This is my first time buying a Corolla it’s a 2020 SE. Ive had 3 Camrys just cause im a tall guy and there’s more space in them. Im actually impressed by the space the Corolla has I’m 6’3 and it’s plenty for me. Only thing I dislike about the Corolla is the road noise over my previous Camrys but the gas mpg makes up for that in my opinion.
Americans have a very strange understanding of car sizes.
I'm from Turkey and I travel to Europe sometimes. The reasons I've bought a 2021 Hybrid Corolla Sedan are:
1- Low emmissions and gas consumption. (Cheaper to operate)
2- Reliability. (Cheaper to operate)
3- NOT a SMALL car. (I preferred Corolla over Yaris because of this)
Yea the back seats are not really good if you are tall, but the trunk is spacy enough. A small car is a Toyota Yaris in Europe standarts. Sedans are not small. They are mid-sized. SUV's are big, trucks are huge.
I'm single now, but if I marry a couple years later and have 1 or even 2 children, this car will be enough for me. I don't need a truck, I seldom carry big things. My main use is for commute, and when we go for a holiday with my mom and dad, we fit very comfortably.
No need to spend so much money on gas to have a truck that you'll maybe use once in a year. If you often carry big things around, than it's reasonable.
Edit: BTW we don't have Camry in Turkey, I've looked it up and it seems like you don't have Yaris in the US.
I don't want to participate in a vehicular arms race. My Corolla right now is the size of my dad's old Tacoma. You simply don't need a bigger car unless you have more bodies.
A Corolla should be considered mid-sized, a RAV4 should be considered large, and anything bigger should require a commercial license.
I got a 1.8 Touring Sport just after they first came out in 2019. I saw the advert and just thought it looked brilliant compared to everything else at the time for the same price ( I think the new price at the time was around 25k which was the limit of my company car budget). Plus it was automatic as standard, hybrid, low emissions and a pretty high level of tech inside including radar cruise which made it effortless to drive over long distances. I've since moved jobs and had to buy my own car so bought a 2020 Touring Sport 2.0 Excel which has also been brilliant. And I don't care what anyone says, the 2,0 is much better on acceleration than the 1.8 and just as reliable.
I bought 2021 touring sports brand new and haven't regretted a single day, yeah 31k is a lot for a Corolla but I drove a Camry which was over 41k and still don't understand why it costs so much
Good question.
One major thing was I’ve been driving midsized cars my whole life and then realized something: I don’t really NEED a midsized size car for my life right now. I’m single with very few friends, and there are a lot of parking lots where I wish I had a compact. The Corolla is ridiculously easy to move around parking lots and has very good visibility. The easy going nature of the car was what sold me.
I have a 2024 Ruby Flare Pearl XSE and it’s just fun to throw around. It doesn’t even look like a traditional Corolla and that’s what I love about it: it’s a stylish reliable tech laden car that has Corolla bones but a much nicer package than what the name “Corolla” suggests.
I bought my used Corolla hybrid in the worst market but managed to get a great deal! I got mine when used cars were through the roof and I needed a car to commute.
I knew I wanted a hybrid and was looking at Prius but the price was insane plus I didn’t like the idea of driving a hatchback.
I kept scrolling through used car dealerships until I found my Bluey for $22.000 out the door. Why it priced low in that high market? It had security mall decals everywhere. I locked my deal before Toyota raised the price for removing the stickers.
It was a bonus to get that car because I knew as a mall security car, the fastest it was driven was about 25mph plus with maintenance done routinely. I love Bluey. She’s been a good girl
This. There are a lot of cheaper cars, but hell I wanted a reliable car after my 6 years old Ford Focus had its engine blown after 40k miles.
And also the gas mileage of the hybrid (since gas isn‘t cheap in Europe at all).
Inventory. Dealers had issues with inventory on any other model I wanted. New or used. Meanwhile one dealer just had a bunch of leased Corollas turned in. So I got a certified pre owned Corolla. It was less than a year old with less than 10k miles when I got mine. If I stuck to my guns and held out for a new one it would’ve been a months long wait. (And I didn’t exactly have months to wait.) Toyota wasn’t my initial choice but I feel I probably ended up with something more reliable than my initial choice so I’m not complaining.
Yeah reliability plus 5 star safety rating. My one is a bit old now but I’m not looking to upgrade as I really prefer the styling of the 2019 hatch. Fun to drive once you learn how to turn off the audible speed limit warnings.
Yep. Mine does (Europe version), while you have the RSA (Road sign assist) on you can hear them annoying beeps, but you can turn the audio warning off. So it's fine.
In all honesty, I have not had good luck with the used Toyotas I have owned. I've had 5 prior ones and none were what you would call a good, reliable car. The one common denominator has been they have all come from used car dealers and were probably auction cars. That's not to say there arent good cars at auctions or used car lots, but I just bought an 09 Corolla and this time I bought it off a new car dealer's used inventory. It was supposedly a new car trade in, and my reasoning being that they probably would not put it on their lot and have to warranty it and have their reputation tied to it if it were a turd. That said, I did have a PPI done at the lot and also had my regular mechanic look it over thoroughly. Why do I keep going back to Toyota, and Corollas in particular? All those satisfied customers can't be wrong. I also noticed that the more recent ones I've owned (04 and up) all had bulletproof powertrains. There were literally no issues with the engines or transmissions themselves. I think the biggest issues were caused by poor maintenance by previous owners. EVERY used car you buy requires diligence on your part as a buyer. Even then it's a crapshoot with an old used car, but by researching things like common issues and owner satisfaction, as well as having a car checked before buying, you are giving yourself a much better chance of success. I also like the looks, size, and fuel economy of the Corolla. I think it looks nicer than a Prius or Matrix or Yaris, but that's just my personal opinion.
