So you want a new small sedan that gets at least 30 mpg, but not at the
expense of good acceleration. Oh, and you want a smooth, quiet ride, a
comfortable interior with room for four adults, a good size trunk, and you want
it to last ten years without any major repairs, and you don't want to pay more
than ,000 for a new one. Well, your friends who have been laughing and
sympathetically patting you on the back are about to eat crow. For the 2000 model year, Toyota made two improvements to the Corolla that
brought it over the top in my book. The first change was to take the high
maintenance timing belt and throw it out in favor of a timing chain with chromed
roller pins that does the same job but requires no maintenance. The second
change was to add Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i). This system increases
power in all RPM ranges without reducing gas mileage. More about this
later.
Corolla's have been on the market for over 30 years and have been made in North America since 1987.
Our test car was built in Buffalo New York which makes it more of a New Yorker
then a certain New York Senate candidate that has been making the rounds lately.
 The styling on this car is clean and tasteful but as conservative as you can
get. If you are looking for a car that stands out from the crowd, look
elsewhere. This car is the crowd. The perfect car to disappear in.
This is fine for Corolla's target customer who is a person that is looking for a
basic transportation
appliance. A vehicle that takes you from point A to point B as reliably and
efficiently as possible with a minimum of fuss.
Walking around this car you can see that it is well made from the close, even
fit of all the body panels, to the satisfying vault-like "Wump" when
you close the door. Inside, there are a minimum of exposed screws and other
fasteners and a general attention to detail that is uncommon in cars of this
class. One feature that I like is that the rear door windows retract almost all
the way down into the doors. In most sedans, you're lucky if they go half
way down.
The driving position and seat comfort is very
good, at least for my 5'9" frame. If you are over 6' tall, however, legroom
will start getting tight while five footers may have a problem seeing out over
the steering wheel due to the lack of any kind of height adjustment on the
driver's seat. There is an adjustment for seatback angle and the steering column
is adjustable for height. The instrument cluster is very clear and all the major
controls are well designed and easy to use. Rear seat room is sparse
however, especially if the front passengers adjust their seats back Try to
put three adults back there and your liable to need Henry Kissenger to arbitrate
who gets to sit in the middle.
 Since
most people use the radio controls far more than the climate controls, Toyota
has placed the radio above the heater/AC controls so that it is at your
fingertips, which is the way it should be even though most cars have it the
other way around. There is a digital outside temperature gauge in the instrument
cluster and a separate digital clock in the center of the dash. This car
also comes with an automatic headlamp system that turns the lights on at dusk
and shuts them off at dawn or when you shut off the engine. An
unusual feature for a car in this class.
There is adequate storage space inside with a large glove compartment as well
as two smaller compartments in the dash, one in the center below the heater
controls and a small one to the left of the steering column that is suitable for
some change for tolls. There is a bin in the console under the center armrest
with a hinged shelf attached to the lid and there are map pockets in the front
doors. There are two cup-holders in the front and one in the rear.
I felt that I could drive this car for hours without fatigue setting in. I
would consider the ride to be excellent even if this were a much larger
car. Under normal driving conditions, the car responded easily to
throttle and steering inputs and felt very nimble and controllable in any
traffic situation that we found ourselves in. The Corolla's small size and tight
turning radius made parking lot maneuvers a breeze. The braking
performance was adequate and anti-lock is available on the LE and the CE.
The problem is that a Corolla with anti-lock brakes is hard to find. The
dealer says that the 0 price tag makes the car harder to sell so they don't
order too many Corolla's that way. Our test car was not equipped with
anti-lock. I believe that anti-lock brakes should be standard equipment on
every car just like seat belts and air bags are.
This is a very quiet car with a rigid body structure and noise-absorbing
technology previously used only in Camry and Lexus luxury sedans. Wind
noise was also dramatically reduced with this higher-end technology. All
this attention to detail makes for a very relaxing and enjoyable car to drive.
 All
2000 Corolla's are powered by an in-line four-cylinder, 1.8-liter, 16-valve, dual overhead cam, all-aluminum
engine with new VVT-i technology. VVT-i stands for Variable Valve Timing
with Intelligence. Prior to variable valve timing, engine designers would
compromise on a fixed valve timing setting based on the performance
characteristics that were desired. They could skew the settings for good
power and acceleration but sacrifice gas mileage or vice-versa, or they could
settle for a little of each. But with VVT-i, they could have their cake
and eat it too. The Valve timing could be constantly adjusted by computer
for superior performance and superior economy. VVT-i provides the added
benefit of a reduction in emissions allowing the 2000 Corolla to be certified as
a Low Emission Vehicle (LEV).
