As far as I know, all Japanese manufacturers release items to the home market at least a year in advance of releasing them to the American market. This enables them to identify (and hopefully iron out) any bugs in the new edition prior to exportation to the U.S.
Also, many times the JDM models are slightly different from their U.S. counterparts. Do we know for certain that the JDM Corolla was the same as the U.S. Corolla for 2005?
Not for anything, but the Corolla was refreshed earlier than usual, for 2005. The changes were somewhat minor, but noticeable, nonetheless. On LE and XRS models, Toyota added Lexus-style electroluminescent instrumentation.
All models were made available with side impact and side curtain airbags, and the Corolla, when equipped with that option, is one of ONLY TWO small cars to pass the IIHS side impact test, earning a rating of Acceptable (no small car scores higher than that to date). This is a noteworthy performance, because even some small cars that offer side curtains dont necessarily do well in the test. For example, neither the Kia Spectra or Saturn ION could manage better than a "Poor" rating, despite the extra protection. All models also gained a center rear passenger head restraint. VSC is an option, though a very rare one that requires a factory order most times.
The front and rear fascia of all models were altered slightly, and wheel cover designs were changed, all for the better, in my opinion.
Fuel efficiency ratings of the 1.8L increased.
The 164 horse XRS model was added, and its done fairly well, earning a second place spot in a recent MT comparo of 5 small cars.
Bottom line: Dont buy a Corolla if you dont want to. But dont say its because Toyota has ignored it.
I am not saying that Corolla has sunk into uncompetitive dregs. But the MMC last year, if that is what it was (I guess it was, since there is nothing now) was pretty minor. All the more motivation for Toyota to bring out a brand new '08 early, just like it did for the '03! (which came out in, like, February of 2002).
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
we were looking for a car with ABS and side/curtainairbags. In addition some electric stuff (power windows etc.).nothing special, just what is standard in any VW Golf. but no Corolla is available with those basic requirements. Only special order would do. I somehow hoped 2006 model would have ABS/airbags standard so we would have an easy time finding one... but not what did we do? we bought a Mazda 3 (they actually have them on the lot with ABS/airbag package). We also got Xenon lights and tire pressure monitors (which you can't have with Toyota either). but that was not the deciding factor... safety was. and that including better brakes in the Mazda makes the Corolla unsafe and unacceptable. I think toyota is loosing more potential costumers than just me.... the weird thing is, in Eurpe coroalla comes with all 6 airbags and VSC standard(which includes ABS). It also has rear disk brakes standard. but apparently the American costumer still buys what is not acceptable in other parts of the world. with their weird "not available" policy they put themselves on the level of the Korean makes. Some people just want a small car, but want a fancy one and can spend the money on goodies.... but then you can't buy a Toyota. and the most money you don'T make with the car, you make it with options like xenon lights and so on. (nevertheless Toyota is successful) which is sad, since the cars are basically economical and reliable.
I can really identify with this, and other recent posts. The '05s already had some cosmetic changes, and this was not my priority. I was most interested with package changes for the San Diego area. If not making ABS/Side Curtains standard, I thought they would at least be offered in my area for the '06s. It seems like common sense. No such luck, but I have not yet tried to special order anything.
Anyone out there have any luck special ordering ABS in southern CA?
Regardless, the Corolla is still a great car, and remains my number one pick given the uncertainty of the '06 Civic. Then again, if the Civic has ABS/Side Curtains, better fuel economy (and more power?), and remains affordable the logic of my Toyota loyalty goes out the window.
which is exactly what the '06 Civic WILL have. As well as 15 more hp and better fuel economy than the Corolla.
I am very surprised that given the good results Corolla got in NHTSA side impact testing with the side airbags, that Toyota has not made them standard. And with ABS standard on Camry for a while now, you would think Toyota would be making THAT standard on Corollas by now as well. I bet these things will come in for MY '08 when the next gen arrives, but that will be well behind the Civic and the Koreans.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
ABS was only made standard on the Camry as of the '05 model year, though the 97-99 Generation 4 had it standard as well.
Its very unfortunate that the Toyota dealers/distributors have so much control over the way these vehicles are packaged- in Central Jersey, I'd honestly say that 1 in 2 Corolla LEs has the ABS/Side Curtains Options, with varying degrees of other options... some have just that and the Audio Val Pkg, while others are dressed to the 9s, with moonroof and alloys.....
Did you try other dealerships in your area? If your main requirement aside from the power features( locks,windows) are ABS and side curtain airbags, you can get those options on LEs since they are most popular on that model. However , if you wanted rear disk brakes as well, you have to move up to XRS to get it.
Thanks for the suggestion. Apparently, you cannot get ABS on an LE is Southern California without a special order. I'm not even sure you can special order them currently. I can appreciate that Southern California weather is much more car-friendly than, say, a Wisconsin winter, but I still feel ABS is pretty basic. I know the XRS has ABS, but I'm not really an XRS-y kinda guy.
I had another thought today. Maybe I should just go for a somewhat used 05 (with or without ABS) in order to wait out the whole first-year Civic remodel thing. That way I could save some money on payments, and maybe switch to a 07 Civic (once any bugs are worked-out) if it seems worth it. What do you think?
