Overview & Reviews

Well into its fourth decade of production, the compact Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car in automotive history, and for good reason. Small, inexpensive, fuel-efficient and as reliable as the day is long, the Corolla is the quintessential economy car. As long as you change the oil on time and don't hit a tree, any Corolla should provide dependable transportation well past the 100,000-mile mark. That's why so many shoppers keep buying Corollas year after year.

Since its 1968 introduction in the U.S., the Toyota Corolla has come in a variety of body styles, including a sedan, coupe, hatchback and wagon. More recently, however, it has only been available as a sedan. Today's Corolla has almost as much rear passenger space as a midsize sedan and its fuel economy is impressive. Although rivals boast sportier designs and more entertaining driving dynamics, a Corolla is nonetheless an excellent choice for smart consumers on a budget.

User Reviews:

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  An excellent car - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Corolla 05 owner - August 11 - 3:50 am

  I purchased my Corolla in 2005 and am extremely pleased. Gas mileage is its strongest suit, a consistent 37-40 mpg (41 when I first bought it, and Id probably still be getting that if I changed the air filter more frequently and didnt drive 70-75 mph). Ive had no mechanical problems at all, just the occasional oil change, fluid fill-up. 5sp manual makes it fairly fun to drive and allows me to compensate for the moderately low horsepower (126) when accelerating so I can beat out a lot of faster cars if I need to. Stability does suffer around 75 mph, especially on a windy day. When I change tires, Ill put larger ones on. The interior is extremely roomy and well-designed.

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  Corolla 6-speed - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By schooby - August 10 - 4:10 am

  This is an addition to my previous review. If youre looking for a sports car the 6-speed might not fit. Passing with the 6 speed can be a bit challenging, although its still capable. At 55 mph in 6th gear drop it into 4th and punch it to moderately pass on the open road. Do not challenge on coming traffic, give yourself room. When shifting from 5th into 6th ride the shifter to the far right as to not accidentally drop it back into 4th. A sloppy shift may end up going from 5th back to 4th. Also mind going from 4th to 5th as to not accidentally drop into 3rd. This advice applies to folks whom are new to driving manual transmissions, seasoned folks will not find this problem.

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  Love my baby Lexus - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By BabyLex - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Bought a 03 Corolla for my wife in January. Love that car so much, I bought one for me in March. Build quality is excellent, its quiet, smooth, refined. The engine is peppy, Im getting 28MPG in the city and its not even broken in yet. Not enough can be said about its exterior styling...I turn heads everywhere I go, people are shocked to learn its a base model Toyota. The steering is precise, the brakes are excellent, and there is a ton of trunk space. Im not that tall, but theres plenty of leg room, both front and back. The dash and controls are well laid out, very logical. Overall I am SUPER happy with these cars!

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  Boring but nice - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By mmmodem - August 6 - 9:06 pm

  When you buy a Corolla, you know youre not getting a sporty chick magnet kind of vehicle. Youre getting a safe reliable car that will get you from point A to point B in comfort. And the Corolla does that just fine. The engine is extremely loud at low speeds. Brakes are not that great but acceptable. Handling is subpar. But the engine does calm down a lot at cruising speeds and the car becomes luxury like quiet. Bumps and rattles are nonexistent, its a very smooth ride. Theres lots of headroom due to the car being so tall. Its taller than a Camry. The intrument panel illumination is a very clear and bright white but it doesnt match the green from the stereo and HVAC controls.

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  Reliable car!!! - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By oeybonjovi - August 4 - 9:46 pm

  bought this car last Nov.2006, very good gas mileage & powerful! easy to drive, & no regrets in buying this car! no wonder it`s the best selling car in the US!

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  Just ok - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Johan - August 4 - 9:15 am

  I didnt exactly buy a Toyota for performance, but for a cheap car with great reliability. My cars been fairly reliable, at least compared to German cars, but i was disappointed that ive already had to replace the alternator and water pump at 60,000+ and 76,000 miles respectively. Another thing that bugs me is that the front seat is not comfortable and makes my back ache. If i have enough resources in the future, i would avoid buying a toyota corolla.

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  Great mileage and reliability - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By happy2own - July 29 - 1:43 am

  The S model is a fun car to drive with great mileage on long trips (up to 41). It gets better mileage than my old 96 with more power. The 5 speed transmission is not the smoothest shifter Ive owned but it makes the car seem more powerful. The exterior looks sporty with the body kit, spoiler, and fog lights. The interior has nice build quality and the trunk size is more than proficient. No mechanical problems at all. Ive never been to the shop since I change my own oil. I would definitely recommend.

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  Smooth - 2006 Toyota Corolla
  By Phantom - July 29 - 12:16 am

  Ive had this Corolla S for about 3 months now and by far this is the best vehicle Ive ever owned. The ride quality superb, the interior is very spacious and appealing. You cant find a better looking car for under $18000. I was looking into a Scion TC but a TC with the all the options on the Corolla S was close to $22000. To sum it up: Test drive one. period.

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  Worth Every Penny - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By TOMMY - July 27 - 10:00 am

  I have the Moonshadow grey LE. The performance is good. Very quiet and smooth ride. No unwanted rattles or vibrations. The materials used inside and out are of good quality. Pleanty of storage. The wind noise is pretty bad and the driving position is a little uncomfortable. (I am 511") The steering wheele seems so far away. The gas mileage is about 28mpg combined. (I expected better since I drive on highways mostly) The trunk is huge as are the back seats.

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  My Car - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Joseph - July 27 - 4:57 am

  My Car is Black, it runs, good, great miles per gallon, Alloy wheels (Black). Engine hood needs some TLC, Very peppy.