Toyota Corolla

Corollas best value for money – We have 3 Corolla's in our family, a 2012, 2017, and 2019, three generations. The 2012 manual has now covered 286,000kms, used as a shopping car for local journeys, no expense other than tyres, batteries and wiper blades (every 5 years). Bought used in 2015 with 12,500kms. The 2017 is a manual Sport, bought from new, a generation on from the… Read more

2012, covered 184,000kms, again expense same as the 2012.

The 2019 is the current model, an early version with a manual gearbox, combined with the 2.0l engine is very agile, with mid 6's km/100litres, currently at 130,000km's. Expense, not yet replaced the battery, tyres once wiper blades twice.

The 2016 and the 2019 are white, non metallic, easy to repair from trolly damage, comes up like new when cleaned and polished. The 2012 paintwork is poor, dark metallic grey faded where previous accident repairs not carried out properly.

In addition, we have a 300GXL, 2022, 54,000kms, a delight to drive, no issues, Hilux SR5, 145,000kms, no issues, bought new in 2020, and two Mazda's, equally as reliable.

The bottom line is Toyota produces a well engineered product that is built to last, legendary reputation for reliabilty which in turn reflects in strong resale values. All cars services by main dealer, Madill's Noosa (Toyota) and Gympie (Mazda) who provide excellent customer service.

Toyota Corolla and Oh What a Feeling! – Customer Service was Excellent from the moment we arrived. Our Sales Representative was thorough and engaged in an open, friendly manner making it a comfortable experience. He understood the importance of our priorities in being an economic, safe, sedan car being used for private commuting & family transportation. All Toyota features of this new… Read more

Corolla were explained in great detail including the hybrid system which is something new to us, not ever having owned one previously. This is a very economical vehicle on petrol without solely relying on the fully electric hybrid vehicles. Which was a personal choice we didn’t want a hybrid only vehicle. The space inside the Corolla is surprisingly bigger than it appears to look and comfortable to travel in with a very roomy boot capacity. It is quiet and smooth. Driving a Toyota reassures me safety, in knowing how well Toyota focus on building their vehicles with this being their strong point over many other brands. The Toyota New Car Service schedule for the GR Toyota Corolla GTS model is with the First Service at 2,000 kms and thereafter every 15,000 kms or 1 year with capped price servicing for 5 Years. Which is very reassuring. It’s hard to beat a Toyota & Oh What A Feeling!

Best hatch and great value. Good size and good equipment included – This is my daily drive. So easy to drive. Big enough for 4 adults. The back row for 3 adults will be a bit small for long drive. Booth is very good size. Yes, some other hatch may have bigger booth size. But if you are looking for very big booth, look for a bigger car. When put down back row seat. The booth is so big and can carry a lot of items.… Read more

Service my car every 6 months. I think it’s good for most car to do this just to keep the the engine in good condition. CVT need to get use to. The first few months is feel different to traditional automatic transmission, however once you get used to it then you will know how to adjust it with your acceleration pedal to get the most out of it. Fuel consumption is reasonable good, I think is the best when you are doing 80 km/h. It’s got enough power for me. I driven V6 etc before. So that i’m not comparing it with those. Power delivery on overtaking is reasonable good and I’m very happy about it. Air conditioning is very good, however if there is outlet for the backseat will be even better.

Love the car. Bougjt it 2023 brand new. Hybrid. Very economical. Very small amount of petrol consumption. All features are great. Very large boot and comfortable to travel on long distances.

Super powerful zippy easy to park blows all model corolla out of water below this model. The RZ had my hair in the wind it felt like sports car first time test strong motor & great quality. I usually buy standard would never go back to standard accent or below an RZ if can afford. Definitely worth it if in good condition value it's an awesome… Read more ·  1

car. RZ all the way super easy to get into small spaces corolla has always had blind spot issue but i dont just rely on my cameras so fine for me. Have to pay for front sensor mine was without no choice second hand without it was a big pain.