I will do the same, with the a new civic purchase instead of the corolla 06 just because toyota did not refresh the model as sometimes they do a couple of years before a new body style change. Unless of course, a new body in 07 comes out, which I doubt it. Its a shame that, even though I read numerous reports of a refreshed look to the 06 corolla, the only ones that got that refreshed look were in japan, toyota could have given us a heads up on the 06, so I would not have my hopes up for a purchase for so long. Now, I will look at the new 06/07 civic when they come out instead.
did try via Internet... but when i buy an XRS, then the car is as expensive and has similar mileage like a Mazda 3. but still doesn'T have side airbags. In addition the hatchback made the difference. I wanna be able to put something in the trunk. if Toyota doesn't hav what it promises (safety, manual tranny) on it'S website, and I (costumer) have to look and beg to get what i want, I might just walk away.... and buy from the competition that gives me wha ti want. Either Toyota wants to be on the Korean level equippment wise, or they want to sell premium cars. People would buy a small inexpensive car (up to 20 K) if it was fancy enough. and safety is one of the things people worry about when they hear "small car". In the end a more expensive small car will cost less.... avoided accidents and injuries not even included. Try to sell a small car in 5 years, when everyone will have ABS/airbags, without htat option. It's like trying to sell a car w/o AC today. Maybe our second car will be in the Civic/Corolla range. but already today I know it tends to be a Civic, jsut for the fact of safety. The equippment also tels you about the attitude of an OEM. If they don'T give you basic safety systems... what do you think how much they cared about safety while designing the car? and once you drove a car with rear disc brakes with a full trunk compared to one with drum brakes... you never want to have drums again. Never. the same with the light... what is wrong with making Xenon lights optional? Someone might like 2.5 times the light. but that guy can't buy a Toyota. since Toyota builds cars for people that don't care about technology.... even VW golf is better equipped than a Corolla.. and the Golf came out 8 years ago. Now we live in a new millenium! Still, Toyota doesn'T have ABS/side airbags available in the real world... a technology that was standard in Europe 10 years ago in Corollas.
Why are you so disappointed?? You say Toyota hasn't refreshed the Corolla for 2006, sure they didn't, that car has just got a face-lift, a new more powerful version (XRS) and some equipment changes all for the 2005 model!! Don't expect Toyota to revise AGAIN their Corolla after they did a year ago! There will probably be some minor equipment changes or new colors available for the 2007 model, but that'll probably be all until the car is redone for winter 2007 as a 2008 model.
I agree about the new fascia for 2005, and being realistic about what is offered. I don't think it would be wise to throw in the towel because expectations were not met, and certainly if you've felt comfortable with Toyotas in the past- it would be a radical decision to "get back at" a car maker by purchasing something else without thinking it through.
The reason I'm disappointed is that I have been wanting to purchase a reliable car with great mileage for about six years, and had my eye on the Corolla since it was remodeled in 2003. They advertised a refreshing for 2006, so I thought "well they changed the lights last year, maybe they'll spruce up standard features to compete with the Civic".
I have worked hard to be able to afford something new(ish), and looked forward to a safe, reliable, and comfortable car. I drive 1.5 hours round trip to work each day, and have fantasized about increased fuel economy and comfort. I have some Post Traumatic Stress in terms of reliability from my first car, a '88 Volkswagen Fox ( :lemon: ) that consistently stranded me on the side of the road and costed thousands to repair/maintain (new clutch, engine, transmission, etc...). I now drive a small, base model Toyota Tacoma, and have grown loyal to Toyota through family experience with reliability. I'm 28, and my wife and I are discussing having children, so I have long since identified the Corolla as the perfect medium in terms of reliability, safety, and cost.
I understand that I could go with another auto maker in order to have my needs met, or "succumb to the soft caress" of the giant Camry, but I prefer the Corolla. In the end, I have to admit that it comes down to a balance between needs and wants, and my goal is to keep examining the two until it really becomes purchase time.
Anyway, that's the (car) story of my life, thanks for listening. I think I'm gonna need to focus on bigger issues for now on, and maybe stay away from this forum for a little while. Thanks again.
I was, and still am disappointed, because I had the 2003 corolla LE, and the photos submitted on this forum suggested that newer tail lights, head light and a NAV system was going to be offered. The mag's that I read stated it would be refreshed for the tail light and head light area. I don't mean a new fancy hot rod for the younger generation that came out. I mean a refreshed look, not major, for the normal LE corolla. Toyota could have cleared this up, but did not. I now have a 05 Rav 4 that I really don't need or want since the gas price is going up, and was looking for a simple refresh look for the current corolla until the major change in late 07 or when ever it comes out. The japenese have the refreshed look of the current model and I kind of like it and would have jumped at the chance to grab one, but no more. I'll look at the Civic models and see what they have to offer. If nothing, than I'll just wait until 07.
