2009 Toyota Corolla

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#278 of 3103 dose of reality by sonatabean

Apr 23, 2006 (8:41 am)

I just read thru the last 100 or so posts here as I will be replacing my 2000 Hyundai Sonata GLS V6 in the next two years. I've pretty much reached the point where I'm either getting a Corolla or a Civic.

But this stuff??? The posts about Xenon HID self-leveling headlamps? 200 + Horses and six-or-more-speed trannys? Or, from just above, Hopefully, they will manage to improve the fuel economy a bit at the same time, in relation to adding liters, horses, and still spending less time and cash at Exxon than does the owner of a Chevy Suburban?

There is something Economists call "The Law of Diminishing Returns." Essentially, what this law boils down to is adding features and value (in the case of autos, bigger, faster, options, features, and gizmos) gradually produces a lesser result over time: there is a point where a product is "the best it can be" and all that is required from that point out is keeping the quality superlative, not adding features.

The Corolla is just where it needs to be, "youse wiseguys."

The Corolla is an economy car. ECONOMY car. It's a DAMN NICE economy car, but, at the end of the day, it's still an ECONOMY car.

All you pavement-blasters out there? Either embrace the SEMA mentality and learn to do your own mods rather than whining for Toyota to hand them to you -OR- do like the Medschool Candidate and get the training for an income to blow $165 grand on a Benz SL because, from the sounds of it, that Benz is what you really want: it already has all the features described built-in.

A Benz SL is *NOT* an economy car - and I think illustrates the feature difference between a Corolla and, say, pretty much anything else, far better than I can.

The reason I'm piping up my two cents worth is this - like the MD Candidate, I'm getting a medical education as well and the reality is, I just don't have a boat-load of cash to throw around. I spend a crap-load of time at the university, a crap-load of time at the hospital, and a crap-load of time in libraries.

And, realistically, I, too want a decent car. I like driving. I like comfort and style. I like features. I like some ooomph when I hit the gas.

I want a car that has nice creature-comforts like leather seats, an integrated power package, and a good stereo. I want a nice smooth ride with really tight steering and handling. And, given my real-world life ADDED TO some predictions that gas will hit $4.00 a gallon this summer?

I want to be pumping my already-limited funds into something other than my gas tank.

The current Corolla can offer all those features AND the MPG I just described. And given the interior aesthetic is pretty tasteful (Edmunds and Motor Trend compare the quality to bordering on Lexus - and from what I see, I agree) and that the Corolla can now be had with "aftermarket" leather from a Toyota-approved, OEM, airbag-compatible supplier (Bartlett Corp, http://www.bartlettcorp.com/), I only have one hope: that Toyota takes what it already has and just makes it better.

Having driven the Corolla S in a 5-speed and comparing it to the Civic (both 2006)? The Civic has more interior road-noise and engine-noise than the Corolla. And while the Civic may be a tad "tighter" in handling, the end-result is *NOT* better: unlike a Lexus where "smooth" and "tight" meet in a dream-like synergy, the Civic is just "tight" without the "smooth."

For what it is, the Corolla is really good. I'm especially fond of the Corolla S model and would like to get that one in the 5-speed with curtain airbags, sunroof, aluminum interior trim and the Bartlett seats (probably two-tone, charcoal-and-tan).

My only concern is that Toyota will turn the Corolla will turn into what the Camry USED to be . . . and that just ain't the car I want. And given I have to wait 'till next year to buy . . . I may end up SOL because, after doing the comparision between Corolla S and Civic LX/EX?

I really do like the Corolla better.

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#279 of 3103 clarification by sonatabean

Apr 23, 2006 (9:41 am)

My only concern is that Toyota will turn the Corolla will turn into what the Camry USED to be . . . and that just ain't the car I want.

To clarify, I meant the original V-6 with 5-speed SE version that a lot of kids pimped-out after their dads cast the car off (late 1980s, early 1990s).

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#280 of 3103 to Sonatabeam and corolla fans by fastandstyle

Apr 23, 2006 (4:12 pm)

Hello SonataBeam!!!
I`m agree with you, Corolla is a midsize car with FE vision in design mind. Some facts that you already now from corolla:
Best selling car in history.
Safety
Confort and soft to ride
reliability
All mechanic knows how to fix it!!
Yor can't find parts in a grocery store!!! (Is easy to find)
Easy to sell and keep the price. speccially sedan.

I Know about the crisis and the gas increasing prices, but think about competition: Corolla is nor fun to drive (except for XRS), if you check the Civic SI, Subaru, WRX, Mitsubishi Evo X, I want a Corolla Powerfull and fun to drive, and Keep ahead of competition, Corolla is losing market and Japanese market Manager Knows it!!! The need to create a new Platform with atractive exterior design, ergonomic and digital interior, a more powerfull engine, transmision, a better stability and brakes. thats why I am betting safe for a new corolla 2008.
Mr. Sonata Beam, if you want an economic car, think about a toyota Prius or Yaris, maybe a Honda Fit.

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#281 of 3103 naw by nippononly

Apr 23, 2006 (4:55 pm)

at its heart, Corolla is meant to be an economical car. The fear is that now that Toyota has Yaris and the little Scions to fill the roles of "economical" and "gas-sipping", it is going to lux up the Corolla to extract profits better, figuring it has the "bottom" of the market covered with other models.

I hope not. I hope Toyota still remembers what Corolla is and has been for the last 30 years.