Although technology in toyota has always been the absolute worst as they rely on the fact its a reliable car for sales. Unfortunately car industry getting competitive Toyota getting way too expensive especially for a corolla it is ridiculous. Everybody is saying same about Toyota that I speak to.

However since then hired a temporary Toyota newer version the technology slightly improved safety is better but still the most awful gps which is the norm in Toyota very frustrating but cheap to service & consistently reliable.

Used daily serviced as per advised. Bought the one can be used to drive automatic or manual. Second hand almost new one owner they had to change vehicles as family grew lucky for me great buy.

I previously bought brand new corolla in past learnt lesson could save 10k as soon as i drove off show room saw exact same corolla was advertised actually over 10k cheaper privately at a shopping centre carpark never again will buy brand new. However everyone wants that brand new car experience got it once bucketlist tick.

Buy second hand but have independent test if dealer won't let you have tested on-site red flag. Its worth it to get done thoroughly peace of mind and shop around for good value. Their prices now are ridiculously expensive can't pick models always & used to be just over 20k now 45k for brand new rz crazy. However all cars are going that way too overpriced.

You can't pick lower tech mid range etc these days on Toyota in many models some just all inclusive and the quality in tech not necessarily improved. Although other things have gotten better but gone are the days you can buy a 20k car. Look where it it's made also what country originally a Japanese car. Approximately 5 years ago in motor article i read in newspaper only hatchbacks made in Japan and sedan elsewhere.

In short this model and year Toyota corolla worth every penny and friend absolutely loves hers too. My dad was mechanic grew up around cars so he was impressed with it not bad then.

Wow, I lost my key fob in the ocean and thought that was the end of that. A week later it was found all the key rings were badly corroded but the fob still works!!! I was amazed, well done Toyota. Show details

The Good and the Bad – Good points Strong engine, gearbox and drivetrain. Solid so good safety factor. Weak point Heavy at the front of the vehicle so heavy steering. More like driving a ute but a dependable car. More like a Camry in disguise because a big Corolla. Show details

Disappointed – Massive fault in this model car, with the paint peeing off. Company stuff up with the paint product they didn't use. Will not fix the problem. Massive disappointed. Show details

Perfect – The car is very fuel efficient and is quite smooth on highways. Show details

Excellent delivery from Carbiz Annabelle – Excellent delivery of EV hybrid by Annabelle, Carbiz replacement hire vehicle. Good detailed explanation of car details. Car clean and fully fueled Thank you Show details

Will never EVER buy another toyota – I bought a 2019 hybrid corolla new. ZR top of the range. It has a good rear view camera and relatively cheap to run.. although my 5.5lt per 100k is a long way from the advertised 4.2. The demister doesn't demist side windows, there is no reverse collision warning sound, the blind spot is terrible ( I have a long lost of functions it does perform,… Read more

but not very well)..but the final straw is. NO SPARE TYRE..NONE..no space saver ..just a tyre kit. When I had a punture RACV would not even use it, said it is useless. Now I have a totally flat tyre my options were.. have it towed to a repair shop or have one come to me.. turns out a pot hole had bent the inside of a rim and ruined the tyre. Turns out toyota charge 1920.00... and I checked this myself .. for ONE rim. I will never ever buy another toyota, and mine will be for sale when it is fixed. In the interim, i don't have a driveable car all due to a punture. What a joke.

Best Commuter Car Available – Need a frugal Internal Combustion Engine that uses 6 litres per 100 km and costs 100 dollars to service? Toyota Corolla. You don't make the same engine for 20 years and get it wrong. 1.8 Litre, 100 KW. Adequate, not mind-blowing. 0-100 in 9 or so seconds. Quick enough off the mark. I commute 15-25000 km a year to and from work. This car was the… Read more

most sensible purchase I've made in years. A family friend I know commutes daily from Northern NSW to Southport on the Gold Coast. It's a 2006 that is nearing 400,000 km. To date, only routine servicing has been required. Unbelievably durable, no nonsense car. Tight back seat for full grown adults, boot is around 360 litres. If you have two kids, buy a rhino pod and stick it on top. Small extra cost for the thousands you'll save driving this thing.

