Ok, I drive a 2.0litre one of these as a work vehicle, clocking up around 10000km per annum; this is normally on rough and windy New Zealand roads. Our fleet vehicles are either hatchbacks or station wagons, but are similarly equipped and always come new from the main dealer. Our fleet has previously had the previous Corolla, but is now a mix of Hyundai and Toyota

Starting from the outside, the build quality and paint finish are excellent, but the first thing you notice is that the current Corolla has a higher roof line. Whilst this increases head room it is to the detriment of the ride quality. On winding roads this car has massive body roll, so much so the rear seat passengers are often nauseous. Whilst on the back seat, could they have made the legroom any smaller? Whilst it has three proper seat belts, the rear is tiny, especially compared to the last model; the central headrest is tiny and probably of little use. For safety though there are side curtain airbags.

The ride, as stated before, really does need a stability system; to date we have lost three from our fleet in accidents, plus one that needed major repair; in comparison the Hyundai's (of which we have more), there have been no accidents. (For a review of the Hyundai see http://www.epinions.com/review/2009_Hyundai_Elantra/content_480661048964 )

Inside the car feels cramped, not helped by the bulbous centre console. To its credit the storage space and trim is excellent. There are cubby holes for everything, cup holders here and there, but it is all black plastic. After 6 months it has begun to rattle, squeek and shake.

The dash, with its orange display looks pretty, but on a sunny day when you are wearing sun glasses don't hope to be able to read the fuel gauge. The odometer has a multi function trip computer, but less comprehensive than that in the comparable Hyundai and less easy to access. Similarly the audio system, which lacks a direct MP3 or USB port, is poor, although the sound quality is fine.

The boot space is similarly petite but the touch sensitive lock is a neat feature.

The driving experience is nothing to write home about. The engine has plenty of power, but the transmission, housed in that awkward centre console lacks an overdrive and needs a severe kick down to do a passing movement. The centre console also seems to provide a barrier between the driver and passenger, and I find the console rubs on my leg in an uncomfortable manner. The letters for the transmission (on the console) and the arrangement of the gear selection is a nightmare - it does NOT line up and is confusing.

The sun visors have a neat feature of automatic lights on the vanity mirrors. The other interior lights are also good.

The handles above the doors, again, pretty trendy, they seem to be hydraulic, like an old fashioned tape deck (kids ask you parents what a cassette is)

Fuel economy is average for this class, but the tank seems on the small side. Something that really frustrates me about Asian cars is their insistance on have a fuel release lever. Why cannot this be directly linked to the central locking like most European cars?

Would I actually buy one? The answer is simple no, for the money there are better equiped and safer vehicles. The previous model lacked the number of airbags, but handled better and certainly drove better.

On one of the fleet one inner wheel arch has failed after 20000 miles - it could have been damaged by a rock, but it basically has fallen off. This same car is one that was earlier involved in an accident and the repairer stated it had left the factory with a damaged suspension arm - not good!
Amount Paid (US$): 24000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2009
Model and Options: LX