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2009 Toyota Corolla

15657586062

Comments

  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    It's a common trouble-shooting technique in many applications. If the problem goes away with one element (in this case power steering) disabled, it becomes known that the disabled element is causing the problem. If the problem doesn't go away with the element disabled, another potential cause must be sought.

    It doesn't matter whether the application would ever actually be used with that element disabled, it's just a method of identifying the cause of the trouble.

    In any case, the poster is on the right course with the scheduled appointment. It doesn't seem likely that there is a way to disable power steering nor does it seem that it is something that should be undertaken by an owner. IOW, he shouldn't be trying that at home. :)
  • denvecsrdenvecsr Member Posts: 40
    You would think after years of Toyota having trouble with their wheel covers they would copy Honda and use underbolt wheel covers.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Underbolt wheel covers still get mangled and need replacement--and don't cost any less. The most ridiculous example I can think of was the underbolt wheel cover on a Grand Caravan I leased--$120 each at the dealer. I found one for $40 on eBay, then bought a set of covers at Target for $25 and used those until I turned the van in at lease-end. Shoot, you can buy a decent alloy wheel for $90-120. :sick:
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    See there you go again, saying it's a"problem". I don't know if it's a problem or just customer preference. Your right, there are some drivers that seem like they can't get used to the new EPS steering, but for everyone of those that say they can't get used to it or say it's a "problem" there are probably a thousand that either love it or just don't even know that the new EPS feature even exists. If it is a problem I've come to the concluion that it's a sporadic problem with just some 2009 "Rollas" being affected. I must have said it ten times on this topic already and have been seconded almost every time by those of us that said we love the new EPS steering. By the way, while I don't recommend it with any car or any kind of steering, I have no problem whatsoever driving with one hand on the steering wheel with the new EPS on the highway. This small ratio of those that don't like it versus those of us that do leads me to believe that this an individual issue affecting only a small percentage of new Rollas.
  • bimmer4mebimmer4me Member Posts: 266
    ditto . I came from an 99 Accord and downsided for the mpg factor. As you said, I was one of probably many who didn't even notice or knew about the EPS. Drives just fine for me...one handed driver. 6700 miles so far and not a single issue. Would have purchased a civic being a loyal Honda fan, but couldn't live with the space ship dash. :P
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    After 40+ years of driving the traditional hydraulic steering vehicles my 05 Prius has EPS. Is it different? Yes. Is it very sensitive? Yes. Does it 'bother me' or is it a 'problem'? No.

    It's just different after 40 yrs of being used to something else.

    Every new product coming out will have EPS in one form or another. It's simpler, lighter and more dependable.
  • denvecsrdenvecsr Member Posts: 40
    Are you sure it's 65 mm. I tried that too loose. Someone mentioned 64mm or use a strap wrench.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Yes, it's exactly 65 mm. Don't buy the wrench that's 65mm-67mm. as this will slip. You have to have the wrench that fits 65mm. only. Count the flutes on your wrench, is there 14?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    My problem (there's that pesky "P" word) isn't that it is Electric, its that it has no steering feel whatsoever, sort of like an old truck. Unacceptable in this day and age where we have trucks that actually HAVE steering feel these days. And before you chalk it up to being all electric, there are EPS systems that provide nice steering feedback and a healthy amount of "heft" to the helm. Toyota just doesn't happen to offer a car with steering feel, from big to small, they're all numb relative to the competition.