I said I'd only buy Toyota again after dabbling with Ford and I'm true to my word.

2020 Corolla Sedan-Dream to Drive – Had Corollas since 2016. The 2020 Corolla sedan is the best so far and reliable as the others. Apart from a service once a year we have had no problems with this vehicle. Love the safety feachers especially BSM and Lane assist features. the cruise control that takes into account traffic speed ahead makes londistance driving on highways effortless.… Read more

Love the car Low clearance at the front is a compromise for the sporty look!!! Grandkids love the moon roof.

Comparing three types of Corolla – This is actually a brief report on three Corolla types I hired early April 2022. The first was a hybrid which seemed very economical ( although it was not topped up). It was standard Corolla and so quiet, however did it feel like turning the clock back when the ICE engine started up. This happens very often as the E doesn't run for long and it… Read more

works early only, it seems. I noticed charging though, on downhills etc. The Corolla with boot and ICE engine didn't impress in any way although it might go forever.....like all of them. Lastly, I was impressed with the hatch which was either a later model or of of higher specs. The seats were very supportive in the squab sides and the instruments were flat and clear. Perhaps too many calibrations on the speedo. The last one...... is the one I'd buy (although a bit more experience in the E might help).

Fairly basic car that is doesn't have many features – Bought this car new about 3 months ago. It is fairly fuel efficient, but lacks many features that were standard on many cars 10 years ago. The mirrors don't fold in automatically. The rear vision mirror doesn't automatically dim. Only one USB port in the front. No aircon vent in the back. It is also fairly noisy inside once you go over about… Read more

60kms/h. The boot space is fairly small. On my car the rubber around the window on the rear passenger side hasn't been fitted properly so it leaks air and is noisy if you're sitting in the back (Toyota are looking into this). Because of COVID I couldn't do a test drive. Have to say I expected a bit more for my money.

It suits me & I’ve been happy with all aspects – Shopping once a week, volunteering a couple days a week & the occasional visit in same town or the odd time during the year out of town. The car is usually checked by the mechanic every six months. Show details

Great car, smooth quiet driving with all the bells and whistles – Have had this car almost three years and love it. I average 4.8 litres per 100 klms as I have the air conditioning on all the time. Car is smooth with good power . Interior is modern with all the safety features like blind spot monitoring and lane warning. Really like the wireless charging pad. Rear space is limited but I never have passengers in the back .

This is the best car for me. I just love it – With the line sensor and the clearance between me and other vehicles, it works perfectly for me. It can direct itself and steer between the lines. It is just like an aeroplane. The best vehicle I have ever purchased Show details

100% reliable over 169000 km – My Wife received this car as a gift to use as a town car. It is pretty much the base model pov pack, with the CV transmission and steel rims. Regardless, this car performs really well for a naturally aspirated 1.8 litre engine. Stability and control are great, the interior appointments are adequate, the multimedia screen has Bluetooth and usb… Read more

connectivity. This vehicle has been 100% reliable over 150000 (edit: now 169000) km. It is on the 3rd set of tyres, 2nd set of brake pads, and second battery. As a 6'2" individual, I find the legroom and headroom more than adequate in the front and tolerable in the back. Cons: better tyres/rims would improve grip in the wet, and fuel tank could be bigger. Noise level in the rear seat is excessive. The CVT should have an option to optimise the ratio without pretending to step through gears like an auto.

Edits: Do not install a Calcium battery in this model as they do not fully charge, only approximately 70% of full charge is available. A 24-hour dashcam will drain the battery in less than a week and requires a voltage dependant relay to shut it off. Additionally, this review was listed as being incentivised. It was not and this has been corrected.