What a shame. I did a research on Madison WI Toyota dealerships and I really couldnt get any information on the cars (particularly Corolla) that they sell. There is too little information. Toyota should tell these dealership to improve their website. Anyways, I bought a Corolla S last January. I test drove both the Civic LX and the Mazda 3i since theyre in the same price level. Build these 3 cars with the same features/equipment and options over their website and submitted my price quotation request to 3 of their nearest dealerships. Narrowed down the lowest quote from each cars and then called them up to schedule my test drive. Of course I didnt expect them to be performance cars. I just want to test the feel of the break, the acceleration from stop, merging on freeway, steering feel, cabin noise level and to check out the exterior/interior. You know what, the Corolla either finished 1st or 2nd in my test drive,and with all things equal (equipment/features), the Corolla is still the cheapest. I actually like the Mazda3 because of its interior but since I'm gonna use it for commuting to work (77miles), MPG is more important. So I chose the Corolla. My first Toyota. After six months of ownership and 12K miles, it still drive like when the first time I drove it off the dealership lot.I can honestly tell you I'm happy with my purchase.
the artist's rendering of the '08 Corolla (due out in early '07) in this month's Motor Trend? It is a little chunkster! A very CUTE little chunkster. It looks chunky because of the high hood line to meet the new European pedestrian safety regs. But I like the cuteness. Corolla could use some more "cute". It will look more distinctive than the current model, which is a good thing seeing as the Civic is about to be restyled, and the Mazda3 looks glorious. Not to mention the Cobalt looks pretty nice in a generic sort of way.
The blurb beneath the picture said they would not bring over the Corolla hatchbacks from Europe for the next gen either, so as not to step on Scion's toes (as well as Matrix and the like), but they are considering having a hybrid version. That last might not be such a good idea - I think it would step on the Prius' toes too much.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Ok, to make a long story really short I had MANY problems with my 2005 Corolla. I went to the dealer and they said I could just trade up into a 2006 for $1.00 more a month. Not bad considering mine has almost 10,000 miles and many problems. I haven't seen this car yet but I was under the impression it's the same exact thing. I have a CE. It's on the truck now and will be here by Tuesday. Listening to people talk on here it doesn't seem like anything has changed! The dealer made it sound like a great deal getting an upgrade for $1.00 more blah blah blah. Any opinions out there? I was just kinda interested in getting rid of the one with all the problems before warranty ends in a few years.
As far as I know, there are absolutely no changes from the '05 to the '06, but I think there may have been a modest price hike. I just got the 06 catalog in the mail and could not find any changes anywhere. I was one of the people who posted complaining about the lack of a change- due to no increase in availability for safety options.
Sorry to hear about the problems with your car. Without asking you to relay a really long story, could you let us know basically what was wrong with the car? I'm trying to decide whether to go with special ordering a Corolla with ABS/Side Airbags, or just waiting or the 06 Civic to come out, which will have them standard. Thanks and good luck!
Long story short first I failed emmisions. I went straight to the dealer to complain they tested and said it was fine and it just wasn't ready to be tested yet. Looked it up in my manual and they were right. Then, I've had problems starting and my breaks make a funny noise so I took it in and it was a fuel pump and break booster. From what I hear many people are having starting problems. The lady in service says they fixed the problems and the 2006 is ok. If there is a price hike then I guess I got a good deal because it was less then my 2005 to pay it off at the end of the 5 years. I'm not too sure exactly what I paid but I'll let you know when I find out.
Just picked it up. It's the same exact thing as the 2005 but the saleman claims the dashboard lights are brighter. Can't believe they didn't change a single thing. It does seem a little bigger though. It's probably in my head.
Not to stir up more controversy, but I need some advice on waiting for 06 Civic prices to come domn versus buying a Corolla LE. I posted this today in a couple of forums.
(posted at Edmunds and TOV) Hope this information is helpful
My wife and I test drove a silver, automatic 06 EX sedan in San Diego today at about 2pm. The dealer we’ve been speaking to was nice enough to call to set up a test drive after the exact model we put a small down payment on came in early. These models were built in Japan, instead of the US. There were several at the dealer we went to, and supposedly some at another dealer further south. No sedan brochures out, but I was able to get the coupe/si one a few days ago.
Driving Impressions: Overall, an excellent car. A lot of this is subjective, but I am guessing the car will be well received after people start seeing more of them. It seemed “Substantial” in person in terms of aesthetics, but compact overall. It is very aerodynamic, even on the inside. The body is somewhat Prius-like from some angles. The dash appeared huge, as did the digital odometer display. No flickering, no sunlight wash-out, just nice. The alloy wheels looked beautiful, and quite large. It was spacious inside, but not much more so than the 05 Corolla or Civic. Storage and armrest comfort appeared great, and the steering wheel position was much better than the Corolla. Trunk is smaller than the Corolla, but the rear seats fold more flatly. The Ipod aux jack seemed well placed, but I couldn’t figure out what kind of cord it would be mated with (not a “Y” cord).