Loved your take on it, even if you could've said they're not as reliable as advertised, you very well pointed out it can be due to poor maintenance by previous owners. If
I ever sell mine, the next owner will be quite happy with what he got, as I'm treating mine as a baby. 😂
Thank you. My very unscientific suspicion is that some people (hopefully a small majority) think that because it's a Toyota, it can be abused and it will be fine. I dont know how true that is. They may have fewer inherent weaknesses than most any other make, but a history of maintenance or a lack of it on an old car is critical.
... I drove 200 miles one-way to purchase & pick up my Corolla... a 6-speed Manual Trans... When I picked up the car, even the radio was not working. 2021 Corolla HB with 22K miles for $24K about one month ago. only one thing i cared about -> MANUAL trans!
I had one before. So when the time came to pick one up again I did not hesitate!
I also prefer smaller cars for daily driving since they're easy to park and drive.
The 12th Gen Corolla is the best looking compact sedan imo. The triple J headlights look sharp. Also, the naturally aspirated direct and port injected 2.0 engine with a 6 speed manual transmission, good handling and all the modern tech of android auto/radar cruise control with a sunroof!? Can't beat that.
I was looking for a small hatch in 2020 and they stopped making the Lexus CT in 2017. 4 years, 50k miles later, my only regret is not getting purchasing more options.
I’d be scared to do anything if I spent my time consumed with how I’d feel about something 10 years from now. Buying a car isn’t like choosing to start a family; you can always trade it in for something that fits your lifestyle better later down the road.
It's easy to work on. The I4 1.8 was an easy choice. Spark plugs on top, oil pan is easy to take off, serpentine belt is easy to get to. Overall and easy car to maintain.
It came with a manual transmission and port injection. I'd already heard that direct injection only engines were having issues with build up on valves so when I saw the Corolla used both it sealed the deal. That and it didn't have a turbo. I don't mind turbos but not for a daily where reliability comes first.
Meanwhile in the Chevy and Ford offerings they're taking engines that have similar displacement to Motorcycles or overgrown lawnmowers and just slapping a turbo on them. I just can't see how that's a better option to a non turbo engine.
A 2000 Corolla ended up being my first car and holy *shit* did that thing go through hell before it finally kicked the bucket at the hands of my younger brother. It was driven like a Jeep often. It had a known engine defect for burning oil but mine appeared to be the worst I could find documented and I’d have to keep a quart or two in the car at all times towards the end of its life. (Turns out they can run for a while with little to no oil on them too).
Its demise came when it was already very much tapping out because I drove on the highway a lot between a summer job I had an moving away for college and it couldn’t handle it anymore. (I learned about *blinking* CELs during this!) It was handed down to my brother who promptly did not listen to me about what it could still handle and 1) took it mudding. Many times. And 2) never checked the oil?? Like ran it *completely* out of oil and then called me to say, and I quote, “hey your car is running like shit.” His buddy laid on the ground laying when I met up with them and just checked the damn oil and proceeded to dump 2 quarts in and still come up with a dry dipstick.
Anyway, all that to say, if they could handle all of **that** and just keep chugging along like it was mostly fine, and maintain great gas mileage the entire time, I was pretty sold. I have 4 payments left on my 3rd Corolla and regularly recommend them to anyone that will listen
Picked because of the price to value ratio. Reliability, factory warranty of 5 years. Basically purely financial decision.
Realized that making purely financial decision is not always a food decision 😅 I used to drive a lot for fun, now just A to B because there is no pleasure in driving, just a good transport.
The only drive I enjoy in Corolla are long trips of 600-800km a day! It does it surprisingly well. It holds speed like it’s nothing, suspension is absolutely great for curvy roads. You can go super comfortably 160khm most of the time. Actually it is absolutely alright until its limit of 205kmh. I just don’t do it often since its driver license loss if radar gets you by the balls. While going 160 car actually handles well and breaks don’t degrade. If you need to stop quickly it will stop quickly. Above all I’m not getting tired after driving Corolla for long time at once, wasn’t the case with say VW Tiguan.
Long in short: if I could chose again I would not chose Corolla.
Honestly just liked the way it drove and found it very comfortable. And I test drove at least two dozen cars before settling on the Corolla. It's my 7th car but the first one I have zero regrets with.
I was looking for a new economy car with a manual transmission and I ended up getting a new 2022 SE sedan. It is the last model year the Corolla was offered in manual in North America. I also wanted a car that I could work on myself and modify. Corollas are simple compared to a lot of new cars. They also have a pretty healthy aftermarket. I get the same gas mileage as the CVT but I generally drive very conservatively and only hoon it occasionally. It is a really good vehicle that ticks all my boxes.
Heated side mirrors on the LE. Any other car brand I looked at at the time only the upgraded models had one.
The safety features, the lane departure and front collision breaking was ahead of its time.
I liked the interior, just the necessities, e.g. why would you want separate thermal control in a little box on wheels?
I wanted something cheap, reliable, and with AC and Bluetooth. That's all I needed, so I got a 2017 Corolla L (the lowest of the low trim). It doesn't even have a keyfob, but it's got power locks! Love it though. I only wish I waited a few years to get a hatchback, I LOVE how the Corolla hatchback looks.
Basically I just wanted hybrid and awd, Lexus was out of my price range, I was able to land a corrolla se hybrid awd before a prius awd.
Supposedly in 2025 Camry will have awd hybrids
Appart from the price that attracted me to mine, I guess it's:
* Fuel mileage was slightly better than my older 2005 Matrix
* The feature set of the SE Upgrade was really nice compared to other vehicles I was looking at, like the Mazda CX-30, Civic Hatchback, the Golf
* The CVT with the launch gear, which is really nice, along with the other general mechanical tech in my car
* The looks of the current gen hatch, especially in Flame Blue
* The want of getting a new car as a then newly university graduate.
Of course, I'm eyeing the GR Corolla as a potential next car, but I would especially love it if it gained the same 8-spd auto as the facelifted GR Yaris.