Best car ever – The car is used for personal use. I drive it almost every day taking my gorgeous granddaughters to school. I get the car serviced every 10000 kilometres. My merchanic has never needed to mention any issues. I love my c a r Show details

The best – The car is really reliable and I don’t have any problem since I had it 6 years ago, they say a Toyota can run for 20years. Let’s wait and find out. Show details

Beautiful in every aspect – I had searched for my dream comfort car for 2 years, I tried every hatch/sedan from every dealer within my budget of 21k, nothing was ever good, let’s see what was wrong. 1. I have pudendal neuralgia, every part from below my waist has a problem of it’s very own, it’s also a very rare condition and I hate that I had the misfortune of being born… Read more ·  1

with it, but life. Anyways seats! most were super uncomfortable, some flared me up within 5 minutes of sitting down, it was disastrous.

2. Inner cabin claustrophobia! was the next issue, could barely see out the windows, it was very dark inside and in one my head was touching the ceiling like argh!

3. Power, okay not a biggie, but weak cars just feel nasty haha, so it needed some power.

4. Feels like your driving around in a box and a very light one, like you could tip over at any moment. Cheap plastic look and feel included.

5. Satellite options a must in case cellular devices break or maps won’t load, also access to music from IPad to car.

Now some of these don’t look like issues, their not, some are preferences.

So the number 1 issue here is seats, this version of Corolla was the best one, the seats were perfect and I could sit on the seat itself without needing those IKEA cushions. I’ve also found it is the longest I can go without needing to get up, at around 3 hours. Our other car that we use for mainly town driving I need a cushion for and last 2 hours max before my issues start issuing.

It’s pretty powerful for 1.8 petrol and it’s quiet spacious and not at all claustrophobic. The back windows are darker which is nice, it has weather shields these work great, but can cause some whistling sounds. Reversing camera is great, no reverse beeping though a shame, IPad to car music, sat nav etc etc.

What I love the most though which at first I wasn’t too keen on, when I got the car I loved the colour already, but in the 2 years I searched for it, I didn’t, it kind of grew on me. Anyways it’s a bright yellow/green and it is awesome!

Probably the only bad faults are the lights, they are weak and if not set high, they barely light the road up, high beams however no problems.

All in all a really good car and am still after all this time loving it.

Great car, perfect daily driver! – Purchased roughly a month ago, brand new. Base model 2020 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport with the CVT Auto with NAV/GPS option. Used every weekday, 400km total a week (Use a separate car on the weekends), average of 6.1L per 100km fuel economy with a lot of highway driving. Previous car was a Hyundai i30 Active (2013) Manual and it got 6.0L per… Read more

100km traveling the exact same distance and route. So for an Auto to practically equal a manual is fantastic, AND the Toyota has more power! (110kW vs 125kW).

My first car with a CVT, it's a bit different than the conventional Auto Transmission. This one has a launch gear (physical 1st gear, then CVT band after that). Launch gear disengages at around 25km/h which is noticeable when you're babying the car, but if you drive it normally (1/2 to 3/4 on accelerator pedal) you can't feel it anymore than a conventional 1st to 2nd shift, maybe even less. When you're decelerating coming to a red light you can notice it more because the car/transmission is actively using a sort of engine braking (think there's a few comments about it online about it jerking when slowing down), i believe you can disable it through a Tech2 scanner, but it's just something you get used to.

Bluetooth connects instantly, unlike my Hyundai's which would occasionally fail and always take 10-15(minor, i know) seconds to connect.

Great car overall. I wish there was an even lower base model, like just the 'Ascent' they offered previously, rather than the 'Ascent Sport' that is the base model currently. I personally don't care about fancy features, just wanted something that will be reliable for years and years to come; less features means less to potentially break and cost to fix. Probably won't break being a Toyota after all.

