1982 Toyota Corolla Reviews

You can save a motza on a late-model used car, because the first owner has already taken the biggest hit... usually 30-50 percent, in depreciation. Ideally, you want to be the second owner, and hang on to the car for a few years, to maximise the value you get from your motoring dollar. We've picked our top five used

Richard Berry road tests and reviews the Toyota Corolla Hybrid with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Toyota’s petrol-electric Corolla uses less fuel in the traffic than on the highwayPrivate car buyers aren’t exactly going weak at the knees for hybrids.So far this year, just 1,245 hybrids have sold to individuals, a drop of almost 10 per cent on last year and a fraction of the 13,000 private sales recorded in 2012.But hybrid pioneer Toyota is undeterred, this week releasing a hybrid version of the Corolla, Australia’s favourite car for the past three years.At $26,990 it’s not cheap — an entry level manual Corolla starts at $19,790 — but it comes well equipped.It gets the same 16-inch alloys and seat trim as the $22,790 Ascent Sport, but also picks up features from the more expensive ZR model.These include standard satnav, dual-zone aircon, LED headlamps and daylight running lights, keyless entry and push-button start.It’s also the only Corolla on sale with independent rear suspension, larger brakes and three drive modes (power, economy and electric).The suspension was upgraded to a double wishbone setup at the rear so Toyota could fit the battery under the rear seats rather than in the load area. Most hybrids have compromised boot space but the suspension tweak means the hybrid Corolla has the same volume as the standard petrol version.It’s an impressive feat but the headline act for the new model is the fuel consumption. The claim is 4.1L/100km, roughly a third less than the 6.1L claimed for the standard petrol model.More importantly for city slickers, the hybrid Corolla uses less fuel in the traffic than on the highway.The urban claim is 3.9L, less than half the consumption of the standard car.We couldn’t quite manage that over the course of our first drive — our average was 4.8L — but we did see 2.0L on one short journey.Despite its slightly smaller fuel tank, Toyota says the car has a theoretical range of 1100km, almost 300km more than the standard model. That puts it in diesel territory.Throttle response is deliberately dull in eco mode, where revs are kept down and the car runs on electric power wherever possible. If you like quiet, comfortable, fuss-free motoring there aren’t many in the class that can match it.It will run for less than 2km at up to 40km/h on electric power alone but will also switch off the petrol engine when you’re cruising under light throttle. It also kills the engine when you’re waiting at the lights. Many competitors have this feature but few have such a seamless restart when you hit the throttle.Driving enthusiasts will find the experience a little sanitised but those looking for a comfy, feel-good commute will enjoy the technology and the readouts that tell them how much fuel they are saving.As with other hybrids, a readout in the instrument panel shows fuel consumption and a diagram shows whether you’re using petrol, electric or combined power. In place of the tacho is a dial that tells you how heavy you’re being with the throttle.The centre console has a more detailed readout that shows when you’re recharging the battery under braking, and your fuel consumption in one-minute blocks. It’s all pretty addictive, especially when you’re getting low numbers.If you’re sick of the hypermiling, you can select power mode and the throttle response will be more urgent. It won’t turn the Corolla into a rocket ship but it is a noticeable change and gives you the chance to exploit that improved rear suspension — the car feels more planted over mid-corner bumps and corrugations.The Corolla’s roadholding has improved in recent years and it is composed through the bends, although the 100kg penalty for the electric motor and batteries occasionally makes itself felt.The petrol engine’s outputs are well down, just 73kW/142Nm against the standard car’s 103kW/173Nm. However, the electric motor provides additional oomph, boosting total power to 103kW.Toyota doesn’t publish a combined torque figure but the hybrid Corolla is quick off the mark thanks to the instant availability of the electric motor’s peak torque.

A city-sized SUV takes on a staple hatch in the mid-$20 bracket. Joshua Dowling rates an updated pair with plenty in common.

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Toyota Corolla as a used buy.

If you were leading a marathon at the 35km mark, you’d hardly start to skip sideways to stem the boredom, would you? The Toyota Corolla sedan adheres to a similar formula. If you’ve been winning at what you do for decades, why not keep doing it?So, the small sedan is hardly the most exciting or stylish model on the market, but together with other Corolla bodystyles, it’s led the small car segment for most of the past two decades and even topped the Australian sales charts overall for the past two years. The current Corolla sedan is more distinct than ever from the five-door hatchback version, with a longer body and completely distinct styling. The sedan’s interior is a more appealing place to be than Corollas of the past, and while the materials aren’t quite up to the semi-luxury level of the Mazda 3, they do feel as hardwearing as the Corolla’s reputation for durability suggests.The back seat is a highlight, with an extra 10cm over the hatch’s wheelbase to give it almost as much legroom as a Camry.The boot will hold an equally impressive 470 litres, which expands via a 60/40 split fold, and there’s a full size spare under the floor.The $25,240 SX tested here sits in the middle of the sedan lineup, above the Ascent and below the ZR. SX standard features include a 6.1 inch multimedia screen with embedded apps and a reversing camera, proximity keys, front foglights, extra chrome trim and 16-inch alloys.Like all current Corollas, the SX sedan comes with a 103kW/173Nm 1.8-litre petrol engine, and ours was paired with the optional CVT automatic transmission. You can also get a six speed manual for $2250 less, which is the more refined option if you don’t mind changing your own gears, but it uses nearly half a litre more petrol per hundred on the combined cycle.The Corolla's CVT auto does tend to buzz under acceleration, but extra noise insulation makes it quieter than in the hatch.A wide spread of ratios makes it quite nimble off the mark however, and helps the auto achieve a reasonably fuel efficient 6.6L/100km combined.The 1.8-litre Corolla can’t quite match the performance of the 2.0-litre in the Mazda 3 for similar money, but it does the job for general duties, and will cruise on the highway all day long.The sedan’s 35cm of extra length does make it less nimble around corners than the hatch, and a less direct steering setup requires more input when cornering. However, the extra wheelbase does help create a smoother ride, and the whole package feels more mature than the smaller hatch. All Corollas carry a maximum five star ANCAP safety rating, with dual front, side, driver’s knee and full-length curtain airbags, and the SX sedan comes with front and rear parking sensors.

