The Bottom Line: I found the Corolla very tempting because it offers a lot more style and space than it used to along with a history of reliability, value and efficiency.
We’re on a mission to find a good replacement for my fiancé’s 㥪 Saturn SC2. While it’s been a decent car over the years, it’s starting to show signs of aging and he’s very tired of owning a 2 door car. So, at this point, we’re taking a lot of time looking into many options, starting with the 2004 Toyota Corolla S.
The Corolla has been a flagship vehicle from Toyota for many years, my parents bought a new mustard yellow 2-door Corolla in 1978. For a long time, that was the oldest and most reliable car in our family. Currently, my sister has a 1995 Corolla with close to 200,000 miles on it and it’s still going strong. While I was between cars, waiting for my insurance company to reimburse me for my totaled car, I had a rental 2001 Corolla for a week. But, I was not really impressed with it, it was the stripped down automatic version with power nothing and a bland interior. Compared to the ECHO at that time, the Corolla seemed cramped inside and lower to the ground. I preferred driving an ECHO over it. But, the new Corolla adopted the same tall roofline that makes the ECHO feel much more roomy than it looks, as well as give it better visibility and putting the driver practically at eye level with many minivan and Explorer drivers. This also makes it much easier to get in and out of, especially for me at 6’ (usually taller with heels).
I’m sometimes reluctant to believe reliability reports about cars, but I have a lot of good experiences with Toyotas and I hope that the latest Corolla can live up to its predecessors. Are far as I can tell, there are no changes in the 2004 Corolla from the 2003 model, they look the same from the exterior and have the same engines.
Performance, Power and Handling
The only engine option on the Corolla is a 1.8-liter DOHC 16-valve VVT-I 4 cylinder with 130 HP. The standard transmission is a 5 speed manual or an optional 4-speed ECT transmission. I’ve read the automatic can do 0-60 MPH in about 9.7 seconds, but did not test this myself. The manual transmission model seemed a little quicker. Acceleration in the manual model seemed adequate for highway passing and surprisingly peppy for city driving. But, this is noticeably not a performance car.
I noticed the Corolla handles bumps and rough pavement better than I thought it would, much better than the ECHO and not a lot of vibrations on rough areas. On the drive, it was a fairly windy day and the Corolla was affected by crosswinds, but nothing out of the norm and I noticed this even worse in some full size SUVs. This seems to be an issue with taller vehicles. There was a noticeable amount of body lean on tighter turns, but the car never felt like it was going to lose control, it never felt tippy. I was really impressed with the handling, it was very predictable and well mannered with standard power steering. Braking was very responsive as expected of a car its size, I recommend getting the ABS option though.
One gripe is there seemed to be a significant amount of noise in the cabin, wind and engine noise were really noticeable at higher speeds. It was not loud enough to prevent conversations, but engine noise did get significantly worse on acceleration. It didn’t really notice any rattles or vibrations though.
Gas mileage is pretty impressive for this model, which averages about 28 MPG on the automatic and 34 MPG on the manual transmission. Both the Toyota ECHO and Prius get better gas mileage than the Corolla, models to consider if you’re really looking for good mileage.
Interior Looks and Features
One thing I really like about the interior of the S model is the white backed gauges, the CE has the more traditional black backed gauges. For me, I found the white gauges made the drivers area feel a little more open and brighter, plus they’re a little easier to read during the day. The layout of the gauges make them easy to read also, the speedometer is in the center, with the tachometer off to one side and temp and fuel off to the other in a tasteful layout. I really like the steering wheel also, it’s kind of a retro sporty shape and very clean looking without a big chunky center. The model we looked at had the charcoal interior with metallic trim and it was really nice and sporty looking. The materials did not feel cheap at all, the plastic dash had a sort of leather-like texture.
All controls seemed easy to reach, the stereo controls are above the AC. But, I’m tall and have long arms, shorter drivers may have to reach a little more or lean forward. The AC controls consist of 3 knobs which I’ve always liked better than the slide bars because they’re easier to use and don’t seem to collect dust over the years in the track like the slide controls on my Tercel did. I wasn’t sure I was that crazy about the AC vents, they’re the traditional rectangle shape with adjustment dial in the center, kind of a dated look, but still goes with the overall interior and blend with the dash nicely.
The seats seemed very comfortable and like they would stay that way for longer drives, they were well padded and still supportive. Leg room was good for me, but may be a little cramped for larger drivers. The back seats really seemed that they could fit 3 adults well with three full seatbelts and wide seats.
There seem to be only three interior color options, stone, charcoal and beige. The exterior color and model determines which interior color options you have, like black can have stone and beige on the CE and LE and charcoal on the S.
Power locks are standard on the S and LE and optional on the CE. Power windows are optional on the S and standard on the LE. Also, you can get remote keyless entry on the S as part of the power package for about $600.
Exterior Looks and Features
At 58.5 inches tall, the Corolla is not quite as tall as the ECHO at 59.4 inches, but very close and taller than the Camry. The taller roofline gives drivers a higher up seating position that’s very close to many SUVs and minivans. I found it also helped with visibility and entering and exiting it. But, in many cases, taller vehicles take a hit in handling with more body roll. Though, I really did not notice any problems in that area.
The antenna is located in the back-center of the roof, an interesting location that gives the car a modern look. The headlights are aggressively large and balance out the front well. We were looking at an S model with fog lights located below the headlights in the lower bumper. The fog lamps are standard on the S, but not on the CE or LE models. The S also comes with the color keyed body kit and mud flaps, adding to the sporty look and not available on the LE or CE. This model also had the Sport Plus Package which adds 15” aluminum alloy wheels and a rear spoiler. I really like the wheels, they had 5 wide rungs that kind of looked like the wheels on the New Beetle and they just seemed classy and clean. But, this package is about $800. Other exterior packages include the All Weather-Guard Package which is about $70.
Overall, I really like the exterior looks of the Corolla, it’s very modern with its clean lines, a style that is not too dated and will hopefully help the resale value.
Safety
The Corolla made one of the IIHS best pick vehicles for its performance in the 40 MPH frontal crash test and rated “good” in all aspects. And for NSTSA ratings, it received 5 stars for the frontal rating on both drivers and passengers side and 4 stars for side impacts. Though on the side test, I’m not sure if they tested the model with side impact airbags or not.
Dual front airbags, daytime running lamps and crumple zones are all standard. Front side airbags are available on all models for an additional $250, worthwhile feature to get. Antilock brakes are also available for about $300.
Parting Shots
Prices for the Corolla range from $13,500 all the way up to $19,000 depending on the model and options. It can get pricey, but is still a good deal with basic power options. For me, I found the Corolla very tempting because it offers a lot more style and space than it used to along with a history of reliability and efficiency. It’s an old faithful with a new look and more pep. My only complaints are that, despite the updates, the exterior looks are just a tad bland. But, that will probably end up being a good thing for its resale value in the long run. So, anyone looking for a fairly smooth, efficient ride and seating for up to 5 with versatile space, the Corolla is an excellent option for the price.
Now, I’m not exactly sure when he’ll be ready to buy, the SC2 is still running and paid off, so the time frame to purchase varies between a couple of months to a year plus. But we’re having fun test driving many different vehicles.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 16,100
Condition: New Model and Options: S Power & Sport Package
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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