Loving the fuel economy and the service i've had dealing with Toyota and their dealership's sales team so far. Very happy with the purchase and hope everything stays that way. Will update the comment or leave another review if anything changes in the future. Warranty is 5 year bumper to bumper and 7 year drivetrain (if you keep it up to Toyota's standard (which i assume means service it on time and use genuine parts to replace anything if it breaks or you upgrade it)).

All the best on your next purchase, hope this helped you make a decision!

Stay away from the 2020 Toyota Corolla – Got a brand new 2020 Toyota Corolla Automatic Hatch ZR from Melton Toyota. Paid a fortune for it ($38,000). This car is an absolute lemon. There is a genuine defect in the automatic transmission. The car loses power frequently when taking off and when driving at constant speed. I reported the matter to Melton Toyota and after many attempts, they… Read more

finally reluctantly took the car back for an inspection. They kept the car for one day, and returned it the next day, telling me they found nothing wrong with the car. I took the car back and noticed the problem got worse. The car is very shaky when taking off and as soon as I reach around 30 km/h, the transmission loses power and the car slows down by itself. I again reported the matter to Melton Toyota and again I had to insist to get another inspection done at the Melton Toyota workshop. Again Melton Toyota told me they found nothing wrong with the car. I have made contact with the Consumer Affairs Victoria but they told me they can't do much and that I have to take the matter to VCAT. I am now in talk with a lawyer to build a case against Toyota. It is unfortunate that the consumer laws in this country do not give customers enough rights. I request other Toyota Corolla owners with similar issues to get in touch, perhaps we can launch a class action against Toyota. In the meantime, I request everyone to stay away from the new Toyota Corolla.

Can’t go wrong – Ah yes the ever reliable corolla.. I went with it as it is one of the most attractive in its class, decent features for the money, mechincally, realibility & resale wise the best for its class & all within the amount I was willing to spend. I don’t see it as bland as styling is good with great features. Parts are plentiful for obvious reasons..… Read more

2013 Levin SX $10,000 in 2020 just under 100,000, bit of damage, would’ve been 12 otherwise.

Fuel consumption seems pretty good haven’t done any number crunching yet. Very happy with it, Toyota’s in general have great build quality & can withstand severe neglect & most only need consumables e.g tyres, breaks replaced throughout their life time here on earth.

Just wish the back window was bigger for merging onto the freeway, but took the rear headrests off (uneccesary anyway) to help alleviate things. Stereo is top notch however mine was upgraded by the original owner. Plan to own for many years unless I sell & buy the same in a different color (love black but don’t love the dirt it shows) & I’m lazy with washing so eh. Also I used to be adjust the brightness of the display on the odomoter but can’t seem to find that function now, probably just a user issue lol hmm. And Bluetooth not sure if phone has to be plugged in to always get it working the best including the steering wheel controls? Usually works within a min or 2 if I haven’t connected manually but not sure if the controls always work.

Perfect all rounder for singles & families alike.

Fantastic Car – I drive the car mainly for shopping & work 3-4 times a week and short trips to drop & pick-up kid from school. Fuel consumption is impressive, on average 3.9ltr/100kms. Overall this car is easy to operate, very quite on EV mode and very cheap to run - a trip to petrol station every second month. A great value for money if you are looking for a car… Read more

that does the job, responsive, comfortable to ride and handles road bumps quite well especially when having sleeping small children on board, roomy without taking up much spaces in parking lot and trunk holds a good amount of 1 month worth groceries. Also, the wireless charging pad is so convenience even our more expensive car does not have this feature! This car is perfect for me. Couldn’t be happier.

The perfect budget family car for four with exceptional legroom and boot space. Very smooth and quiet – Intro 2014 Corolla sedan, automatic, white with tinted windows, floor mats and boot liner mat. We purchased our 2014 Corolla in late 2017 and have had it for nearly three years now. This car is used for local trips through the week with two young children (one rear facing child seat and one front facing child seat) and is our primary car over the… Read more

weekend. Note: Product Review calls this model the E170 sedan. This may be a collective designation for both body shapes but it's called the ZRE172 everywhere else.

