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:

• 

  First Impressions - 2003 Corolla S - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Neocount - July 19 - 10:00 am

  this is a day rental while my car is in repair, so only brief impressions here. I find a few glaring interior problems, such as the sun visors impact the rear view mirror when theyre turned down, the controls for the electronic windows are poorly placed, and cause you to crack your elbow against the doorframe to utilize instead of being next to the steering wheel. And braking... hoo boy. Interested in what distance the 60-0 braking test would yield. I nearly collided with another vehicle because in comparison to a 2001 Elantra this Corolla DOES NOT STOP.

• 

  Big Yawn for the SoSo-rolla - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By skintight2k9 - July 17 - 5:06 pm

  It has some things I like, looks nice in Barcelona Red, and has good mpg, I avg 31-35 in 50/50 city/hwy but only have 4000 miles on it. I am 65" and the dash/tower digs into my right leg just below the knee. The JBL/XM audio kicks, the steering wheel controls are nice, but there is an awful lot of plastic everywhere. An anniversary edition car? It seems like Toyo cheapened it up too much on the inside. Too much flat black plastic that shows every little scratch. When I go thru a car wash, the air blast at the end flexes the roof to the point where I think it is going to be dented inward after every wash, so far it hasnt. Drove XRS is fun, but not the mpg. Lets see what winter brings?

• 

  Questioning Reliability - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By jeff - July 16 - 1:00 am

  Initially, I loved the car. Into 1-2 months, the car was taken in for various concerns, mostly brakes, then later in the months for check engine light, rattling. The dealership supposedly resolved the issues. Why was it necessary to go back on many occasions, especially for the brake work? And why did the check engine light come on (this was not filling up the gas tank related)? I am now questioning the reliability of the car. All I want is a good car, with good gas mileage, and looks good.

• 

  Fantastic car - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By LKiller - July 14 - 7:00 am

  When purchasing this car, I had no other choices. Im a 19 year old with limited credit, and no cosigners. I hardly even know how to drive a standard. Once I stepped into this 5 speed Corolla, Im not going to lie, its kept me pleased ever since Ive had it. Gas mileage is EXCELLENT, and Ive wanted to master the standard way of driving. Car is great to drive, performance wise, its not STI, but still has good acceleration and power for only 128 horse I think. Car does get a bit unstable in the 75mph mark or on a windy day. Feels too light for its own good. However, car is perfect for someone that just needs to get from point A to point B and have a good time doing so.

• 

  An appliance car with personality - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Stetler - July 11 - 7:00 pm

  I wanted a car that was very reliable and practical, but also had personality and caught the eye. When you say Corolla, you dont think about the XRS model, but this model is great. The 2.4-liter engine has great pickup with the manual transmission, and climbing grades is a lot better than with the 1.8 liter, with extra power on tap for passing. The interior is cheap, like others say, but its a Toyota and 7 years old at that, so I am not expecting much. For a guy in his twenties that wanted something awesome but still practical and reliable, I have to say I am in love with my XRS Corolla. I just bought the car yesterday, but I will update this review when I have had it for some more time.

• 

  none - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By johnhart44 - July 10 - 12:23 am

  nice car overall - fun to drive. A good value for the money. Would buy another one.

• 

  Rotten Egg deal - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By Connelly - July 6 - 2:00 am

  I am so upset with Toyota. My car has this rotten egg smell that is unbearable. Im so embarrassed that I have to tell everyone who comes into my car that they will smell a rotten egg odor at least one time during our ride. Why should I have to do this? Ive gotten in touch with the dealer, No results. I called 1-800-GoToyota who contacted me to the regional office no results. I called the Toyota Headquarters again and now I have to go to arbitration in order to get this resolved. I really thought by buying a TOYOTA I was getting a great car and great service. What a joke.

• 

  Lovin It! - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By Julia Trueblood - July 5 - 10:59 am

  This is my second Corolla in 13 years. You cant go wrong with any Toyota. My 2016 Corolla S Plus is sporty looking and feeling, and rides beautifully. 2 yrs/25,000 miles of free maintenance by Toyota is greatly appreciated.

• 

  An appliance - and not much more - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By RealityCheck - July 2 - 8:56 pm

  Im a little disappointed by the quality of the interior materials and some of the design decisions. I cant quite get the right seat/steering wheel setup, the LCD displays are hard to read in sunlight, and the electric power steering is atrocious. Its been 30 years since Ive driven a car that required so many steering corrections. Engine performance is OK in first gear, a dog in any other gear. The ride/handling trade-off is surprisingly good for such a cheap car. Maybe Im spoiled, by my 2006 Pontiac GTO has a much nicer interior than either this car or the Camry - surprising since everyone talks about how bad GM interiors are.

• 

  Best compact car for the money - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By dhp - July 1 - 3:13 am

  Bought the automatic CE model new in late 2004. 4 yrs and 131,000 miles later it has exceeded all expectations. For its size it has the most trunk space, interior room, gas mileage (always more than 33 and as high as 42.5), pickup, and best overall handling. Comfort is so-so but Im 61" and my head doesnt touch the headliner. Some wind noise at highway speeds but far quieter than previous car ever was (1997 Saturn SC1). A/C works superb even on a 105 degree day. This car has never stranded me and aside from tires at 40K and 100K, brakes/plugs at 60K and 125K, and O2 sensor at 34K no mechanical failures or parts whatsoever! Toyota built this one right!