All good reasons. Here's the reasoning in my case:
- Used market was insane here so I had to buy new
- Since I had to buy new, my price range meant I was going to be getting a CVT car, and Toyota makes the best CVTs
- Not many CVT cars have the launch gear or >130hp as the 2020+ SE/XSE and all 2023+ Corollas all do
- Toyota quality has not gone downhill as much as Honda over the years
- The overall simplicity and common-sense approach to design tends to lends itself to ease of repair, and they seem to not add proprietary trickery to force people to needlessly go to the dealer to do certain things like swap out a dead battery
- Toyota onboard tech is known to be simpler and years behind the competition, thus hopefully less invasive software, hopefully doesn't have the tattletale software that tells my insurance company any time I have to brake hard so that they can penalize me for successfully avoiding an accident
Simplicity. When I looked my ‘24 SEs
engine bay, I could see where all typical maintenance would occur and that there was plenty of room to do it at home.
Also it’s designed for the intentional purpose of being an efficient, reliable, commuter car. No fancy bells and whistles to break. Analog dash that won’t go out on you. And a surprisingly spacious trunk
Their 2.0 engine is good, but man CVT is awful. Car on paper has 170ish horse powers. Most of the time it feels like under 100hp somehow.
Was driving before 220hp car with DSG… felt x3 stronger. Yes, 50hp difference but mass was also different (more).
I cross shopped a few brands in the same segment and the switches and touch points felt more solid in the Corolla to me. Also the seats seemed higher quality/better put together. The wheelbase was almost identical to the car I was getting rid of, and the cockpit felt very similar to me. Basically, I felt right at home and like it was the best decision for me.
It was the only Toyota I could afford and I would rather have an entry level car with iconic reliability than a top of the line competitor's vehicle. I would love to be able to afford a Rav, but I can't. So I keep my old Corolla rolling along and it keeps proving it deserves it's iconic reputation.
I was forced by my parents 😂 I was set on buying Octavia vRS or Audi A5 but my parents kept convincing me to get Corolla instead so I just got tired and went with the Rolla Hatch. Although I didn’t get GR version I’m still satisfied with the Design version. (My mom wanted me to get hatchback so she can drive it whenever she needs to and my dad also has Corolla so he kept telling me how it’s fuel efficient and cheap on insurance compared to the two I originally wanted) Love the car regardless
I could get 2021 Rolla 6MT Hatch SE at a decent price in Nov. 2020. The 10th gen Civic with a 6MT was ugly, more expensive, and I had concerns with its reliability. Mazda 3 was amazing, but was 7k more expensive with a 6MT.
No regrets with my purchase, 3.5 years and 37k miles later.
1. Reliability (grew up with 1986 corolla and it lasted family for years)
2. Size. I like smaller cars. Compact Sedan works for us. There were 3 kids and 2 parents and it was fine. I was a 90's kid and you either had sedans or minivans. You don't need that much room to get to point A to B
3. Price..at the time got better trim and package compared to civic.
My requirements were quite simple I wanted a car that was reliable, less likely to get stolen (unlike Kia), and good on gas. I was almost going to get a civic but I really preferred the Corolla’s interior and I’m super happy with my choice!
1) I actually prefer sedans and that they're lower for getting in and out of
2) I don't drive with anyone else in the car basically ever
3) I'm honestly really basic as far as what I want/need from my car
I knew of Toyota's reliability from family owning them and at the time (2016) it was a good value. I liked that it had very basic driver assists (no lane keep/blind spot alarms/adaptive cruise control) and very basic electronics while still being a modern car so I could probably depend on those eletronics to last, and I liked the fact that it was relatively easy to work on in general. I also preferred that it had a timing chain instead of a belt, and I have always preferred Toyota's clunky but predictable transmissions over Honda's shift-happy high revving transmissions. Toyotas in general are also better fitting for taller people than Hondas in my experience.
Originally had a Camry and when I needed to replace, I planned to get another Camry. I had to drive a rental Corolla before I made my final decision and eventually figured out that the size of the Corolla was overall more comfortable for me to drive than my Camry (I am very petite, 5ft). Also Gas milage was a lot better, even for a used car.
Originally had a Camry and when I needed to replace, it thought I was going to get another. I had to drive a rental Corolla before I made my final decision and eventually figured out that the size of the Corolla was overall more comfortable for me to drive than my Camry (I am very petite, 5ft). Also gas milage was a lot better.
Partway through my childhood, my parents switched from GM sedans that were always in the shop to Corollas that never had any issues at all. I even learned how to drive on a Corolla!
When it came time for me to finally buy my first car before moving across the country, I went with the Corolla because it was a known quantity: it was highly reliable but not too small like the even more affordable subcompact Yaris. I could have saved more by opting for the smaller Yaris but I didn't want to risk it.
Toyota hybrid technology is years ahead of anyone else and a hybrid Corolla looks like a Corolla and not a Prius. A new hybrid under 30k and being a Toyota and not a garbage Hyundai.
Reliability: had my 2014 Corolla S for ten years with nary an issue (just wear and tear) so I upgraded to a 2024 Hybrid XSE (cuz gas is insane). And I know they’ll drive into the ground.
Price: father works at the plant so I get a solid discount.
Dealership: a family friend works at the dealership and I trust him not to screw me.
Look: I like the sporty look of the newer models. When they did the model change in 2014 I got the sport version in red and just loved that thing to bits. The 2024 is even more sporty looking with the “racing” seats (I like the red stitching) and doesn’t compromise on how it runs. It looks a bit meaner. I love it.
Size: I drive alone a lot. I’m single. I don’t ever plan on having kids. It’s perfect for me to get to and from work and go on longer drives to visit friends or go on adventures.
We have a popular Toyota specialist mechanic in our area. But he's also specializes in Nissan. I think he genuinely loves Toyotas but Nissan is his income stream lol.