Key Specs Length = 4.62m Width = 1.776m Weight = 1280kg Boot space = 470L (on top of a full size spare) Service intervals = every six months 1.8L 4 cylinder, 103kW @6,400 rpm, 173Nm @4,000rpm, 82.7 kW/t. CVT auto

In summary this is a very quiet, comfortable, economical and spacious family car that, width aside, offers comparable legroom and boot space to Camry in a much smaller footprint. We specifically needed a car that could fit a rear facing child seat behind without squashing the adult in front. The list of cars this out performs for legroom is quite amazing. It’s simply a very well packaged car (packing means the amount of interior space for the size of the car). Here’s some key numbers. The 2014 Corolla sedan has a 10cm longer wheelbase than the previous Corolla sedan. It has 9.2cm more rear knee room than the previous Corolla sedan. 9.2cm. This particular model is a highlight, fast forward to the current model and while it retains the length and wheelbase, somehow Toyota have found a way to make massive cuts in rear legroom in a way that seems impossible. US stats indicate the current model has gone backwards by more than 15cm.

Design and Features The exterior is smart and neat without being particularly beautiful, nor does it mean to be. On the inside you quickly notice the prominent dashboard, a top heavy design which sits quite vertical and high, taking away from the sense of airiness. It’s worth noting, after my introduction, that the glovebox and lower portions of the dash sit forward affording good knee and legroom.

Apart from that minor annoyance, the dash is cool, with chunky, tactile ventilation controls and everything is very ergonomic and easy to use. The touchscreen sits high and proves very easy to see and use, assisted by supporting buttons. This particular model (compared to the midlife update) has several physical buttons (including on/off and volume) which is far superior design to a fully touch controlled unit. Dialling and using phone features is also easy. Unfortunately, though, you can’t choose your favourite song from your iPhone by the head unit - it misses the options to browse albums. The sound it self comes from six speakers (meaning splits upfront) which offer appreciably better clarity and quality of the mids and highs than my old Mazda 3. Bass performance isn’t strong, but it’s fine.

A standout for 2014 in this class was the standard reversing camera. The image quality is fine, not great, but certainly good enough. Now that I’ve had a car with a reverse camera I wouldn’t go back. A distinct omission is the lack of boot release on the boot lid itself. The Ascent should have it, the SX and ZR do have it but Toyota have stripped it off the spec sheet for the Ascent. Frankly, it’s done to annoy customers in to spending more money, I doubt that it takes much cost out production and, let’s be clear, its a move that disrespects the customer base. I’ve seen this from Toyota before in the 2013 Hilux Workmate that had no courtesy wipe on the screen washer and requires the driver to put his or her hand out the window to adjust the mirrors.

How it Drives As mentioned in the intro the Corolla is quiet and comfortable. It’s smooth with good ride quality and its, in many ways, a relaxing drive. At 4.6m it’s not a zippy car, it’s not eager through the chicanes or quick to turn and change direction like a smaller car or something else with sportier ambitions. For reference, the 2013 Mazda 3, GD i30 and 2019 Qashqai are all much shorter and more eager in that regard. The car came with Bridgestone Ecopias getting to the end of their life which didn’t help front grip. They may have helped how well the car coasts, take your foot off the accelerator and it doesn’t slow down quickly - a sign of low frictions and good economy. Changing to Serenity Pluses up the front gave grip back while maintaining the smooth qualities. The outright grip is fine. It’s certainly not a band handler but it isn’t good either, its neither a sports car nor a sporty car.

But all this suits the car and it’s overall purpose. The hatch came with 16” rims standard, the more conservative sedan comes with 15” rims on the Ascent. This car does have it focus towards practicality and comfort. The 10cm longer wheel base of the sedan over the hatch would also help this.

