Toyota Corolla

Few cars have a heritage as long as Toyota's popular Corolla compact sedan, which dates back to 1966 and was last redesigned for the 2003 model year. A higher hip point was supposed to ease entry.

A high-performance XRS edition joined the 2005 lineup, but was discontinued after 2006. Three other versions remain available: the value-priced CE, the upscale LE and the sporty S. An electronic stability system is optional on LE and S models with an automatic transmission.

Cost
The destination charge is a standard charge for transporting the vehicle from its point of origin to the dealer. It costs about the same to get the typical compact sedan to the dealership as the Toyota Corolla. With respect to fuel economy, the Toyota Corolla beats the typical compact sedan. Producing a precise fuel economy evaluation is so difficult that some think not even the federal government can do it, but it looks as though the Corolla is the winner regarding gas mileage. The Toyota Corolla is significantly less costly than the average compact sedan as far as MSRP. The typical compact sedan will cost you a bundle in gas every year compared to the Corolla. The Toyota Corolla will save you a bunch of money at the pump every year compared to the average compact sedan.

Utility
Neither the Toyota Corolla nor the typical compact sedan has a marked advantage in terms of seating capacity.

Convenience
You'll quite certainly have to take the typical compact sedan for a fill-up more often than the Toyota Corolla because of its tank size and gas mileage. The typical compact sedan's fuel tank will need to be replenished more often than the unit in the Toyota Corolla.

Comfort
While the front cabin in the Corolla offers a bit more head room than the typical compact sedan, there frankly isn't much of a difference. While the rear of the Toyota Corolla provides a bit more head- and leg-room than the typical compact sedan, there really isn't much of a difference.

Dimensions
The Toyota Corolla is likely to feel a little sluggish because of its high horsepower-to-weight ratio compared to the typical compact sedan. The Corolla's tank is roughly the same size as the typical compact sedan's, though the typical compact sedan's is slightly larger. The average compact sedan and the Toyota Corolla compete for the same parking spaces.

Performance
The Corolla is likely to feel a tad slow because of its high horsepower-to-weight ratio compared to the average compact sedan.

Handling
The typical compact sedan and the Toyota Corolla have about similar tires. With their comparable turning radiuses, the typical compact sedan and the Corolla quite certainly handle about the same into and out of tight spots.

Drivetrain
The Toyota Corolla's engine is substantially smaller than the average compact sedan's. Note that smaller engines can be stressed more; on the flip side, smaller engines are often cheaper to fix. Torque is the force that lets you accelerate quickly, and in this respect, the typical compact sedan is significantly more powerful than the Toyota Corolla. The Corolla could learn a lesson or two from the typical compact sedan when it comes to pickup.

Overview
The basic warranty that comes with the Toyota Corolla isn't quite as generous as the typical compact sedan's.

Other
The typical compact sedan produces fewer smog-forming pollutants per 15,000 miles than the Toyota Corolla.

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