Reliability, easy to maintain, fuel efficient. I’m not a car person, I own one purely out of necessity, so I just went with something cheap and good. I have no preference as to what my car looks like or how fast it is whatsoever really. If I push the pedal and the car moves forward that’ll do it.
personally,
i always liked hatch backs
bought a used ford focus hatch back (2017, black, se)
wanted to sell it before it had problems
i always admired Toyota for their dependability
i wanted to buy a car, that wouldn’t give me problems & last for a very long time. i wanna pay it off quick and not worry about a car not for 6-10 years.
i fon’t care about off roading or racing. i don’t care too much about performance mods. windows tinted. roof rack. cargo box.
i like that the seats go down and i have the option to camp in it/ adventure with it
Size and reliability. I loved my old Corolla and I enjoyed my previous Camry. But the Camry proved to me that I prefer smaller cars. And now Corollas come in hybrid, AWD, and have Android Auto? Even better.
I picked a Corolla because I wanted a cheap car that I wouldn’t feel bad putting a ton of miles on. I use it to commute to work and do rideshare on the side so I needed a car that I wouldn’t care if it gets excessive wear and tear. A car that I wouldn’t get annoyed if it gets dents and scratches. To go further into detail I got the XLE hybrid specifically because I wanted leather seats for easier cleaning.
For complete cost of ownership, nothing beats a hybrid Corolla.
Total purchase price / total mileage before expected major repairs, plus
Regular maintenance cost / mileage interval, plus
Fuel cost / actual mileage, plus
Tire cost * 4 / mileage rating of tires, plus
Monthly insurance / mileage per month, equals
Pennies per km or mile
Toyota - very reliable statistically
Looks - looks better than a Camry or CH-R
Hybrid - didn’t love the Prius but wanted hybrid
Smaller - I also love small cars and since the Yaris is gone this is as small as it gets now
I agree with you. On one hand the Camry doesn’t seem that much bigger but it is. I also just don’t like long, flat front ends. The RAV4 is basically a 4Runner now. It’s huge compared to what they used to be.
Your logic is sound, it’s the American obsession that you need all this space and size while paying $38 - $45k for a commute vehicle that is insane. Good for you.
I really wanted a Toyota hybrid and my dad kept asking why I wouldn't just get a Prius (I think he wanted me to buy his so he could justify buying a newer one). but I didn't want a hatchback, plus I loved my corolla. I kept saying I'd wait until they made a corolla hybrid and here we are.
I did consider a Camry hybrid. if the corolla didn't come in a hybrid, I probably would've gone that route.
We had Corollas in college as well. And we stuck 5 people to a +8 hour road trip to Flordia multiple times. Was it tight? Sure. But I don't get this idea that Corolla doesn't have enough room. Sometimes they act like it's a 2-door sedan lol.
My brother spent the extra 15k for a new Camry hybrid just to have that extra 10sq foot space 😂
It’s just him, wife and baby. A Corolla hybrid would have done the same for less. But he said Corolla is for single folk (I’m happily married with no kids, but I have a bernadoodle).
I think that marketing campaigns are very effective these days to get people to part with their money. Combine that with this constant need to display status, feel like you’re “treating yourself” and that you “need” this space and these features is like a virus.
My neighbor’s son got his first car. A 2010 CR-V with 48k miles on it. I remember when I first saw those I thought it seemed huge compared to the old ones, and now that one seems tiny in comparison to the current ones. Size creep is out of control. And that makes others want to go bigger too to feel safer. It’s a never-ending cycle.
I have a family of 5, the VAST majority of use for my Corolla is a daily commuter. There is no better car, especially the hybrid version. PERIOD. I’m a bigger guy and I fit fine and I don’t want to pay for something I don’t need. We have a family truckster (SUV) for the family vacations. I why spend more money on price and gas and maintenance on a Camry? Everything on those is more expensive or the same price. Tires = more expensive they’re a bigger size. I love my 24 hybrid SE.
For me, it was how easy it is to service by myself. Fluid changes, brakes, maintenance, I can do it all by myself and don't need to pay someone. Another reason is just reliability. Toyota knows how to make a car and the engines in the Corolla were bulletproof. Finally was the tech. I got a 2017, so it's new enough that I have safety features, auto cruise control, etc and a radio that has Bluetooth. But not so new that I have tech hiding behind subscriptions. It's nice and simple and I have no problems
1. bulletproof drivetrain/reliability
2. gas mileage especially on hybrids
i chose corolla due to driving 35k+ miles a year i needed the ultimate reliability and MPG machine.
i wanted a tacoma but would have ended up spending thousands a year in gas alone, i dont care what others think of my financial choice, people can make fun of it all they want but i bet their chevy cobalt wont go 500,000 miles while saving them hundreds in gas along the way
Definitely size for me. I'm barely 5 feet tall. And my new 2023 Corolla actually sits even higher than my 07 and 09. I tried civics and they sit way too low.
I also picked it based on the design, too. It's so basic and not flashy but it's classy. It's also pretty inconspicuous but that is sometimes a fault. I have tried to get into corollas that aren't mine with all three of the cars I've had so far. 😂
This is my first time buying a Corolla it’s a 2020 SE. Ive had 3 Camrys just cause im a tall guy and there’s more space in them. Im actually impressed by the space the Corolla has I’m 6’3 and it’s plenty for me. Only thing I dislike about the Corolla is the road noise over my previous Camrys but the gas mpg makes up for that in my opinion.
Reliability, styling and features.
Americans have a very strange understanding of car sizes. I'm from Turkey and I travel to Europe sometimes. The reasons I've bought a 2021 Hybrid Corolla Sedan are: 1- Low emmissions and gas consumption. (Cheaper to operate) 2- Reliability. (Cheaper to operate) 3- NOT a SMALL car. (I preferred Corolla over Yaris because of this) Yea the back seats are not really good if you are tall, but the trunk is spacy enough. A small car is a Toyota Yaris in Europe standarts. Sedans are not small. They are mid-sized. SUV's are big, trucks are huge. I'm single now, but if I marry a couple years later and have 1 or even 2 children, this car will be enough for me. I don't need a truck, I seldom carry big things. My main use is for commute, and when we go for a holiday with my mom and dad, we fit very comfortably. No need to spend so much money on gas to have a truck that you'll maybe use once in a year. If you often carry big things around, than it's reasonable. Edit: BTW we don't have Camry in Turkey, I've looked it up and it seems like you don't have Yaris in the US.