With the amount of luxury features you are looking for, fastandstyle, I am not sure why you are looking for a Corolla. Perhaps it is out of the same wish we all have that Toyota had any genuinely sporty models left in its line-up? But molding the next Corolla to fill that gap is inappropriate, I think. It is primarily a commuter car, economical to buy and operate, and reliable at the same time. It is one of the few models on the market today to survive as long as it has with such a consistent mission.

Now, with all of Toyota's global resources, it would be like the snapping of fingers for them to find some other model to import to the U.S. that could be fast, stylish, and luxurious by various turns. Look at the Avensis on whose chassis the Scion tC is based - how about they bring sedan and hatch versions of that here with hotter engines? Toyota is just not committed to this sort of thing outside its Lexus line, that is the problem.

Replies to this message:

sonatabean (Apr 23, 2006 5:24 pm)

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#282 of 3103 Re: naw [nippononly] by sonatabean

Apr 23, 2006 (5:24 pm)

Replying to: nippononly (Apr 23, 2006 4:55 pm)

Yep - you hit the nail on the head, there, in my opinion.

The fact one can get a Corolla with some added creature-comforts and even some neat exterior features (I'm thinking the "S" ground effects, wheels, and fogs) can even make for a stylish economy car.

Now, with Bartlett getting the sanction from Toyota to supply the leather (Bartlett is actually the original OEM supplier for Toyota USA) via approved aftermarket restylers directly to consumers, one can even get a GROOVY economy car.

What fastandstyle wants is a Civic SI or a Corolla XRS.

Sure, there is a place for such cars.

But there is a place for the decent, stylish economy car, too.

Yaris is okay - but the weird center-stack dash gauges and the fact it's so darn small are more "first new car."

I'm in the 30-something range; I don't want to spend more than 22 grand at most; and laying tracks on pavement is both expensive on gas and tires.

It also leaves the utterly wrong image commuting to and from a hospital ER: namely irresponsible.

I just hope they stick with what they have and make that BETTER.

Fast just needs to bite the bullet and get a 3-year lease traded Lexus IS: that car, not the Corolla, is what he's describing.

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#283 of 3103 and . . . by sonatabean

Apr 23, 2006 (7:32 pm)

...not to mention, I'll be trading a Hyundai Sonata V-6 with absolutely every possible option on this car.

The reality is, the newer Hyundais are okay (mine is now 6 years old) . . . but the long-term quality is not the same as Toyota.

Add that even 30 MPG is crap when gas is $3.50 a gallon, and the 'Yota Corolla looks better every day - especially given similar MPG numbers out of the Camary Hybrid cost about ten grand more.

Which leads to the other point: the Yaris is a kid/starter car. The Prius is neat - but also has that damn weird dash design. But for decent options?

Try a price near 30 grand US Dollars.

Corolla S. With an approved Bartlett interior. 5-speed. Sunroof, curtain airbags.

For me, that would do it nicely.

I just hope that car I describe will be AROUND 18 months from now.

Wasting time on forums is easy, huh (and fun, too)?

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#284 of 3103 hold on sonatabean by nippononly

Apr 23, 2006 (11:19 pm)

that's not consistent: if you want a Corolla S with those options, then you should be aware that a similarly equipped Prius will NOT be anywhere "near 30 grand US dollars". In fact, the most base model would have everything you want except the curtain airbags ($650 option) and the moonroof, which isn't available from the factory at any price.

But the point is, the Prius is a luxury gas-sipper to Yaris' spare and spartan gas-sipper (and Prius has some more cargo space due to the hatch design).

GAWD, I hope Toyota keeps its head screwed on straight and doesn't drop the FE rating of the '08 Corolla. The first time I get any inkling from advance reports that that will be happening, I am going to have to think seriously about grabbing one of the last of the '07s. Or just giving Corolla up as an future alternative for me.

I really hope Toyota keeps some sort of Corolla hatch in the line-up though. I am just going to keep on repeating that here in the hopes that the psychic vibrations of my words reach the product planners at Toyota!

Replies to this message:

sonatabean (Apr 24, 2006 12:58 pm)

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#285 of 3103 Re: corolla Verso 2006 [fastandstyle] by ic_designer

Apr 24, 2006 (11:08 am)

Replying to: fastandstyle (Apr 22, 2006 4:33 pm)

Diesel engines generate lots of torque at low RPM, great for get up and go situation. 2.2 D-4D 140 (134 HP)engine genarates 310 N-m (228 lb-ft)

2000 RPM, but 1.8 VVT-I (127 HP) only generates 170 N-m (125 lb-ft)

4200 RPM. Maximum torque is only available at high rpm for the gasoline engine. That is why diesel is faster than gasoline for the 0-60 mph.

1 N-m = 0.73756 lb-ft

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#286 of 3103 Re: hold on sonatabean [nippononly] by sonatabean

Apr 24, 2006 (12:58 pm)

Replying to: nippononly (Apr 23, 2006 11:19 pm)

that's not consistent: if you want a Corolla S with those options, then you should be aware that a similarly equipped Prius will NOT be anywhere "near 30 grand US dollars". In fact, the most base model would have everything you want except the curtain airbags ($650 option) and the moonroof, which isn't available from the factory at any price.

Ummmm - try again.

Prius Base: $21,725

Package 8 (only one with leather): $6890

Shipping and delivery: $580

Accessories: $470

Subtotal: $29,665

You can confirm via http://www.tmsbuyatoyota.com.

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#287 of 3103 oooops by sonatabean

Apr 24, 2006 (1:00 pm)

http://www.tmsbuyatoyota.com/configurator/index.aspx?s_van=

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