    I doubt there's an actual mechanical failure taking place; I think its just that people come to expect some steering feel, weight, and feedback, and the EPS has turned the Corolla's steering from numb (2003-2008) to video-game numb (2009-).
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Again I don't feel it's the steering thats the "problem", I feel it's old the expectation of the driver expecting clunky, resistance driven steering. We're all so used to those adjectives you used to describe the old steering you expect to have, like "feedback", "heft" and "weight". Those are all words describing work and the beauty of the new EPS by Toyota is that it is "NUMB" and requiring no work to steer. It's not coincidence that Toyota's steering has no effort required like the competition's does, it's by design. Toyota is ahead of the game when it comes to EPS steering just like the Chrysler Corporation was when they first introduced the first commercially available power steering system on the 1951 Chrysler Imperial under the name Hydraguide. Drivers didn't like the new hydraulic power steering back then either, but they soon fell in love with it, just like people will fall in love with Toyota's EPS if they just go to a showroom and give it a test drive for youself. Come out of the closet and join the Toyota driving fun and remember, SAVED BY ZERO, zero power steering effort !
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Driving fun involves steering feel, and effort. What you've described (zero effort, zero feel) is the POLAR OPPOSITE of driving fun. Get in a sports car. You'll find steering feel, weighty (for high speed driving prowess). If having to use a few pounds of pressure to steer your car is "work" to you, then you sir have absolutely no idea of what a sporty/fun car should be like. You want a sofa on wheels. A Toyota LeSabre, perhaps. Thankfully, Toyota offers a full line of those, from Corolla to Avalon.

    I'm actually amazed, and a little speechless at your post. I want to say so much, but I don't think you'll get it, so I'll just stop. I honestly don't intend any offense here, but..geez, I just don't know what to say. Just to show that everyday people (not just Race-Car style Car Magazine Editors) know that this system is substandard, here's some driving thoughts from consumers who tested the Corolla, listed right here on Edmunds. Men and women of all ages drove them.

    The Corolla is what I'd describe as a soft ride — soft suspension, soft pedals, more body roll than the Honda Civic and Mazda3 and on the acceleration test. I didn't feel like I had much contact with the road. It felt very unstable at higher speeds. It also had the cheapest feel — it didn't even have cruise control. We made the mistake of flipping the visor up and were amused to hear a "tin can" sound that carried over to the doors. While floor mats were standard on the other models, mats for the Corolla add $199 to the bill.
    ++++

    3rd place (a very, very distant 3rd place): Bringing up the rear, we have the Toyota Corolla. This thing handles like it's in a bowl of Jell-o and has seats only a grandmother could love. Every time I got into this car I couldn't help but think I was riding in a rolling La-Z-Boy. But maybe that's your thing, maybe you want some super-soft seats and you're more concerned with where you're going than how you got there. If that's the case, then the Corolla may be for you. Just remember that it's severely lacking in the fun department.

    All that body roll, mushy brake feel and sloppy steering could be forgiven if it managed to be the serene mini-Camry it wants to be. But alas, this thing's engine makes you hear every awful decibel in the cabin. And get this: no cruise control. That's right, the only car here not to come standard with it was the Corolla. And for a car destined to be clogging up left lanes everywhere as a daily commuter, that seems like a big misstep.
    - 27 years old
    ++++

    Driving dynamics match the rest of the package. Off-the-line response is sluggish, as the engine doesn't hit its sweet spot until 3,000 rpm and things get almost farm implement-buzzy at about 5,000 rpm. Vague steering and substantial body lean don't inspire confidence, especially in an emergency situation. Although braking performance seemed decent, the pedal felt it would be pushed through the floor. - 40 years old

    ++++

    This Corolla is aimed at its traditional customer: the (now-aging) baby boomer. As the customer got older, softer and larger, so did the Corolla.

    This Corolla brings the "full-sized car" experience to an efficient smaller package. Unfortunately, that experience brings with it the craptacular road behavior of a mid-'90s big car as well. Clearly sporty road manners were never mentioned by Toyota's focus groups. I recommend the Corolla be driven at the legal limit at all times. It really feels loose and disconnected.
    - 48 years old