The drive was refined, and pick-up seemed at least adequate. Road and engine noise was expectedly noticeable, but improved compared to the last Civic. We did not clock any freeway time, but got to drive it at about 55mph (forgot to look at the ‘cruising’ tach reading). All controls and instruments worked well. I would have liked to have seen the interior at night, but even a brief glimpse of it in a well shaded area evoked a “wow, cool”. The engine compartment is tiny. Our salesman seemed genuinely enthusiastic about the car and its features, and was not aggressive. By the end of the test drive and other snooping around, we both agreed that this model/color was likely to be our next car but when?
Well, not too soon it appears. We knew they were going to be asking MSRP, and the previously posted prices ($19,060 plus $550 destination charge) were spot on. We asked for $18,500 and the dealer did not move one cent, admitting that the next test drive appointment was likely to buy the car today if we didn’t. We were prepared for this, and ended up asking them to call us later if some compromise could be made. This was, of course, predictable.
The thing is, we really liked the car, but that price doesn’t seem fair when looking at similarly equipped competition, and especially in considering that the novelty of “being the first one on the block” wears off pretty quickly. Not to mention the risk of reliability issues in buying a first year model after the redesign, and the lack of published crash safety results (although they should be good). Yet another bummer is the higher APRs offered by both the dealer and our credit union. 2.9 for a Corolla, 5.9 for the Civic.
This is not to say that the price was obscene, just a little out of range for the moment. We expect other buyers will be reasonable, and that prices will drop by or near the end of the year. Any advice or input on how to get closer to invoice would be greatly appreciated, and we hope this information is helpful. Thanks, and good luck!
I would wait until the 2006 closeout and get somewhat of a deal.
But if you need a car now, I'd get a Civic. Find one that's willing to deal. Might have to go out of California for that...
California also has the dealers still marking up the Prius. They're selling for MSRP or even slightly less than that in the rest of the nation (my local dealer claims they have 2 Prii ready to go)... (except on eBay Motors)
" If it is just $2K difference between a "similarly equipped" Corolla LE and Civic EX 06, I would take the Civic ". ----------------------------------------------
Two Grand is Two Grand, and no way would I take a Civic that is two grand more than the Corolla, no way. That's money out of pocked for something else. Just my Two Grand cents worth...... :shades:
Not tried any dealers in LA yet, but was advised at Temple of VTEC to try a dealer about 40 miles northeast of San Diego.
This situation is driving me crazy (and I'm, in turn, driving my wife crazy) because so much of it is subjective, and there are so many unknowns. I was sure that I was going to get a Corolla until I realized that options packaging didn't change for '06.
I guess we're lucky to have the luxury of agonizing over something so trivial. I'm starting to think that waiting until December/January may be the smartest move...
Here are my reasons: 1. Engine has higher HP(140) even under the new SAE protocol. 2. Made in Japan 3. Newly design 4. I wont second guess myself later on of not buying the new Corolla which is probably gonna come out in late 2006 or early 2007.If want to buy a Corolla now , might as well wait until late next year for the new Corolla. Or if you cant wait, buy the new Civic.
" I wont second guess myself later on of not buying the new Corolla which is probably gonna come out in late 2006 or early 2007.If want to buy a Corolla now , might as well wait until late next year for the new Corolla. Or if you cant wait, buy the new Civic "
New design of the Corolla should be out in the Fall of 2007 for the 08 model. Click on this link and scroll down to the Corolla blurb">link title
will be an '08, but I doubt Toyota will wait until fall '07 to release it. My money is on it happening early in the year like the current model and now the next-gen Camry.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The very first of the 2003 (redesigned) Corolla began to trickle into dealers in late February 2002. Made some owners of 2002 Corollas mad, as their car was upstaged much more quickly than they expected (the '02 was a truncated run, the same way the '06 Camry will be).
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Hope it will come in a Hybrid model. Just got the 06 LE, and will keep this for two years, and see what the new Corolla looks like inside, and out, without the masking. Looks taller for some reason, over the current ones, and has more room as well by the looks of it.
The current model was NOT dated when it debuted, whats with the underhanded comments? Also, do note that OFTEN the photos posted there are bogus.. I can think of many examples...
I agree. His comments are stupid and have also seen bogus photos. The present Corolla is a bit dated but still wouldn't mind a Corolla S if I needed a car immediately.
The UK Corolla Verso would really be nice and wonder if it or the Toyota Wish will be coming here since the RAV4 is getting bigger and the Matrix will be moving over to Scion (at least that is what I read).
In glancing at a couple of Corollas at my local dealer last week, I see that Corolla has reached the point where loaded models have a sticker over $20K. That is a lot of money for a car with this powertrain. The power and fuel economy are spot on, but that loud diesel-like rev-up it does when you start it is less than refined (a LOT less!), and it is VERY buzzy as soon as you push it past 3000 rpm or so. To combine that and the hard, cheapish plastic dash with leather seats and a sophisticated JBL stereo system with a gazillion watts and ask $20K+ for the whole lot is pushing it, IMO. Past Corolla engines have been better than the one in the current gen, I think. I am hoping it gets improved a lot for the next gen. And that they go to use of the 5-speed auto as well.