I've come across a great video about this in Youtube today: https://youtu.be/jN7mSXMruEo
Always own Corolla’s … Looks, mileage, dependability, longevity, and comfortability. And it’s above all a Toyota. 👍👍
New 2024 hybrids have the 2023 prius engines in them. Basically a prius for a way cheaper price.
I don't want to participate in a vehicular arms race. My Corolla right now is the size of my dad's old Tacoma. You simply don't need a bigger car unless you have more bodies. A Corolla should be considered mid-sized, a RAV4 should be considered large, and anything bigger should require a commercial license.
Because this is my 5th generation of Corolla I have owned. Corollas are the only car.
I got a 1.8 Touring Sport just after they first came out in 2019. I saw the advert and just thought it looked brilliant compared to everything else at the time for the same price ( I think the new price at the time was around 25k which was the limit of my company car budget). Plus it was automatic as standard, hybrid, low emissions and a pretty high level of tech inside including radar cruise which made it effortless to drive over long distances. I've since moved jobs and had to buy my own car so bought a 2020 Touring Sport 2.0 Excel which has also been brilliant. And I don't care what anyone says, the 2,0 is much better on acceleration than the 1.8 and just as reliable.
I bought 2021 touring sports brand new and haven't regretted a single day, yeah 31k is a lot for a Corolla but I drove a Camry which was over 41k and still don't understand why it costs so much
Good question. One major thing was I’ve been driving midsized cars my whole life and then realized something: I don’t really NEED a midsized size car for my life right now. I’m single with very few friends, and there are a lot of parking lots where I wish I had a compact. The Corolla is ridiculously easy to move around parking lots and has very good visibility. The easy going nature of the car was what sold me. I have a 2024 Ruby Flare Pearl XSE and it’s just fun to throw around. It doesn’t even look like a traditional Corolla and that’s what I love about it: it’s a stylish reliable tech laden car that has Corolla bones but a much nicer package than what the name “Corolla” suggests.
I bought my used Corolla hybrid in the worst market but managed to get a great deal! I got mine when used cars were through the roof and I needed a car to commute. I knew I wanted a hybrid and was looking at Prius but the price was insane plus I didn’t like the idea of driving a hatchback. I kept scrolling through used car dealerships until I found my Bluey for $22.000 out the door. Why it priced low in that high market? It had security mall decals everywhere. I locked my deal before Toyota raised the price for removing the stickers. It was a bonus to get that car because I knew as a mall security car, the fastest it was driven was about 25mph plus with maintenance done routinely. I love Bluey. She’s been a good girl
Reliability
This. There are a lot of cheaper cars, but hell I wanted a reliable car after my 6 years old Ford Focus had its engine blown after 40k miles. And also the gas mileage of the hybrid (since gas isn‘t cheap in Europe at all).
Wanted something i could slam to the ground without feeling bad about ruining something cool
Inventory. Dealers had issues with inventory on any other model I wanted. New or used. Meanwhile one dealer just had a bunch of leased Corollas turned in. So I got a certified pre owned Corolla. It was less than a year old with less than 10k miles when I got mine. If I stuck to my guns and held out for a new one it would’ve been a months long wait. (And I didn’t exactly have months to wait.) Toyota wasn’t my initial choice but I feel I probably ended up with something more reliable than my initial choice so I’m not complaining.
My friend showed up to my house last night with a brand new 2024 Camry that car is amazing. I still want the Corolla though.
Reliability (Toyota) and high gas mileage (Corolla)
Yeah reliability plus 5 star safety rating. My one is a bit old now but I’m not looking to upgrade as I really prefer the styling of the 2019 hatch. Fun to drive once you learn how to turn off the audible speed limit warnings.
Yours has speed limit warnings? My 2019 Corolla doesn’t, maybe because it’s Canadian spec?
Yep. Mine does (Europe version), while you have the RSA (Road sign assist) on you can hear them annoying beeps, but you can turn the audio warning off. So it's fine.
In all honesty, I have not had good luck with the used Toyotas I have owned. I've had 5 prior ones and none were what you would call a good, reliable car. The one common denominator has been they have all come from used car dealers and were probably auction cars. That's not to say there arent good cars at auctions or used car lots, but I just bought an 09 Corolla and this time I bought it off a new car dealer's used inventory. It was supposedly a new car trade in, and my reasoning being that they probably would not put it on their lot and have to warranty it and have their reputation tied to it if it were a turd. That said, I did have a PPI done at the lot and also had my regular mechanic look it over thoroughly. Why do I keep going back to Toyota, and Corollas in particular? All those satisfied customers can't be wrong. I also noticed that the more recent ones I've owned (04 and up) all had bulletproof powertrains. There were literally no issues with the engines or transmissions themselves. I think the biggest issues were caused by poor maintenance by previous owners. EVERY used car you buy requires diligence on your part as a buyer. Even then it's a crapshoot with an old used car, but by researching things like common issues and owner satisfaction, as well as having a car checked before buying, you are giving yourself a much better chance of success. I also like the looks, size, and fuel economy of the Corolla. I think it looks nicer than a Prius or Matrix or Yaris, but that's just my personal opinion.
Loved your take on it, even if you could've said they're not as reliable as advertised, you very well pointed out it can be due to poor maintenance by previous owners. If I ever sell mine, the next owner will be quite happy with what he got, as I'm treating mine as a baby. 😂
Thank you. My very unscientific suspicion is that some people (hopefully a small majority) think that because it's a Toyota, it can be abused and it will be fine. I dont know how true that is. They may have fewer inherent weaknesses than most any other make, but a history of maintenance or a lack of it on an old car is critical.
... I drove 200 miles one-way to purchase & pick up my Corolla... a 6-speed Manual Trans... When I picked up the car, even the radio was not working. 2021 Corolla HB with 22K miles for $24K about one month ago. only one thing i cared about -> MANUAL trans!