    ++++

    The Toyota had the best manners of the three. It drives like a mini Buick — soft and cushy. There is less noise and less jostle than the other two autos. I felt less in control in this car than the others, as it has a loose steering feel. The ride is so soft, I felt like the car was not in total control on bumps and rises. Toyota saved 30 cents by mounting the outside mirror controls inconveniently low on the dashboard instead of on the door armrest, where they belong. Ease of entry and exit is poorest of these three cars. - 68 years old
  • denvecsrdenvecsr Member Posts: 40
    Don't stop "thegraduate". I just drove from NY to FL the second time this year. Trying to keep the car straight is a pain in the [non-permissible content removed]. You know when you have a car that the alignment is way off and you have to contantly bring it back with the steering wheel? That's the feel of the 2009 Corolla. "terceltom" keeps insisting that the EPS is a wonderful feat by Toyota. NFW it's horrible. I still say "terceltom" is employed by Toyota.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I don't own a Toyota, but have nothing against them. I just refuse to buy something that handles so poorly (the Camry SE is the closest thing I've found to coming CLOSE to matching my car {a better-than-average handling midsize car}, the SE lacks steering feel, but at least is better weighted and body motions are controlled).

    What's worth noting is that every review says essentially the same thing. That's not an accident.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    You know we could go on and on trading stories about who likes the new Corolla EPS steering and who dosen't but that wouldn't solve anything. With almost 900,000 2009 new Corollas sold so far equipped with EPS there are a handful on this forum and other forums that just can't get used to the new set-up. If it was some kind of "malfunction" as you state, don't you think we would be hearing from more of the other 899,950 new Corolla owners?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    If it was some kind of "malfunction" as you state, don't you think we would be hearing from more of the other 899,950 new Corolla owners?

    You obviously aren't reading my posts (which makes me wonder if you're just blindly replying to me without thinking it over). I blatantly said that I "doubt it is a mechanical failure." :sick:

    I think it is a poorly tuned system. The Corolla is obviously not the only car on the market with EPS, and others happen to have some road feel. By the way, can ya link me to those sales numbers? I'd love to see them. :)

    People buy Toyotas because they want a comfortable, reliable ride. They deliver. The Camry LE/XLE doesn't have EPS, but still is devoid of any driving fun or steering feel. It's not a Corolla-only thing. It's inherent in Toyota's tuning.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Okay, don't be so serious about my 50 out of almost 900,000 new Corolla owners displeased with the new EPS. Obviously there are more than the handful of dissatisfied owners that post on here that might not like it. But my point was, and you would have to admit, the numbers are very low. This brings me to another thing that bothers me about your persistent displeasure with the steering in every Toyota model. Please don't take any offense, but how in the world can you, a non-Toyota owner, tell us why the rest of us buy Toyotas? I would say your not the best expert for me to be debating with about EPS or any other Toyota issue. If you read many of the post concerning 2009 Corolla EPS some owners will say that it took a little time for them to get used to the new EPS steering and not to have that weighty, clumsy steering we've all come to expect in a smaller economy car. Perhaps if you drive one for a while rather than just a short test drive you might feel differently yourself about the new Corolla EPS.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    I agree with both sides. The EPS from Toyota does have a 'no effort' feel and it's something that can be tuned differently in the future. The new 2010 Prius is an example.

    But the way it's set up for example in the Corolla is intentional. Why? This has been rehashed over and over and over again in this thread. The Corolla is not a curve-carver. It is not intended to compete with the Mazda3 or Si. It is only intended to do one thing, that is to appeal to the largest number of buyers looking for a very efficient, inexpensive, low maintenance, traditional vehicle that will endure long miles and long years and get the owner from point a to point b................and most importantly..... to make a profit.

    It has no other function in life.

    For those wanting or needing more 'feel' or more 'fun' or more power or more room there are many other vehicles available. The Corolla is directed toward one very large segment. It succeeds as terceltom notes by actual the number of sales it makes.

    This is marketing. Toyota has identified a need, or if you want to put it another way a 'lack of needs', and it has created the Corolla to meet this demand - intentionally. By the sheer numbers of Corolla's sold Toyota is correct.

    But then so are all of you, individually. Isn't this a great country? :shades:
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    Well said. Next topic?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Just saying (as our friend posted in #3,007) that Toyota did this intentionally, and it isn't a malfunction.

