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Buying used: Toyota Corolla (2001-07)

It was the world’s biggest-selling car and as the 21st Century dawned the conservative Corolla was learning new tricks

The first two-door, rear-wheel drive Toyota Corolla was built in 1967 and destroyed in an instant Europe’s dominance of the small-car market. In 1985 when the design switched to front-wheel drive the Seca CS-X Liftback had a 1.6-litre, 57kW engine and cost $13,020 – around $1000 less than a Holden Commodore SL.

By 2001 when the ZZE122R range appeared in Australia the equivalent Seca Ultima cost $30,990, delivered 100kW of power and more luxury than most prestige models of the 1980s yet it was still around $1000 cheaper than a typical Commodore.

World-wide, more than three million Corollas are sold annually. By 2010 total sales since the model’s introduction had topped 36 million cars and it was the benchmark for every would-be manufacturer of compact ‘family’ models. Although the Corolla had changed dramatically in size and sophistication, those changes very much mirrored the expectations of a traditional and very loyal target market     


HISTORY
Like prominent European manufacturers, Toyota understood that its best-selling model needed to evolve rather than scare devotees with anything resembling radical change.

The most obvious features of the ZZE122R range was adoption of huge new headlamp pods but under a revamped skin the Corolla offered sound engineering and significant value.  

Underpinning the range launched in December 2001 was the Ascent. Available as a sedan, hatchback or station wagon, Ascent pricing began at an enticing $19,990 for the five-speed manual.  However, the car didn’t include air-conditioning or the ‘Safety Pack’; a $1400 addition comprising a passenger air-bag, seat belt tensioners and ABS brakes. With those fairly essential items added, the list price pushed uncomfortably close to the $25,390 that from 2002 would buy a dual-bag, four-speed automatic Conquest.

Top of the range Ultimas were offered only with four-speed automatic transmission and helped justify $31,000 list pricing with alloy wheels, a six-CD stacker, additional air-bags, mock timber trim and upgraded seat coverings. These cars are scarce in the used market and up-front pricing is a major reason.

The ‘Levin’ badge had been used for decades to identify Corollas with enhanced performance and sporty packaging but 122R Levin buyers received only the latter. For around $28,000 the Levin hatch delivered uprated trim and the full complement of safety gear plus spoilers and alloy wheels but the 100kW engine fitted to lesser versions was retained.

For real fear-in-the-eyes performance, Corolla buyers needed to wait until 2003 and emergence of a reborn Sportivo.

The name had appeared briefly during 2001 but $37,990 pricing ensured that few were sold. In 122R format the Sportivo cost less than $30,000 while packing 141kW performance and customer-catching features like leather seats, a body-kit and CD stacker but no cruise control.

Further gaps in the Corolla range were plugged by the 2004 introduction of an Ascent Sport model which tricked up the basic car with alloy wheels, air-con and a CD stacker but left the passenger air-bag and ABS on the options list. At the same time the rest of the range was given a minor styling revamp and some price fiddling.    

Big news in 2006 was a 7kW decline in Corolla engine output; the result of compliance with Euro III exhaust emission rules. In effect, the change didn’t make any noticeable difference to the way Corollas performed and a year later when the updated ZRE152 model was launched the lost power had been restored.

From late-2004, air-conditioning became standard on the Ascent and during 2006 ABS braking was added at no cost to the Conquest.


ON THE ROAD
The Corolla is one of those cars that, over many years, would feel familiar the moment you slid behind the wheel. The Ascent interior is typically bland but everything is where you expect it to be. Even the dimness of an airport rental-car-rental bay won't have drivers groping to adjust the seat or fumbling with air-con controls.

Most obvious among the interior changes was a reshaped rear seat that made travel more enjoyable for those in the back. The seat folds to increase boot space in sedans and form a good-sized luggage platform in the Hatch and Liftbacks.

Buyers needing to regularly accommodate three in the rear should avoid Liftbacks as these were the only 122R Corollas without a lap-sash centre seat-belt.

Conquest versions offer the best compromise between handling and ride comfort. Wider, 195-section tyres offer more grip than the skinny rubber used on base-models but with sufficient side-wall compliance to be hammered over indifferent roads without sending any disconcerting shocks through the cabin.

Reports of power steering problems apply only to later-model Corollas and don’t affect any that were delivered new in Australia.

With reliable and very effective variable valve timing (VVT), the 122R Corolla engine does its best work when revved beyond 4000rpm. The willing engine combined with relatively low gearing delivers excellent acceleration – 0-100km/h in a manual Ascent taking around 9.5 seconds – but 3000-3500rpm at highway speeds can be intrusive and hurts when the time comes to refuel.

A manual Ascent should average around 8.5L/100km and reduce that by 15 percent in open-road running. However an automatic used mostly for stop-start urban travel will take consumption close to 10L/100km.

Move up to the hot-shot Sportivo and things get as entertaining on the inside as they do on the road. With leather sports seats, Luna Park dash-lighting and 141kW being dragged from its Celica-sourced engine, the power-house Corolla is fun and feels faster than performance figures suggest.

The six-speed transmission works in short, notchy movements and you need to quickly become good friends with the stumpy gear-lever. Allow the engine revs to drop much below 4000rpm and you’ll think you’re in a low-compression turbo-car. Downshifts might need to skip at least three gears before the engine gets anywhere near its 6800rpm torque peak.

The power steering works pretty hard at turning the car while thwarting the engine’s desire to rip the wheel from your hands. It will jiggle slightly under full power but in most circumstances the Sportivo feels under control. It could certainly use more rubber on the road than the 55 Series, 16 inch tyres installed as original equipment.

Using this car hard in road tests returned economy in the region of 11L/100km which isn’t bad for a high-revving and relatively heavy (1224kg) five-door. Unlike lesser Corollas, this one must be run on Premium Unleaded fuel and should be serviced more frequently than the recommended 10,000 kilometre intervals to ensure the oil doesn’t become syrupy.


CHECK POINTS
.>>Corollas are sometimes their own worst enemies. Such is their reputation for durability that owners run well past recommended service intervals and ignore noises that would send buyers of other brands bolting to the mechanic. If a car’s service book entries stopped when the warranty expired, find another one.

>>Turn the wheels to full lock with the engine running while listening for groans from the power steering then check the inner edges of the front tyres for wear that indicates alignment problems.

.>>Rear shock absorbers and suspension components may feel fine until asked to carry extra load. If your used Corolla is going to serve as family transport or a load-carrier, take some extra passengers along for the test-drive and listen for knocking sounds or tyres fouling the body over bumps.

>>Those huge headlight covers are prone to ‘frosting’ due to being blasted with road grit. Polishing can help but badly affected covers will hamper headlamp performance. Cracks and reflector corrosion can make the car unroadworthy.
 
USED VEHICLE GRADING
Design & Function: 17/20
Safety: 13/20
Practicality: 16/20
Value for Money: 15/20
Wow Factor: 10/20 (except Sportivo)
SCORE: 71/100

ALSO CONSIDER
Ford Focus
Holden Astra
Volkswagen Golf


 Powered By Motoring.com.au Published : Tuesday, 6 September 2011


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