Review: Toyota Corolla (2002 – 2007)

Toyota Corolla (2002 – 2007): At A Glance

• On average it achieves 98% of the official MPG figure

Toyota Corolla (2002 – 2007): What's It Like Inside?

• Boot space is 289–975 litres

Dimensions
Length	4180–4410 mm
Width	1710 mm
Height	1440–1520 mm
Wheelbase	2600 mm
Full specifications

You take a second look at the dashboard and start to think it's really neat and high-tech. You begin to appreciate all the useful places to store things. The small, leather-clad steering wheel nice to hold. The seats are superb: the right shape, with the right support and upholstered in classy velour. You notice they've even covered the inner A pillars with velour, like the VW Golf Mk IV. You feel there's a bit of quality about the car.What's wrong with it? Not much. It's difficult to see out of the back when reversing, my car had a bit of a whistle from the driver's side door seal, there's a fair bit of tyre noise, ride quality isn't up to the best in class and the low gearing means the car drones at 80 and only does 34 miles per gallon. Really, the 1.6 could do with the extra cog from the VVTL-i Sport.

But these are quibbles, not irritations. Nothing actually annoyed me. It felt almost as if the car was designed to pacify by getting on with the job in as pleasant and as fuss-free manner as possible. I can see a lot of older people trading down from Volvo S40s and V40s into Corollas. But equally I can imagine lots of younger people trading up out of Astras and Focuses. The key to that, of course, is the 190bhp, 140mph six-speed T Sport.

And the range: Manuals or automatics. Four petrol engines and two diesels. Three door, five door, estate or Verso bodies. Corollas aren't stuck in a rut of being any one group's kind of car.

Check the prices and you will see that no Corolla actually comes cheap. The Honda Civic starts at nearly £1,000 less and with similar range of engines and bodies is probably enemy number one. But even T2 UK market Corollas are very high spec, lacking only a/c and alloys. The whole point used to be that Corolla ownership was painless and that's why it's been the best selling car in the World for years. Now that Toyota has made it good to drive as well, you can't really go wrong.

 

What's the Toyota Corolla (2002 – 2007) like to drive?

• Engines range from 1.4 D-4D to 2.0 D-4D
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 25–66 mpg

First you notice it's got a fair bit of go. The engine is sporty and fun to drive rather than dull and anodyne like some other 1.6 litre hatchbacks. Once you dial in some speed the wheel weights up in your hands, you begin to feel the road through it and, much to your surprise, you find that the car handles well. It grips hard at the front and steers accurately with no slop or excess body movement. The door mirrors give an excellent field of view. The gearchange is top notch. Though you never expected to, you discover you're enjoying yourself.

Engine	MPG	0-62	CO2
1.4 D-4D	59 mpg	13.3 s	127–128 g/km
1.4 VVT-i	42 mpg	12.0 s	159 g/km
1.6 VVT-i	39–40 mpg	10.2 s	168–172 g/km
1.8 VVTLi	31 mpg	6.9 s	218 g/km
2.0 D-4D	50 mpg	10.6 s	151–152 g/km

Real MPG average for a Toyota Corolla (2002 – 2007)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

What have we been asked about the Toyota Corolla (2002 – 2007)?

Every day we're asked hundreds of questions from car buyers and owners through Ask Honest John. Our team of experts, including the nation's favourite motoring agony uncle - Honest John himself - answer queries and conudrums ranging from what car to buy to how to care for it as an owner. If you could do with a spot of friendly advice before buying you're next car, get in touch and we'll do what we can to help.