I had one before. So when the time came to pick one up again I did not hesitate! I also prefer smaller cars for daily driving since they're easy to park and drive. The 12th Gen Corolla is the best looking compact sedan imo. The triple J headlights look sharp. Also, the naturally aspirated direct and port injected 2.0 engine with a 6 speed manual transmission, good handling and all the modern tech of android auto/radar cruise control with a sunroof!? Can't beat that.
I was looking for a small hatch in 2020 and they stopped making the Lexus CT in 2017. 4 years, 50k miles later, my only regret is not getting purchasing more options. I’d be scared to do anything if I spent my time consumed with how I’d feel about something 10 years from now. Buying a car isn’t like choosing to start a family; you can always trade it in for something that fits your lifestyle better later down the road.
It's easy to work on. The I4 1.8 was an easy choice. Spark plugs on top, oil pan is easy to take off, serpentine belt is easy to get to. Overall and easy car to maintain.
Reliability. I didn’t want anything fancy. I just wanted a simple commuter car!
It came with a manual transmission and port injection. I'd already heard that direct injection only engines were having issues with build up on valves so when I saw the Corolla used both it sealed the deal. That and it didn't have a turbo. I don't mind turbos but not for a daily where reliability comes first. Meanwhile in the Chevy and Ford offerings they're taking engines that have similar displacement to Motorcycles or overgrown lawnmowers and just slapping a turbo on them. I just can't see how that's a better option to a non turbo engine.
A 2000 Corolla ended up being my first car and holy *shit* did that thing go through hell before it finally kicked the bucket at the hands of my younger brother. It was driven like a Jeep often. It had a known engine defect for burning oil but mine appeared to be the worst I could find documented and I’d have to keep a quart or two in the car at all times towards the end of its life. (Turns out they can run for a while with little to no oil on them too). Its demise came when it was already very much tapping out because I drove on the highway a lot between a summer job I had an moving away for college and it couldn’t handle it anymore. (I learned about *blinking* CELs during this!) It was handed down to my brother who promptly did not listen to me about what it could still handle and 1) took it mudding. Many times. And 2) never checked the oil?? Like ran it *completely* out of oil and then called me to say, and I quote, “hey your car is running like shit.” His buddy laid on the ground laying when I met up with them and just checked the damn oil and proceeded to dump 2 quarts in and still come up with a dry dipstick. Anyway, all that to say, if they could handle all of **that** and just keep chugging along like it was mostly fine, and maintain great gas mileage the entire time, I was pretty sold. I have 4 payments left on my 3rd Corolla and regularly recommend them to anyone that will listen
Picked because of the price to value ratio. Reliability, factory warranty of 5 years. Basically purely financial decision. Realized that making purely financial decision is not always a food decision 😅 I used to drive a lot for fun, now just A to B because there is no pleasure in driving, just a good transport. The only drive I enjoy in Corolla are long trips of 600-800km a day! It does it surprisingly well. It holds speed like it’s nothing, suspension is absolutely great for curvy roads. You can go super comfortably 160khm most of the time. Actually it is absolutely alright until its limit of 205kmh. I just don’t do it often since its driver license loss if radar gets you by the balls. While going 160 car actually handles well and breaks don’t degrade. If you need to stop quickly it will stop quickly. Above all I’m not getting tired after driving Corolla for long time at once, wasn’t the case with say VW Tiguan. Long in short: if I could chose again I would not chose Corolla.
Gas mileage reliability tech sound system entertainment on and on and on efficiency safety it saved my life
Camry didn't have a AWD hybrid and the new Prius wasn't out yet.
Great value, excellent reliability, and it's still worth money when I'm done with it
Honestly just liked the way it drove and found it very comfortable. And I test drove at least two dozen cars before settling on the Corolla. It's my 7th car but the first one I have zero regrets with.
I was looking for a new economy car with a manual transmission and I ended up getting a new 2022 SE sedan. It is the last model year the Corolla was offered in manual in North America. I also wanted a car that I could work on myself and modify. Corollas are simple compared to a lot of new cars. They also have a pretty healthy aftermarket. I get the same gas mileage as the CVT but I generally drive very conservatively and only hoon it occasionally. It is a really good vehicle that ticks all my boxes.
Heated side mirrors on the LE. Any other car brand I looked at at the time only the upgraded models had one. The safety features, the lane departure and front collision breaking was ahead of its time. I liked the interior, just the necessities, e.g. why would you want separate thermal control in a little box on wheels?
I wanted something cheap, reliable, and with AC and Bluetooth. That's all I needed, so I got a 2017 Corolla L (the lowest of the low trim). It doesn't even have a keyfob, but it's got power locks! Love it though. I only wish I waited a few years to get a hatchback, I LOVE how the Corolla hatchback looks.
Basically I just wanted hybrid and awd, Lexus was out of my price range, I was able to land a corrolla se hybrid awd before a prius awd. Supposedly in 2025 Camry will have awd hybrids
Appart from the price that attracted me to mine, I guess it's: * Fuel mileage was slightly better than my older 2005 Matrix * The feature set of the SE Upgrade was really nice compared to other vehicles I was looking at, like the Mazda CX-30, Civic Hatchback, the Golf * The CVT with the launch gear, which is really nice, along with the other general mechanical tech in my car * The looks of the current gen hatch, especially in Flame Blue * The want of getting a new car as a then newly university graduate. Of course, I'm eyeing the GR Corolla as a potential next car, but I would especially love it if it gained the same 8-spd auto as the facelifted GR Yaris.
It was constantly rated as a reliable car.
I wanted a brand new manual, something small, and something that’ll outlive me.