Malcolm Flynn road tests and reviews the Toyota Corolla Levin ZR hatch, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Well known as a safe buy, Toyota Corolla has been a major player in Australia since the mid 1960s. The Corolla was built in Melbourne until 1999 and fully imported from Japan since then, probably to the regret of the Australian branch of Toyota in recent years. Having been pulled from our market to make place in the factory for the not very successful Toyota Avalon, Corolla has recently become the biggest selling vehicle in Australia. And it's made overseas... Ah, well, hindsight is wonderful!Corollas made in Australia had improvements made by local engineers to suit them to our conditions. To this day Toyota Australia provides feedback and engineering information to Japan and there's little doubt Corollas worldwide are all the better for this.Suspension dynamics used to lean strongly towards comfort rather than sportiness, but that equation has moved more in the direction of satisfying handling. Indeed, the latest Corolla, introduced in November 2012, should be somewhere on the short list of keen drivers.The great majority of Corollas are four-door sedans and five-door hatchbacks. A station wagon was sold until the model change of April 2007. While the wagon is a practical machine and has a good load area it was never particularly popular as buyers preferred larger wagons or SUVs.Toyota Corolla has reasonable rear-seat room and a good-sized boot so is large enough to be considered as a family car if the children haven't reached their mid-teen years.Engines are all four-cylinder units with a capacity of 1.8 litres. Manual gearboxes were five-speed units until the all-new model of 2007 when a six-speed was installed. An exception to this is the Celica-engined Sportivo which has a close-ratio six-speed unit.The automatic transmissions are lagging behind many competitors in still being four-speed units. Performance from an automatic can be marginal in a car of this size so take it for a good test drive to check that it suits your needs.Anxious to get away from the Corolla's reputation for being a sensible but boring car, Toyota has had a stab at a couple of sporting variants. These Sportivo models didn't have a lot of success having rather half-hearted styling-and-suspension jobs without any more engine performance than the standard cars.Spare parts and servicing for these Toyotas are available through one of the biggest, most widely spread dealer networks in the AustraliaThe 2001 Corolla Sport model did have a turbo engine with plenty of grunt, but it was expensive and didn't sell well. This can be an interesting car if you are looking for something out of the ordinary, but talk to your insurance company first as insurers often take a dislike to turbocharged engines.From May 2003 until 2006, Toyota imported the Corolla Sportivo with what was virtually a hot Celica 1.8-litre engine. There's plenty of power high up the scale, up to 141 kW at the peak, but down-low torque is noticeably lacking so driving can be irritating unless you are a full-on sports enthusiast.The Corolla has a simple layout and is easy for the good amateur mechanic to work on. But please stick to non-safety work unless you are a professional. Workshop manuals are readily available at specialist motoring bookshops as well as some general suppliers. We recommend you have one at your side before commencing work.Spare parts and servicing for these Toyotas are available through one of the biggest, most widely spread dealer networks in the Australia. Some outlets in the outback may not stock less common components for the Corolla but can have them shipped in promptly.Insurance premiums are usually low on all but the turbocharged and full-house Sportivo models. If looking at the latter make enquiries in advance, particularly if you are a young and/or inexperienced driver as the premiums can be budget breakers.WHAT TO LOOK FORCheck for signs of panel damage or previous crash repairs. Easiest to spot are ripples in the body, best seen by looking at the car end on in good light; watch for paint colours that don't match correctly; look for tiny spots of paint on areas like glass, badges and rubbing strips that should be paint free.Look carefully at the interior for signs of damage or excessive wear.Drying out and cracking of the dashboard top or rear shelf probably means the car has seldom, or never, been garaged.The engine should start within a couple of seconds and settle into a smooth idle within seconds. Listen for a rattle from it when it does start and check the oil light goes out quickly.Look for smoke from the exhaust pipe when the engine is accelerated hard after having been idling for a minute or so.Make sure the brakes don't pull the car to one side when they are applied hard and that ABS, if fitted, works correctly. A pulsation through the brake pedal under hard braking will tell you all is OK.Rust is not common in later-model Corollas, but can sometimes be found around the fuel filler cap and the hinges of the rear hatch. Check the bottom corners of the doors and mudguards, the door sill panels and in the lower edges of the bootlid or tailgate.CAR BUYING TIPStart shopping around for a used car several weeks before you intend to buy. This gives you a solid feel about the market before stepping into the home territory of used-car sales people.

Peter Barnwell road tests and reviews the Toyota Corolla Ascent sedan, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Toyota Corolla Ascent and Mazda 3 Neo go head-to-head in this comparative review..star {width:135px;}#article-corpus {width:100%; padding-right: 0;}