Oh yeah, and standard SAB and side curtains. Add the better engine, 5-speed auto, and the airbags, and a $1000 increase in price is well justified I think. Except for the very loaded models, Corolla is very reasonably priced right now - the rest of the pack has increased in price faster than Corolla has in the last couple of years (the left-behind Focus and Neon notwithstanding). You can bet that Sentra will take a price leap next year when the next-gen FINALLY arrives.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
IMHO, the 98-02 models were the best looking Corollas. I think they look better than the current gen. I am not a big fan of the current Rolla. Hopefully the next gen. would be a huge improvement. Then again most people buy Corollas and Civics for their great reliability and not the looks. My 99 Rolla has been absolutely perfect after 92+k miles of mostly highway driving. No squeaks or rattles.
Personally, I think that the Corolla looks a lot better than the new Civic, which I believe Honda screwed up in a vain attempt to get the tuner crowd back
looks like a rectal suppository, especially the Hybrid. Its like an enlarged Insight, which never did a great turn on the catwalk, IMO.
Nippononly- which model was it that was over $20K? Im thinking it was an XRS, which is fairly low volume. A well loaded LE automatic with ABS, Side Curtains, Moonroof, Cruise, JBL 6 disc CD, mats, and alloys... is $19,395. Thats about the same as a Mazda 3i with similar equipment, or a Civic EX.
check all the boxes - the only two Corollas on my local dealer's lot are LEs with the new jumbo-priced leather package, including every bell and whistle under the sun with the very nice 6-disc JBL hi-po stereo, and the sticker is $20,5. Those are automatics.
I tried to configure a manual shift in my area, and it wouldn't let me add that huge package of stuff, so once again the manual buyers get shorted. You could get the standard leather package (which has nothing but leather) and the moonroof, but not the upgraded JBL stereo.
I think these cars will be hard sells. For $20,5 sticker, you still get THIS engine, and the hard easily marked plastic all over the place, including the entire dash. But I don't think Mazda sells many 3's over 20 grand either. I DO like the standard Optitron gauges in the LE now. I hope they use those exclusively for the next gen.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Trying to figure out why is he calling it the 2007 corolla instead of the 08. Thought it would be March of 07 when the 08 comes out, and not a redue designe with a 07. That would mean the current model would only have 4 years instead of the normal 5 years. Any facts that the 07 will be a re-designe ?
I read a post on another forum from someone who works for Toyota (I honestly cannot remember where I saw this, it was months ago) saying that Toyota originally wanted to redo the Corolla for MY2007, but it has been delayed due to too many launches in CY2006 (Yaris, FJ Cruiser, Camry, RAV4 V6) and is now expected in the first half of CY2007 as a MY2008. I can't swear to you that this is accurate, but it sounded like the guy knew what he was talking about.
I think that Toyota will release a new 07 Model rather than a 08 for one simple reason....The new Civic...Toyota does not want to loose sales for not only 06 but 07 as well, with so many newer vehicles on the road and the new Civic may eat into Toyota's most popular car, the Corolla... Just a simple guess, nothing to back it up...Click on link and scroll down a bit to the slim information on a new 08 model corolla...
Fair enough. I didnt include leather b/c you cant get it on a Mazda 3i or Civic EX as of right now, I believe. Also, I think leather on a Corolla is absurd- its supposed to be an economy car, but then, I cant stand leather anyway.
I thought you COULD get leather in the Mazda3? Or did you mean the 3i specifically? I know you can only get leather on the Mazda3s, which starts around the $16K mark, $17K in the hatch, and gets to about $19K before it has the moonroof and other stuff I like in my cars.
And as much as it also seems absurd to me to get leather in a little commuter car, there have been a number of comments on the boards from people who have now dismissed the new Civic from their "short lists" because it has no leather available.
There is a little debate going on at the 2007 Yaris thread about whether or not it should have standard side airbags and curtains, and it has been pointed out that the '06 Accent, Rio, and Civic will all have these items standard. The '08 Corolla BETTER have them standard, IMO, and even then it will be a year behind the curve, maybe two. The Corolla gets MUCH better side impact ratings with the curtains than without.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Right, I meant the 3i specifically, which is why I said 3i.
Also, how cheap is Toyota? Side Curtains arent standard in the RAV, either. ABSURD. I can see them not being standard on the Yaris- the Nissan Versa does not have them standard either, and it will be intereting to see if the Honda Fit does.
I dont see SAB standard on the new Corolla or Yaris either. But the price if you optioned out SAB will be equal + or - $100 to their nearest competitor,meaning Honda, Nissan or Mazda. As for Hyundai and Kia, they can offer this as standard and come up with a lower priced to a base model Yaris , Fit/Jazz or Versa . But thats their selling point. I will still choose the Big-3.
i'm sorry friends..that was LE not CE, typed by mistake. sorry for the confusion. i walked out but that's the lowest price 17800 for Corolla LE 2006 ready to go(drive out) i have compared to other dealers..these dealers are not bending by a $...toyota and honda dealers care a damn..they become so rude even..i'm having bad times with these dealers..in the other hand NISSAN dealers are so friendly...i've an offer for 16K drive out for Nissan Sentra 1.8S 2006 Special Edition Pkg...but interested for Toyota LE or CE...but all dealers are out of stock..and also before they get new lot these are booked ....that's why they care a damn of customers these days...all dealers are looting customers to be honest...i'm depressed..i need a new car but market is bad to buy new Honda or Toyota seriously...getting a better deal on these cars are really tough...any comments?
