at least in my car). I had only two gripes with the Corolla's interior. One had to do with the driving position. The high-set seats give a high-rise view of the road ahead, but you sit up close to the pedals and steering wheel, and the bottom seat cushion doesn't extend very far forwards. This is absolutely perfect for shorter drivers, but it left my six-foot self wishing for more legroom and thigh support. My other complaint had to do with the seats. While they're very soft and comfortable to sit in, they don't provide much side support, so they didn't hold me in place as firmly as I like when I drove the Corolla hard on a twisty back road. For most drivers, though, I imagine this won't be much of an issue.
Practicality
By now, you've probably guessed that the Corolla would excel in this area, too--being the excellent car that it is--and you'd be right. The interior was very roomy, for both front and rear passengers, and the trunk was plenty cavernous. A standard split-folding rear seat helps expand the Corolla's ability to swallow bulky cargo.
Reliability
Like its rival, the Honda Civic, reliability is more or less a non-issue for the Corolla. Consumer Reports has rated its reliability Much Better Than Average for years, which gives the promise of faultless everyday operation.
Overall
The Corolla seems to have been designed for those with luxury-car tastes, on an economy-car budget. In most respects, the Corolla feels like a 7/10ths scale Camry, with all of the quality, precision, and refinement of its larger sibling at a lower price--if you value smooth, silent comfort above all else, my advice would be to put the Corolla at the top of your shopping list. But keep in mind, this car also inherits the Camry's somewhat bland personality and unathletic road manners, so if you're a driving enthusiast, you'll probably find the Corolla a bit too soft and insulated for your taste. Its decidedly un-sporty reflexes are the only reason the Corolla isn't my favorite economy car. It's just not built with my priorities in mind. But if the idea of a mini-Lexus appeals to you, it's a no-brainer.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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