The engine itself is not a standout, with lower power levels and capacity than some competitors along with history that goes back through the two previous generations of Corollas. For the record, the new Corolla (next one after this) does have a new engine. Despite a very light weight the torque to weight ratio, on paper, looks poor. You’d be forgiven for thinking it would be underdone, but that not how it drives. You can thank the CVT transmission for that.

Yes, I would like a lower “first gear”, it’s slower off the mark than other cars I’ve driven. But once it gets going the CVT is very helpful in finding the power you need. On wide open throttle it will hold “first” gear out to around 70 (although it does, curiously, seem to “stretch out” that gear higher in the rev range”. After that it behaves like a close ratio automatic, hitting the redline before “upshifting” and still keeping the engine in the sweet spot of the power band. And really, that’s all you can ask for from a CVT, it’s a good compromise between the CVT’s infinite ratios with the feel and experience you know and love. At regular traffic speeds the engine, and its performance will never fall “between the gears”. This is a massive leap over a four speed auto (e.g the 2012 Corolla) where you can get stuck in then bottom of 2nd gear at 50kph with not much on offer. It’s appreciably better, again, once at speed, at keeping the engine on the boil that five speed auto’s that I’ve driven (BL Mazda 3). Performance wise, it does OK for itself.

At low to mid throttle the CVT casually does it’s thing. Tottering along the engine is often not far off idle. Ease on the gas and it will ease the revs up in a way that’s barely noticeable and quite relaxing. Give it mid throttle and it will take you up to mid revs. The “manual shift” is OK, choosing between 7 artificial ratios. With so many ratios they end up too close to really drive it like a manual, so small is the difference between them. Like some other makes, the action is backwards (push forward to upshift, pull back to down shift). Additionally the range of those 7 ratios is not the full range available from the transmission when left in drive. Even in “7th” it doesn’t drop the revs like it does in drive (the car pulls just under 2,200rpm at 110kph). Put in to manual mode in normal conditions and the revs will go up. It will upshift for you rather than hang on the limiter but you can open it up at low revs without it down changing. So what’s it good for? Engine braking down hills and the occasional times when you want to hold a lower gear.

When I say that I love the CVT for it’s efficiency and flexibility, but not for it’s drive, you might realise there’s a theme here. A CVT is not sporty and it doesn’t offer a “driver’s” satisfaction. Again, this suits the car and is keeping with the car along with the choices made in tyre size, suspension tune, leg room and boot space.

Practicality I’ve touched on the main aspects already. The rear legroom is, to borrow a term from another review, palatial. Yes it is not as much as a Falcon or Commodore but it would be the best in it’s class and better than many mid size sedans and SUV’s. At 5’10” I can sit comfortably in front of rear facing child seat, in either the front passenger seat or the drivers seat. I like to have the seat quite back and the seat can still go back another 1 or 2 clicks. Rear head room could be more generous for taller folks but it’s ok for me. You can blame modern design for that as sedans push more towards a coupe look with lower rooflines.

On child seats, it supports two isofix seats in the back. Another plus for the pre-update model is that the outboard seat belts have a lock mode to secure your child seat easily without an additional buckle. Interior space is otherwise as you expect with the normal cupholders, rear centre arm rest (with cupholders), centre console and pockets behind the front seats. And the seats, by the reports of many passengers are quite comfortable. My elderly relatives appreciate the wide opening doors and high seat cushion.

Boot space, at 470L, is also quite generous, accomodating and marginally better than many of it’s competitors. To put it in perspective, most mid and large sized sedans will have near to 500L boots. A Commodore has 490L, the Mazda 6 sedan has 474L. And yes, there other sedans across the small to large classes that have more. And mid size SUV’s generally have 450-600L. The floor space is generous though the boot hinges are goose necks and I’d love a lift back style (per the Octavia) for ease of access. Our pram takes up about one third of the floor area compared to about half of the floor area in many hatches - and for a family, that’s very significant. The rubber boot mat we purchased, at around $100, is great for being able to put the pram (with its sometimes dirty wheels) and other wet items in the back. On one road trip we’ve had luggage for three, the pram, the high chair, the baby bath and a couple of boxes for food. Take out some of those bulky items and it would very easily accomodate luggage for a family of four on a trip.