Comments
Also, many times the JDM models are slightly different from their U.S. counterparts. Do we know for certain that the JDM Corolla was the same as the U.S. Corolla for 2005?
All models were made available with side impact and side curtain airbags, and the Corolla, when equipped with that option, is one of ONLY TWO small cars to pass the IIHS side impact test, earning a rating of Acceptable (no small car scores higher than that to date). This is a noteworthy performance, because even some small cars that offer side curtains dont necessarily do well in the test. For example, neither the Kia Spectra or Saturn ION could manage better than a "Poor" rating, despite the extra protection. All models also gained a center rear passenger head restraint. VSC is an option, though a very rare one that requires a factory order most times.
The front and rear fascia of all models were altered slightly, and wheel cover designs were changed, all for the better, in my opinion.
Fuel efficiency ratings of the 1.8L increased.
The 164 horse XRS model was added, and its done fairly well, earning a second place spot in a recent MT comparo of 5 small cars.
Bottom line: Dont buy a Corolla if you dont want to. But dont say its because Toyota has ignored it.
~alpha
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I somehow hoped 2006 model would have ABS/airbags standard so we would have an easy time finding one... but not
what did we do? we bought a Mazda 3 (they actually have them on the lot with ABS/airbag package). We also got Xenon lights and tire pressure monitors (which you can't have with Toyota either). but that was not the deciding factor... safety was. and that including better brakes in the Mazda makes the Corolla unsafe and unacceptable. I think toyota is loosing more potential costumers than just me....
the weird thing is, in Eurpe coroalla comes with all 6 airbags and VSC standard(which includes ABS). It also has rear disk brakes standard. but apparently the American costumer still buys what is not acceptable in other parts of the world.
with their weird "not available" policy they put themselves on the level of the Korean makes. Some people just want a small car, but want a fancy one and can spend the money on goodies.... but then you can't buy a Toyota. and the most money you don'T make with the car, you make it with options like xenon lights and so on. (nevertheless Toyota is successful)
which is sad, since the cars are basically economical and reliable.
Anyone out there have any luck special ordering ABS in southern CA?
Regardless, the Corolla is still a great car, and remains my number one pick given the uncertainty of the '06 Civic. Then again, if the Civic has ABS/Side Curtains, better fuel economy (and more power?), and remains affordable the logic of my Toyota loyalty goes out the window.
I am very surprised that given the good results Corolla got in NHTSA side impact testing with the side airbags, that Toyota has not made them standard. And with ABS standard on Camry for a while now, you would think Toyota would be making THAT standard on Corollas by now as well. I bet these things will come in for MY '08 when the next gen arrives, but that will be well behind the Civic and the Koreans.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Its very unfortunate that the Toyota dealers/distributors have so much control over the way these vehicles are packaged- in Central Jersey, I'd honestly say that 1 in 2 Corolla LEs has the ABS/Side Curtains Options, with varying degrees of other options... some have just that and the Audio Val Pkg, while others are dressed to the 9s, with moonroof and alloys.....
~alpha
I had another thought today. Maybe I should just go for a somewhat used 05 (with or without ABS) in order to wait out the whole first-year Civic remodel thing. That way I could save some money on payments, and maybe switch to a 07 Civic (once any bugs are worked-out) if it seems worth it. What do you think?
but when i buy an XRS, then the car is as expensive and has similar mileage like a Mazda 3. but still doesn'T have side airbags.
In addition the hatchback made the difference. I wanna be able to put something in the trunk.
if Toyota doesn't hav what it promises (safety, manual tranny) on it'S website, and I (costumer) have to look and beg to get what i want, I might just walk away.... and buy from the competition that gives me wha ti want.
Either Toyota wants to be on the Korean level equippment wise, or they want to sell premium cars. People would buy a small inexpensive car (up to 20 K) if it was fancy enough. and safety is one of the things people worry about when they hear "small car". In the end a more expensive small car will cost less.... avoided accidents and injuries not even included. Try to sell a small car in 5 years, when everyone will have ABS/airbags, without htat option. It's like trying to sell a car w/o AC today.
Maybe our second car will be in the Civic/Corolla range. but already today I know it tends to be a Civic, jsut for the fact of safety.
The equippment also tels you about the attitude of an OEM. If they don'T give you basic safety systems... what do you think how much they cared about safety while designing the car?
and once you drove a car with rear disc brakes with a full trunk compared to one with drum brakes... you never want to have drums again. Never.
the same with the light... what is wrong with making Xenon lights optional? Someone might like 2.5 times the light. but that guy can't buy a Toyota. since Toyota builds cars for people that don't care about technology....
even VW golf is better equipped than a Corolla.. and the Golf came out 8 years ago. Now we live in a new millenium! Still, Toyota doesn'T have ABS/side airbags available in the real world... a technology that was standard in Europe 10 years ago in Corollas.