    And, I told you why I didn't buy a Toyota, because it is geared towards buyers that like the comfy ride and couldn't care less about driving fun.

    Having said all that, I'll ask this:

    Is the Corolla going to get anything more than a 4-speed automatic anytime soon? Any rumors on an upgrade flying around?
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Thank you for your excellent clarification.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    At times Toyota moves glacially and it does things in baby steps...unless like the Prius or the Camry hybrid or the 5.7L Tundra it sees an opportunity to leap into another segment in order to make additional sales.

    Issues seem to get addressed incrementally in order of importance. Regarding the Corolla the issues were implementing the new 1ZR 1.8L engine, addressing the seating / steeringwheel issue, making a quieter environment, adding new safety equipment, increasing interior room, all while maintaining fuel economy at the top of the class and keeping prices low enough to appeal to the targetted buying segment.......and to make a profit doing so.

    The 4 speed AT is a non-issue with the targetted demographic.

    But the direction is clearly toward 5 AT's in the near future along with a Valvematic enhancement which already being used in the JDM versions of the Corolla. New features begin there and migrate to the other markets ( iron out the bugs too ). My personal guess is that at the 3 yr refresh in MY 2012 we might see the 5 AT + Valvematic. At the latest I'd guess 2014 in the 'all new' Corolla.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Since the Corolla's EPS can be tuned, as you stated, why not at least tune it for more of a sporty feel on the Corolla XRS? That is a relatively pricey car for an economy compact, the top of the Corolla line, and surely Toyota could find some way to build the engineering cost (which is minimal, since we're talking about what is essentially a software or firmware change) into that high-end Corolla model and still make a solid profit on the car.

    As a case in point, I know of at least one other compact econocar with EPS on which the steering feel is tuned differently for different markets, e.g. a softer feel for the U.S., and a firmer feel for the European market and at least some AP markets including Australia. It was a pretty easy change to make, e.g. a couple of engineers went down to Australia when there were published road tests that trashed the steering feel of the car, and the engineers made an in-the-field update to the EPS that improved the steering feel greatly.

    So it IS possible, and pretty easily/cheaply. That leads me to believe that you are correct in saying the disconnected steering feel on the Corolla is intentional, that is, that Toyota thinks Americans LIKE our small cars to feel that way. But I suggest that the Corolla's strong sales are not BECAUSE of its steering feel, but IN SPITE OF its steering feel, i.e. there are enough people who either don't mind the way the steering feels or overlook it because they like other things about the Corolla.

    Anyway, since it appears the steering feel is intentional, that is where posts like those from thegraduate and others who don't care for the Corolla's steering feel are useful and should be encouraged rather than shoved aside by Toyota fans. If no one complains about the steering feel, Toyota has no reason to make a change. And I suspect Toyota and other manufacturers do monitor these forums. At least we know for sure that many Toyota employees monitor these forums, and they are in a position to send the feedback to the company.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    I don't disagree.

    I think that Toyota has made a production decision based on marketing input for the targetted demographic. It's intentional. For that demographic the EPS is a non-issue as is the 5 AT. Other features need addressing first.

    No one is shoving anyone's opinion aside. As noted previously everyone's view is correct. That's why there are so many choices in the market. But the view that the EPS is somehow 'wrong' or 'bad' is only a personal view of certain people that want something else. The current design is 'correct' and 'good' for the drivers for whom the vehicle's intended. The volume of sales validates those production/marketing decisions.

    As I said in the beginning everybody's view is correct. It only depends on one's personal preferences. I'm certain that all these discussion are monitored on a regular basis by all the vehicle makers. These are the new 'focus groups' if you will. But in the case of enthusiast sites such as herein the population is not indicative of the general population so that bias has to be taken into account.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Wow, I thought we put this baby to rest?

    Okay here I go again!