The Corolla is one of the few small cars to offer optional side air
bags which are mounted in the front seats instead of the door panels so
that they are always in the proper position. There are also front seatbelt pretensioners
that pull the belts tight in a crash, and force limiters to limit how
tight they are pulled, three-point front seatbelts with adjustable shoulder belt anchors,
and three-point rear seatbelts in all three seating positions
Toyota dealer experience: The car was delivered
with two problems that were quickly corrected by the Toyota service department
without an appointment on a Saturday afternoon. The first problem was an
improperly set wheel alignment that, if left unadjusted, would have caused accelerated
front tire wear. The second problem was an electrical box for the
dealer-installed Toyota anti-theft alarm that should have been secured to the
underside of the driver's seat cushion, but instead was just laying under the
seat where a rear seat passenger could kick or step on it. A careless
oversight by the technician who installed the alarm, but easily corrected.
The Toyota service personnel were courteous and apologized for
the problems. In the next couple of days, I received two calls from
the dealership asking if I was satisfied with the service work and if everything
else was ok with the car. Toyota seems to be trying hard to improve their
customer satisfaction rating which has been among the poorest in past
years. I must say that the entire Toyota dealer experience was a positive
one.
Available
Models: LE is the top of the Corolla line, CE is
mid-range, VE is the stripped down economy model. There is also a touring
package that is available for the LE and CE which gives you some
additional trim pieces and white faced gauges.
The Test Car
2000 Toyota Corolla LE 4-door sedan with 4-speed automatic transmission and
the following options:
- All weather guard package with heavy duty rear defogger
- Side airbags
- Front & Rear mudguards
- Value package which includes cruise control
- Carpeted floor mats
The MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) for the test
car was ,788.00. With the requisite haggling and various promotional
discounts, we were able to take this car home for just over ,000.00.
Click
here for more pictures of the Corolla
How would I
improve this car?
- Add a height adjustment to the driver's seat
- Add seat-back pockets
- Find a way to make anti-lock brakes standard
without increasing the price too much.
(I imagine that's easier said than done)
How does the
Corolla fit your
driving style?
Conservative drivers will feel very comfortable and at-home in this car. Its smooth
and quiet demeanor, as well as its nimble handling will make you want to keep it
for a long time.
Sporty drivers will like the nimble handling and brisk acceleration that this small
sedan provides. The soft suspension and standard Goodyear Integrity tires will keep you from
having too much fun, however. Check out the Mazda Protegé or the Ford Focus if
"Fun-to-drive" is high on your list.
Fast drivers
will need better tires, better brakes and firmer springs and shocks. You might also like the
Protegé or Focus better in this class.
Specifications
| Engine Type |
1.8-liter DOHC 16-valve in-line 4-cylinder, Cast aluminum block and heads.
Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i). |
| Horsepower |
125 @ 5,600 RPM |
| Torque |
125 @ 4,000 RPM |
| Fuel Recommended |
Regular 87 Octane Unleaded. |
| Transmission |
Four Speed Automatic on test car, (5-speed manual
transmission standard) |
| Tires |
Goodyear Integrity P185/65SR14 |
| Overall Length |
174.2" |
| Width |
66.7" |
| Turning Diameter |
34 ft Curb to Curb |
| Max. Towing Capacity |
1500 lbs. |
| Curb Weight |
2,525 |
| Fuel Tank |
13.2 Gals. |
| Miles Per Gallon |
EPA city 28, hwy 36. Observed during aprox. 400 miles of road
testing, 28 MPG |
| Acceleration 0 to 60 |
9.6 seconds |
| Base Sticker Price |
,323.00. for LE with
automatic transmission, includes destination charge but no other options. |
Standard Equipment,
Corolla LE
- 1.8-liter DOHC 16-Valve 4 with VVT-i
- Five-speed standard transmission.
- variable intermittent windshield wipers
- Power rack and pinion steering
- Power Front Disk & Rear Drum Brakes.
- CFC-free air conditioning
- Dual power outside mirrors
- Power windows and door locks
- Tachometer with outside temperature gauge
- AM /FM stereo radio with cassette and 4
speakers.
Major Available Options
- 4-speed automatic transmission
- Power moonroof
- Anti-lock brake system.
- Driver and front seat passenger seat
mounted side air-bags.
- Cruise control (free at this time with the
special Value Package discount)
Copyright © 2000, SmartTrac Computer
Systems, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
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