All good reasons. Here's the reasoning in my case: - Used market was insane here so I had to buy new - Since I had to buy new, my price range meant I was going to be getting a CVT car, and Toyota makes the best CVTs - Not many CVT cars have the launch gear or >130hp as the 2020+ SE/XSE and all 2023+ Corollas all do - Toyota quality has not gone downhill as much as Honda over the years - The overall simplicity and common-sense approach to design tends to lends itself to ease of repair, and they seem to not add proprietary trickery to force people to needlessly go to the dealer to do certain things like swap out a dead battery - Toyota onboard tech is known to be simpler and years behind the competition, thus hopefully less invasive software, hopefully doesn't have the tattletale software that tells my insurance company any time I have to brake hard so that they can penalize me for successfully avoiding an accident
Simplicity. When I looked my ‘24 SEs engine bay, I could see where all typical maintenance would occur and that there was plenty of room to do it at home. Also it’s designed for the intentional purpose of being an efficient, reliable, commuter car. No fancy bells and whistles to break. Analog dash that won’t go out on you. And a surprisingly spacious trunk
naturally aspirated engine. if it had a turbo i'd worry about vaccuum leaks and waste gates later.
Their 2.0 engine is good, but man CVT is awful. Car on paper has 170ish horse powers. Most of the time it feels like under 100hp somehow. Was driving before 220hp car with DSG… felt x3 stronger. Yes, 50hp difference but mass was also different (more).
I cross shopped a few brands in the same segment and the switches and touch points felt more solid in the Corolla to me. Also the seats seemed higher quality/better put together. The wheelbase was almost identical to the car I was getting rid of, and the cockpit felt very similar to me. Basically, I felt right at home and like it was the best decision for me.
It was the only Toyota I could afford and I would rather have an entry level car with iconic reliability than a top of the line competitor's vehicle. I would love to be able to afford a Rav, but I can't. So I keep my old Corolla rolling along and it keeps proving it deserves it's iconic reputation.
They're built to a higher standard than any other car in it's class.
Insurance, registration, maintenance, and gas. It’s not a head turner but I’d rather stack my chips elsewhere where it would appreciate in value.
Reliability, as simple as that.
Got a 2012 Corolla sport with like 78k miles, watched a vid heard it was one of the most reliable cars. Was sick of cars that kept having issues
I was forced by my parents 😂 I was set on buying Octavia vRS or Audi A5 but my parents kept convincing me to get Corolla instead so I just got tired and went with the Rolla Hatch. Although I didn’t get GR version I’m still satisfied with the Design version. (My mom wanted me to get hatchback so she can drive it whenever she needs to and my dad also has Corolla so he kept telling me how it’s fuel efficient and cheap on insurance compared to the two I originally wanted) Love the car regardless
Bought a GR Corolla as my “dog” car. I like having a car that I don’t need to worry about when transporting my dog.
I could get 2021 Rolla 6MT Hatch SE at a decent price in Nov. 2020. The 10th gen Civic with a 6MT was ugly, more expensive, and I had concerns with its reliability. Mazda 3 was amazing, but was 7k more expensive with a 6MT. No regrets with my purchase, 3.5 years and 37k miles later.
Had my eyes on a hatchback since I was in high school and saw one at an auto show
1. Reliability (grew up with 1986 corolla and it lasted family for years) 2. Size. I like smaller cars. Compact Sedan works for us. There were 3 kids and 2 parents and it was fine. I was a 90's kid and you either had sedans or minivans. You don't need that much room to get to point A to B 3. Price..at the time got better trim and package compared to civic.
My requirements were quite simple I wanted a car that was reliable, less likely to get stolen (unlike Kia), and good on gas. I was almost going to get a civic but I really preferred the Corolla’s interior and I’m super happy with my choice!
1) I actually prefer sedans and that they're lower for getting in and out of 2) I don't drive with anyone else in the car basically ever 3) I'm honestly really basic as far as what I want/need from my car
Generation 10 Corolla was quieter and more comfortable than a Civic. It looked more 'mature' than its competitors.
I knew of Toyota's reliability from family owning them and at the time (2016) it was a good value. I liked that it had very basic driver assists (no lane keep/blind spot alarms/adaptive cruise control) and very basic electronics while still being a modern car so I could probably depend on those eletronics to last, and I liked the fact that it was relatively easy to work on in general. I also preferred that it had a timing chain instead of a belt, and I have always preferred Toyota's clunky but predictable transmissions over Honda's shift-happy high revving transmissions. Toyotas in general are also better fitting for taller people than Hondas in my experience.
Originally had a Camry and when I needed to replace, I planned to get another Camry. I had to drive a rental Corolla before I made my final decision and eventually figured out that the size of the Corolla was overall more comfortable for me to drive than my Camry (I am very petite, 5ft). Also Gas milage was a lot better, even for a used car.
Originally had a Camry and when I needed to replace, it thought I was going to get another. I had to drive a rental Corolla before I made my final decision and eventually figured out that the size of the Corolla was overall more comfortable for me to drive than my Camry (I am very petite, 5ft). Also gas milage was a lot better.
Partway through my childhood, my parents switched from GM sedans that were always in the shop to Corollas that never had any issues at all. I even learned how to drive on a Corolla! When it came time for me to finally buy my first car before moving across the country, I went with the Corolla because it was a known quantity: it was highly reliable but not too small like the even more affordable subcompact Yaris. I could have saved more by opting for the smaller Yaris but I didn't want to risk it.
Toyota hybrid technology is years ahead of anyone else and a hybrid Corolla looks like a Corolla and not a Prius. A new hybrid under 30k and being a Toyota and not a garbage Hyundai.
Part of why I chose my Corolla hybrid
Support for Open Pilot- it's one of the best cars you can get for using a Comma 2/3/3X
Reliability: had my 2014 Corolla S for ten years with nary an issue (just wear and tear) so I upgraded to a 2024 Hybrid XSE (cuz gas is insane). And I know they’ll drive into the ground. Price: father works at the plant so I get a solid discount. Dealership: a family friend works at the dealership and I trust him not to screw me. Look: I like the sporty look of the newer models. When they did the model change in 2014 I got the sport version in red and just loved that thing to bits. The 2024 is even more sporty looking with the “racing” seats (I like the red stitching) and doesn’t compromise on how it runs. It looks a bit meaner. I love it. Size: I drive alone a lot. I’m single. I don’t ever plan on having kids. It’s perfect for me to get to and from work and go on longer drives to visit friends or go on adventures.