What else? It is still a Corolla so it’s not a car for three abreast in the back. While the low floor under the middle is good, the centre seat itself is not proper and you could easily run into a width squeeze. Think about a great family car for four and you’re on the money. The vanity mirrors, with lights, for each front occupant, are a nice touch.


Costs, Servicing and Reliability The Corolla has impressive fuel economy, often well in to the fives (L/100km) on the motor way, sevens in general duties and 8-9 in worst case scenarios (short, start-stop urban trips). In the time we have owned the car we have had to replace the battery in the cars 5th year (that’s to be expected) and, a part from that, we’ve had nothing else come up. Being outside the capped price servicing we get the car serviced at a local mechanic for nearer to $200 (you can get it cheaper) at six month intervals (which we will push out to 7-8).

Summary I used to have a 2013 Mazda 3 which I loved for it being “just so great” in many ways. The Corolla is a completely different type of car that I love for it being “just so good”. It’s not a great car in any aspirational way but, across the board, in practical ways (including space, comfort, cost, size) it’s a standout. In terms of fit for purpose, people buy small sedans for increased boot space and are likely to have a family. Personally I would have been happy with a Camry (the cost difference isn’t that much) but the wife came from small cars and was more comfortable with the Corolla. It is 20cm shorter and 5cm more narrow than a Camry, something we do get to appreciate in tighter environments. In a hatch with it’s tight legroom and small boot I’d give it 3.5-4 starts. But the sedan really is an exceptionally accomodating family car for four in a surprisingly small package.

It’s for these reasons it deserves five stars.

What are the alternatives? Other spacious small cars, finding something that can compete in just legroom (XV, new Focus, Pulsar hatch, Civic hatch) or just boot space easy enough, though few can compare for both legroom and boot space (Honda Civic sedan?). Jump to at least mid size and it’s easier (the Octavia is amazing for packaging). Midsize SUV’s are an obvious go-to.

It’s hard to think about a Corolla sedan without thinking about two other cars - the Camry and the RAV4. So, in a nutshell.

Camry (2012-2017): stronger engine with a regular six speed auto; wider interior with more front foot well width; similar legroom; airier dash; more bulky around the gear shifter (it touches your legs); increased boot space and opening; rear vents; 20cm longer and 5cm wider; 9 month service intervals; running costs not overly different (but it will use more fuel); used-car purchase price not much different. 
If it were up to me I would’ve gotten a Camry (or an Aurion with it’s very powerful V6) but I do appreciate the smaller dimensions in many circumstances.

 RAV4 (2013-2017): stronger engine with a regular six speed auto (4WD models only) or a similar engine and transmission (in the 2WD models); length about the same; a bit wider; higher riding; taller; much better head room and sense of space; comparable leg room; the rear door opening stays higher for longer making access easier especially for child seats; 577L boot (on the space saver), 506L boot (on the full size spare) with the height and access of the SUV shape; increased running costs (fuel, tyres etc).
I would love a RAV4 for practicality but we paid around $15k for the Corolla where a RAV4 would’ve been in the low $20k’s. Quite a difference. If happier to spend more then the RAV4 would be great. If you are looking at a RAV4, then cross shop against the CX-5 which does have significantly less space but significantly more nice-factor!

Perfect car for City Commuting – If you are looking for a small car to drive around the city - the Corolla is it. SUPER reliable, economical on fuel and low running costs. It’s quite zippy too with the 1.8L entire and CVT auto transmission. Never needed to replace anything - just regular oil changes and occasionally new tyres or break pads. Great Japanese car. Show details