Toyota Corolla 2003-2008 review

Overview

2008 Toyota Corolla. Click for larger photo (Photo: Toyota Canada)

2008 Toyota Corolla. Click for larger photo (Photo: Toyota Canada)

With a comfortable roomy interior, smooth ride, good safety ratings and excellent fuel economy, the 2003-2008 Corolla is one of the top picks in a small family car category. The Corolla is a simple and easy to maintain vehicle with above average reliability.

The 2003-2008 Corolla has front-wheel drive with a 4-cylinder 1.8L DOHC VVT-i engine and 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmissions. The sporty XRS model (available only for 2005 and 2006) offers a more powerful 170-hp 1.8L 4-cylinder VVTL-i engine and a 6-speed manual transmission borrowed from Toyota Celica. The Corolla has McPherson struts in front suspension and torsion beam in the rear. The ABS and side airbags are optional.

Inside, the 2003-2008 Corolla feels roomy for a small car. The dashboard design is simple - nothing flashy - but very practical. Controls are conveniently laid out and easy to use. Front seats are comfortable, but somewhat lacking side support. Rear seat space is pretty generous for a small car. The trunk is spacious; the 60/40 split rear seat folds down to accommodate longer items.

On the road, the Corolla handles comfortably, although it's far from being sporty. The ride is smooth and fairly quiet. The suspension is soft; the steering is light. On the down side, the engine is noisy under acceleration and some body lean is noticeable on curves.

In the NHTSA frontal crash tests, the 2003-2008 Corolla scored five stars for both the driver and the front passenger. In the frontal offset crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2003-2008 Corolla received "Good" overall rating.

Engine

2008 Corolla 1.8-liter engine. Photo: Toyota Canada

The 2003-2008 Corolla comes with the 1.8-liter 16-valve DOHC engine with the VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing). This engine uses a long-lasting timing chain; there is no timing belt to replace.
The XRS model features the VVTL-i version of the 1.8-liter engine - the same as in the sporty Celica - with more high-end power achieved by variable valve lift. This means that at higher RPMs valves open wider allowing the engine to "breath" better. Either of these two engines is very reliable if maintained properly.

Pros

- Great fuel economy
- Above-average reliability
- Holds value well
- Easy to maintain
- Smooth ride
- Comfortable roomy interior
- Spacious trunk

Cons

- Plain interior design
- Engine is noisy at acceleration
- Paint chips easily
- No telescopic adjustment on the steering wheel
- Some interior plastic could be better

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