    With the exception of the sentence where you write that "it appears that the steering feel is intentional" I have to disagree with your posting. You insinuate that most Americans don't like our small cars to drive and steer easy and that Toyota is wrong in their thinking that we do. I couldn't disagree with you more. We are the age of "easy". If it drives easy, affords easy, repairs easy and STEERS easy, people will buy it and love it. Why is it so hard for some of you people to get it through your heads that most 2009 Corolla owners ACTUALLY LIKE this new EPS technology and like the feel of the car and will buy it because of this steering amongst other factors, and not IN SPITE of it as you write? Thank God the Toyota Engineers know what drivers want are willing to come up with new technology like EPS steering to bring us out of the dark ages where some of you feel secure in your thinking as well as your driving. Come on, where's your sense of adventure? Perhaps we should go all the way back to manual steering and rear wheel drive like I had in my 1979 Corolla. Loved that car, but what a truck to turn!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You insinuate that most Americans don't like our small cars to drive and steer easy...

    No. I suggest that a large number of Americans, if not a majority, like to have a higher degree of steering feel than what the 2009 Corolla provides.

    Driving "easy" is different from driving "numb". I don't think we need to go back to manual steering to get a steering feel that is "easy" enough for folks like you and has enough precision and control for people who like that quality in a car. Other manufacturers have found combination to be possible. Toyota is fully capable of doing it too, if not on the entire Corolla lineup then maybe on just the sport-oriented XRS as I suggested.

    My sense of adventure doesn't include a car that wanders around the road and requires a great deal of attention to keep pointed straight on a straight road, as some have expressed here. That isn't "easy" driving for me. I guess your definition of "easy" and my definition are different.
  • lls57lls57 Member Posts: 57
    I have had my 09 Corolla since Feb 08, with over 15,000 miles on it, including a 2,000+ mile vacation. I never feel like it wanders around the road, and it doesn't require a great deal of attention to keep pointed straight. I am one of those people that just wants a car that gets me around town. Until I started reading posts here, I never knew that the steering was a "problem" for some people.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    "No. I suggest that a large number of Americans, if not a majority, like to have a higher degree of steering feel than what the 2009 Corolla provides".

    "My sense of adventure doesn't include a car that wanders around the road and requires a great deal of attention to keep pointed straight on a straight road, as some have expressed here".

    I'm going to assume that both of the above two statements were based on other peoples oppinions because a 2009 Corolla is not in your current inventory of cars, correct?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    They are based on comments posted here by people who own or have driven the 2009 Corolla (note my words, "...as some have expressed here"), as well as on my own experience driving the 2009 Corolla.

    Actually, when I drove the car I didn't notice anything I would call a "problem" with the steering. It wasn't precise like some other small cars, and I would prefer more steering feel, but it didn't wander all over the road either. But I don't want to summarily dismiss the opinions of those Corolla owners who think there's a problem with the steering. It could just be a reaction to how the car handles vs. what they are used to, or it could be a defect in some number of cars.

    I think the 2009 Corolla is a nice little car in many ways, but not a car I care to own. With a few tweaks, I'd consider it though.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Driving "easy" is different from driving "numb".

    VERY true. Nissan, for awhile, has always had steering that was too light for my personal tastes, but it is at least communicative. You can have overboosted steering that is communicative (like in the last older Nissan I drove) and you can have heavily weighted steering that offers little in the way of feel (Pontiac comes to mind here).

    By "easy" I assume we're all referring to the physical effort it takes to move the wheel? I am. Just making sure we're on the same page.
  • 87silver87silver Member Posts: 9
    Buy a Toyota. The USA has seen its days.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Don't feed the troll, guys. :)
  • mnfmnf Member Posts: 405
    Same here with 12,800 miles use one handed driving most of the time no issues with my corolla. This after coming off a 2006 Honda CRV, 2004 Subaru, 2000 Honda Accord, 1998 Honda Civic and when she will let me my wifes 2000 Lexus RX 300.

    MNF
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Thanks for your post. It seems like those of us that actually own a 2009 Corolla like and accept the new EPS while a large percentage of the negativity is coming from non-owners.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    a large percentage of the negativity is coming from non-owners.