The reason I'm disappointed is that I have been wanting to purchase a reliable car with great mileage for about six years, and had my eye on the Corolla since it was remodeled in 2003. They advertised a refreshing for 2006, so I thought "well they changed the lights last year, maybe they'll spruce up standard features to compete with the Civic".
I have worked hard to be able to afford something new(ish), and looked forward to a safe, reliable, and comfortable car. I drive 1.5 hours round trip to work each day, and have fantasized about increased fuel economy and comfort. I have some Post Traumatic Stress in terms of reliability from my first car, a '88 Volkswagen Fox ( :lemon: ) that consistently stranded me on the side of the road and costed thousands to repair/maintain (new clutch, engine, transmission, etc...). I now drive a small, base model Toyota Tacoma, and have grown loyal to Toyota through family experience with reliability. I'm 28, and my wife and I are discussing having children, so I have long since identified the Corolla as the perfect medium in terms of reliability, safety, and cost.
I understand that I could go with another auto maker in order to have my needs met, or "succumb to the soft caress" of the giant Camry, but I prefer the Corolla.
In the end, I have to admit that it comes down to a balance between needs and wants, and my goal is to keep examining the two until it really becomes purchase time.
Anyway, that's the (car) story of my life, thanks for listening. I think I'm gonna need to focus on bigger issues for now on, and maybe stay away from this forum for a little while. Thanks again.
Anyways, I bought a Corolla S last January. I test drove both the Civic LX and the Mazda 3i since theyre in the same price level. Build these 3 cars with the same features/equipment and options over their website and submitted my price quotation request to 3 of their nearest dealerships. Narrowed down the lowest quote from each cars and then called them up to schedule my test drive.
Of course I didnt expect them to be performance cars. I just want to test the feel of the break, the acceleration from stop, merging on freeway, steering feel, cabin noise level and to check out the exterior/interior. You know what, the Corolla either finished 1st or 2nd in my test drive,and with all things equal (equipment/features), the Corolla is still the cheapest. I actually like the Mazda3 because of its interior but since I'm gonna use it for commuting to work (77miles), MPG is more important. So I chose the Corolla. My first Toyota. After six months of ownership and 12K miles, it still drive like when the first time I drove it off the dealership lot.I can honestly tell you I'm happy with my purchase.
The blurb beneath the picture said they would not bring over the Corolla hatchbacks from Europe for the next gen either, so as not to step on Scion's toes (as well as Matrix and the like), but they are considering having a hybrid version. That last might not be such a good idea - I think it would step on the Prius' toes too much.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Give me feedback someone PLEASE
Sorry to hear about the problems with your car. Without asking you to relay a really long story, could you let us know basically what was wrong with the car? I'm trying to decide whether to go with special ordering a Corolla with ABS/Side Airbags, or just waiting or the 06 Civic to come out, which will have them standard. Thanks and good luck!
Congrats on the new car, hope it works out well for you.
(posted at Edmunds and TOV) Hope this information is helpful
My wife and I test drove a silver, automatic 06 EX sedan in San Diego today at about 2pm. The dealer we’ve been speaking to was nice enough to call to set up a test drive after the exact model we put a small down payment on came in early. These models were built in Japan, instead of the US. There were several at the dealer we went to, and supposedly some at another dealer further south. No sedan brochures out, but I was able to get the coupe/si one a few days ago.
Driving Impressions: Overall, an excellent car. A lot of this is subjective, but I am guessing the car will be well received after people start seeing more of them. It seemed “Substantial” in person in terms of aesthetics, but compact overall. It is very aerodynamic, even on the inside. The body is somewhat Prius-like from some angles. The dash appeared huge, as did the digital odometer display. No flickering, no sunlight wash-out, just nice. The alloy wheels looked beautiful, and quite large. It was spacious inside, but not much more so than the 05 Corolla or Civic. Storage and armrest comfort appeared great, and the steering wheel position was much better than the Corolla. Trunk is smaller than the Corolla, but the rear seats fold more flatly. The Ipod aux jack seemed well placed, but I couldn’t figure out what kind of cord it would be mated with (not a “Y” cord).
The drive was refined, and pick-up seemed at least adequate. Road and engine noise was expectedly noticeable, but improved compared to the last Civic. We did not clock any freeway time, but got to drive it at about 55mph (forgot to look at the ‘cruising’ tach reading). All controls and instruments worked well. I would have liked to have seen the interior at night, but even a brief glimpse of it in a well shaded area evoked a “wow, cool”. The engine compartment is tiny. Our salesman seemed genuinely enthusiastic about the car and its features, and was not aggressive. By the end of the test drive and other snooping around, we both agreed that this model/color was likely to be our next car but when?
Well, not too soon it appears. We knew they were going to be asking MSRP, and the previously posted prices ($19,060 plus $550 destination charge) were spot on. We asked for $18,500 and the dealer did not move one cent, admitting that the next test drive appointment was likely to buy the car today if we didn’t. We were prepared for this, and ended up asking them to call us later if some compromise could be made. This was, of course, predictable.