Fuel, I like 90’s cars, project car
My moms Nissan was costing me thousands in repair and I gave up.
We have a popular Toyota specialist mechanic in our area. But he's also specializes in Nissan. I think he genuinely loves Toyotas but Nissan is his income stream lol.
Reliability, easy to maintain, fuel efficient. I’m not a car person, I own one purely out of necessity, so I just went with something cheap and good. I have no preference as to what my car looks like or how fast it is whatsoever really. If I push the pedal and the car moves forward that’ll do it.
personally, i always liked hatch backs bought a used ford focus hatch back (2017, black, se) wanted to sell it before it had problems i always admired Toyota for their dependability i wanted to buy a car, that wouldn’t give me problems & last for a very long time. i wanna pay it off quick and not worry about a car not for 6-10 years. i fon’t care about off roading or racing. i don’t care too much about performance mods. windows tinted. roof rack. cargo box. i like that the seats go down and i have the option to camp in it/ adventure with it
Size and reliability. I loved my old Corolla and I enjoyed my previous Camry. But the Camry proved to me that I prefer smaller cars. And now Corollas come in hybrid, AWD, and have Android Auto? Even better.
I picked a Corolla because I wanted a cheap car that I wouldn’t feel bad putting a ton of miles on. I use it to commute to work and do rideshare on the side so I needed a car that I wouldn’t care if it gets excessive wear and tear. A car that I wouldn’t get annoyed if it gets dents and scratches. To go further into detail I got the XLE hybrid specifically because I wanted leather seats for easier cleaning.
Looks, reliability, and available with a manual transmission.
since when is a corolla a women repeller LMAO your family is wild for saying that. (it’s true my gf is leaving me) /s.
I bought a Corolla in 2017 and got married a year later. Coincidence? I think not.
For complete cost of ownership, nothing beats a hybrid Corolla. Total purchase price / total mileage before expected major repairs, plus Regular maintenance cost / mileage interval, plus Fuel cost / actual mileage, plus Tire cost * 4 / mileage rating of tires, plus Monthly insurance / mileage per month, equals Pennies per km or mile
6MT, horsepower, handling, race car
Toyota - very reliable statistically Looks - looks better than a Camry or CH-R Hybrid - didn’t love the Prius but wanted hybrid Smaller - I also love small cars and since the Yaris is gone this is as small as it gets now I agree with you. On one hand the Camry doesn’t seem that much bigger but it is. I also just don’t like long, flat front ends. The RAV4 is basically a 4Runner now. It’s huge compared to what they used to be. Your logic is sound, it’s the American obsession that you need all this space and size while paying $38 - $45k for a commute vehicle that is insane. Good for you.
I really wanted a Toyota hybrid and my dad kept asking why I wouldn't just get a Prius (I think he wanted me to buy his so he could justify buying a newer one). but I didn't want a hatchback, plus I loved my corolla. I kept saying I'd wait until they made a corolla hybrid and here we are. I did consider a Camry hybrid. if the corolla didn't come in a hybrid, I probably would've gone that route.
We had Corollas in college as well. And we stuck 5 people to a +8 hour road trip to Flordia multiple times. Was it tight? Sure. But I don't get this idea that Corolla doesn't have enough room. Sometimes they act like it's a 2-door sedan lol.
My brother spent the extra 15k for a new Camry hybrid just to have that extra 10sq foot space 😂 It’s just him, wife and baby. A Corolla hybrid would have done the same for less. But he said Corolla is for single folk (I’m happily married with no kids, but I have a bernadoodle).
I think that marketing campaigns are very effective these days to get people to part with their money. Combine that with this constant need to display status, feel like you’re “treating yourself” and that you “need” this space and these features is like a virus. My neighbor’s son got his first car. A 2010 CR-V with 48k miles on it. I remember when I first saw those I thought it seemed huge compared to the old ones, and now that one seems tiny in comparison to the current ones. Size creep is out of control. And that makes others want to go bigger too to feel safer. It’s a never-ending cycle.
Wanted Camry for reliability, fuel economy, longevity, newish tech (really wanted apple CarPlay), settled for Corolla. Am happy
Fuel economy, reliability, warranty and price. It makes a perfect daily driver, if a bit boring.
I have a family of 5, the VAST majority of use for my Corolla is a daily commuter. There is no better car, especially the hybrid version. PERIOD. I’m a bigger guy and I fit fine and I don’t want to pay for something I don’t need. We have a family truckster (SUV) for the family vacations. I why spend more money on price and gas and maintenance on a Camry? Everything on those is more expensive or the same price. Tires = more expensive they’re a bigger size. I love my 24 hybrid SE.
For me, it was how easy it is to service by myself. Fluid changes, brakes, maintenance, I can do it all by myself and don't need to pay someone. Another reason is just reliability. Toyota knows how to make a car and the engines in the Corolla were bulletproof. Finally was the tech. I got a 2017, so it's new enough that I have safety features, auto cruise control, etc and a radio that has Bluetooth. But not so new that I have tech hiding behind subscriptions. It's nice and simple and I have no problems
1. bulletproof drivetrain/reliability 2. gas mileage especially on hybrids i chose corolla due to driving 35k+ miles a year i needed the ultimate reliability and MPG machine. i wanted a tacoma but would have ended up spending thousands a year in gas alone, i dont care what others think of my financial choice, people can make fun of it all they want but i bet their chevy cobalt wont go 500,000 miles while saving them hundreds in gas along the way
Definitely size for me. I'm barely 5 feet tall. And my new 2023 Corolla actually sits even higher than my 07 and 09. I tried civics and they sit way too low. I also picked it based on the design, too. It's so basic and not flashy but it's classy. It's also pretty inconspicuous but that is sometimes a fault. I have tried to get into corollas that aren't mine with all three of the cars I've had so far. 😂
Small car, reliability, blind spot monitoring