    Sure is. Those that have driven it and don't like the way this particular EPS system and suspension tuning is set up, probably wouldn't spend close to 20 grand on it. :) Just because the negative opinions aren't from owners don't mean they aren't valid.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Well whose oppinion would you trust more? Someone who did put out the 20K because they like the car as well as the steering and are very happy with their purchases or those who just sit back and critcize Toyota and it's steering and DON'T EVEN OWN ONE! Those of us with first hand experience are always so much more dependable rather than those that just took it out for a ten minute test drive, or pass on what they heard from some other disgruntleld owner because they can't adjust to new technology.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I'd listen to both. The owner will obviously be biased towards his car, while the non-owner has more limited experience. In this case, I trust my own opinion (as you should trust yours) the most. Makes sense, right? ;)
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Well I certainly don't see this biased on this thread. Those drivers that can't adjust to the new EPS are surely letting us know how much they think the steering or their cars suck, right? And those of us that really like it are saying so also. So where's the supposed bias? You said the magic word, a non-owner has LIMITED driving experience with this car so how can you put your faith and money in their comments or driving experience? Besides we're not talking about what we think any longer we're talking about an outsider contemplating a 2009 Corolla purchase. I drive this car daily, you drove it ten minutes, the question is who do you trust to give you a better hands on experience and opinion? I would say obviously the person that drives it more. If you owned a business and were going to hire an employee, who would you hire? All other things being equal, the person that did that particular job for ten minutes or the person who has the experience of doing that job for a year and a half? Now remember if you choose the wrong employee you loose your business, just like the new Corolla owner will not be happy with their 20K purchase and will have to sell it.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I drive this car daily, you drove it ten minutes, the question is who do you trust to give you a better hands on experience and opinion?

    Again, I listen to both. I can tell if a car handles well on a 20 minute test drive. It doesn't take 20k miles to figure out "hey, this car has fantastic handling" or not, unless your car's handling has changed in that 20k miles. Has it?

    If you owned a business and were going to hire an employee, who would you hire? All other things being equal, the person that did that particular job for ten minutes or the person who has the experience of doing that job for a year and a half?

    Sorry, your analogy doesn't work for me, in this case. Handling doesn't change in 10 miles or 10k miles, unless you're really hard on the car! :shades: It's a known entity once you've been around the block (literally) a few times. Drive it at different speeds, on different surfaces for a little while. It doesn't take a year of ownership to know what the car is like, unless you're a little slow.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Here's the opinion of a professional car-testing organization that has had more than "ten minutes" behind the wheel of the Corolla, and actually owned it (so remarks such as "you don't own one so your opinion doesn't count" are not applicable):

    Handling is sound, but not particularly agile. The steering is a bit light and rather vague on center. Body lean is not excessive, but the car isn't engaging to drive. The Corolla was secure at its handling limits thanks to its optional ESC, but it posted just a modest speed in our avoidance maneuver.

    Highs: Fuel economy, ride, quiet interior, turning circle, controls, available electronic stability control.
    Lows: Steering feel, fit and finish, no dedicated clock display.


    -- From CR, July 2008.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    I 'm going to end this debate with you as I don't wish to contnue wasting my time debating with someone who dosen't even own the freaking kind of car he's bashing.