The thing is, we really liked the car, but that price doesn’t seem fair when looking at similarly equipped competition, and especially in considering that the novelty of “being the first one on the block” wears off pretty quickly. Not to mention the risk of reliability issues in buying a first year model after the redesign, and the lack of published crash safety results (although they should be good). Yet another bummer is the higher APRs offered by both the dealer and our credit union. 2.9 for a Corolla, 5.9 for the Civic.
This is not to say that the price was obscene, just a little out of range for the moment. We expect other buyers will be reasonable, and that prices will drop by or near the end of the year. Any advice or input on how to get closer to invoice would be greatly appreciated, and we hope this information is helpful. Thanks, and good luck!
But if you need a car now, I'd get a Civic.
California also has the dealers still marking up the Prius. They're selling for MSRP or even slightly less than that in the rest of the nation (my local dealer claims they have 2 Prii ready to go)... (except on eBay Motors)
Have you tried the dealerships in L.A.?
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Two Grand is Two Grand, and no way would I take a Civic that is two grand more than the Corolla, no way. That's money out of pocked for something else. Just my Two Grand cents worth...... :shades:
This situation is driving me crazy (and I'm, in turn, driving my wife crazy) because so much of it is subjective, and there are so many unknowns. I was sure that I was going to get a Corolla until I realized that options packaging didn't change for '06.
I guess we're lucky to have the luxury of agonizing over something so trivial. I'm starting to think that waiting until December/January may be the smartest move...
1. Engine has higher HP(140) even under the new SAE protocol.
2. Made in Japan
3. Newly design
4. I wont second guess myself later on of not buying the new Corolla which is probably gonna come out in late 2006 or early 2007.If want to buy a Corolla now , might as well wait until late next year for the new Corolla. Or if you cant wait, buy the new Civic.
New design of the Corolla should be out in the Fall of 2007 for the 08 model. Click on this link and scroll down to the Corolla blurb">link title
http://www.channel4.com/4car/future-models/2008-2.html<a href="
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Toyota has been doing that lately.
Sienna, Highlander Hybrid, and Camry were all early for their MYs. (2004 model in 2003; 2006 model in 2005, and a 2007 in 2006)
The very first of the 2003 (redesigned) Corolla began to trickle into dealers in late February 2002. Made some owners of 2002 Corollas mad, as their car was upstaged much more quickly than they expected (the '02 was a truncated run, the same way the '06 Camry will be).
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
http://thehollywoodextra.blogspot.com/2005/09/2007-toyota-corolla.html
I like it..
~alpha
The UK Corolla Verso would really be nice and wonder if it or the Toyota Wish will be coming here since the RAV4 is getting bigger and the Matrix will be moving over to Scion (at least that is what I read).
http://www.channel4.com/4car/gallery/T/toyota/corolla-verso04-/verso04-_page_6.html
The Verso with the 2.0 diesel would be super.
Oh yeah, and standard SAB and side curtains. Add the better engine, 5-speed auto, and the airbags, and a $1000 increase in price is well justified I think. Except for the very loaded models, Corolla is very reasonably priced right now - the rest of the pack has increased in price faster than Corolla has in the last couple of years (the left-behind Focus and Neon notwithstanding). You can bet that Sentra will take a price leap next year when the next-gen FINALLY arrives.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Nippononly- which model was it that was over $20K? Im thinking it was an XRS, which is fairly low volume. A well loaded LE automatic with ABS, Side Curtains, Moonroof, Cruise, JBL 6 disc CD, mats, and alloys... is $19,395. Thats about the same as a Mazda 3i with similar equipment, or a Civic EX.
~alpha
I tried to configure a manual shift in my area, and it wouldn't let me add that huge package of stuff, so once again the manual buyers get shorted. You could get the standard leather package (which has nothing but leather) and the moonroof, but not the upgraded JBL stereo.
I think these cars will be hard sells. For $20,5 sticker, you still get THIS engine, and the hard easily marked plastic all over the place, including the entire dash. But I don't think Mazda sells many 3's over 20 grand either. I DO like the standard Optitron gauges in the LE now. I hope they use those exclusively for the next gen.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
-Andrew L
http://www.channel4.com/4car/future-models/2008-2.htmllink">
~alpha
And as much as it also seems absurd to me to get leather in a little commuter car, there have been a number of comments on the boards from people who have now dismissed the new Civic from their "short lists" because it has no leather available.
There is a little debate going on at the 2007 Yaris thread about whether or not it should have standard side airbags and curtains, and it has been pointed out that the '06 Accent, Rio, and Civic will all have these items standard. The '08 Corolla BETTER have them standard, IMO, and even then it will be a year behind the curve, maybe two. The Corolla gets MUCH better side impact ratings with the curtains than without.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Also, how cheap is Toyota? Side Curtains arent standard in the RAV, either. ABSURD. I can see them not being standard on the Yaris- the Nissan Versa does not have them standard either, and it will be intereting to see if the Honda Fit does.
~alpha