    For all of you drivers contemplating the purchase of a new 2009 or 2010 new Toyota Corolla "go for it". You will be pleasantly surprised how good this car actually is. There is no economy car on the road that can come close to it in shifting smoothness or sound control. The climate control is excellent and the safety is top notch. The stability control and traction control are very functional additions and will be standard in 2010. The steering ease in this vehicle is unmatched by any make out there. There is no that steers with the ease and comfort of the new Toyota Corolla. This car has just been rated in the top ten of all economy cars in the April issue of Consumer Reports for Best Cars Under $20,000 something the Honda Civic can't even brag about. The rear leg room is most accomodating and the flat floor in the back is unmatched by any economy car. Gas miliage is great. SO GO AHEAD, WHO DO YOU WANT TO BELIEVE? A NON-OWNER OR SOMEONE WHO NOW OWNS THIS NEW 2009 COROLLA FOR A YEAR AND HAS PUT IT THROUGH THE TEST.
  • denvecsrdenvecsr Member Posts: 40
    You want to try to end the debate, don't you terceltom. Working for Toyota you have alot to lose. Myself, I would tell anyone looking to purchase the new Corolla, to wait until Toyota irons out all the kinks. Until then, stay away! Too many problems from the steering to the automatic shifting. Try a long ride, say 600 miles straight you'll easily see that the steering is a constant problem. 2009 Corolla, 12,000 miles, Owner for 1 year. Very experienced driver for 37 years. Driven every kind of vehicle out there. From tractor-trailer to White Cloud. I know a problem when there is one.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Guess that explains why your looking for a car that drives like a Mack truck !
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Really bothers you who I work for aye? Way off topic here, but since you keep asking,

    Do you think I am :

    A Local Police Evidence Collector for the Emmaus Pa. Police Dept.

    or maybe

    A Veterinary Nurse for Peaceable Kingdom Cat Rescue of Whitehall Pa.

    or maybe even

    A Senior Econometrician with Toyota Financial Services Based in Los Angeles, CA

    Sorry, but I can't help but play'in with ya now!
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I 'm going to end this debate with you as I don't wish to contnue wasting my time debating with someone who dosen't even own the freaking kind of car he's bashing.

    Ohhhh, i get it now. I post something you don't like, and it doesn't count because I don't own it, and is qualified as useless "bashing."

    the flat floor in the back is unmatched by any economy car.

    Like the flat floor the Civic has offered for nearly a decade?

    For all of you drivers contemplating the purchase of a new 2009 or 2010 new Toyota Corolla "go for it".

    How about "drive it and its competitors, and decide for yourself which best fits your needs/wants?

    And, why all the yelling at the end of your post? Guess we won't know why since you're through bashing me for disagreeing with ya over the handling merits of an economy car (or at least claim to be). You don't think its silly? I do, but I'm not leaving the forum just because you want me to do so. I'm not making it personal.
  • frostbyte3964frostbyte3964 Member Posts: 30
    I have not driven may cars more expensive than a Corolla, but I have driven many less and my history of owning 5 different year Corollas should tell you my opinion. I love the way they drive. I like a comfortable car that just goes. I have not had the steering problem in amy of them. My 09 was the best yet. I could take my hands off the wheel and drive most of the time. I almost always drive one handed. I did test drive an 08 Civic and it wasn't anything special IMO. I didn't like the location of the E brake personally and it was my main reason for not getting that car. I plan on getting another Corolla when I get back in the States again.
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    The steering is precise, yet it is extremely light and lack feedback! When i drove one off the parking lot, i smacked it so hard and then realized that i was driving a Toyota... rofl...
  • mnfmnf Member Posts: 405
    You forgot one thing when reporting the news to tell the whole story.

    1-Toyota Corolla was RECOMMENDED by Consumer Reports with a check

    2-The Corolla is one of the best riding small cars, and it soaks up bumps well. Its cabin is quiet, except for relatively mild road and wind noise, and a smooth engine hum. ( the previous sentence that you left out)
    BY CR 2009

    MNF
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You are correct, I did not repeat the entire CR review of the Corolla, since the thread we're on was about steering feel (plus I can't type that fast!). I agree the Corolla is one of the smoothest-riding and quiet small cars. But again, the thread we were on was steering, so that is what I focused on with my excerpt from the CR review.

    I did say I thought the Corolla has many good points. It's just that I don't think steering feel is one of them.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I'm with you, backy. My ex-gf had a 2004 Corolla LE. Very nice little car for $18k, and rode quite nicely. A mini-Camry. Just because I don't like the steering system in the '09, doesn't mean I'm trashing the car.
  • windjammerwindjammer Member Posts: 25
    Wow two of the biggest Corolla bashers on the thread agreeing with each other. Go figure.
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