2003 Toyota Corolla

2003 Toyota Corolla 2003 Toyota Corolla
First Drive Review From the February 2002 Issue of Car and Driver

Toyota's Corolla is the world's top-selling car of all time, with 25 million units sold in 142 countries. Moreover, North America assumed the biggest share of global Corolla production in 2000, when 39 percent of all Corollas built found a home here.

But Corollas have stiff competition in the small-car segment these days, and some of the opposition—notably the Korean entries—are much better equipped at comparable prices and offer highly competitive warranties to offset the Corolla's famous reliability.

So Toyota has responded with a fresh, new, ninth-generation Corolla with higher equipment levels and a dramatic attempt at luxury-car exterior accents and interior ambience. There's even leather upholstery available on one model.

With styling that bears a resemblance to some Lexus models (although it was unkindly described by our Fred Gregory as looking like "a shrunken Malibu"), it is hoped that the Corolla's new look will suggest something upmarket of the typical compact car.

The 2003 Corolla still uses the 1ZZ-FE 1.8-liter engine found in earlier models, but a larger-diameter throttle body has bumped peak horsepower up 5 hp to 130 at 6000 rpm, and the torque band has been broadened, says Toyota, by the use of a new fiber-reinforced intake manifold, which now includes a plenum.

Corollas use a new-design catalyst with an ultra-thin-wall, high-density substrate to hasten light-off and improve performance. Also fitted is a new-generation starter with square-section wire windings and iridium-tipped long-life spark plugs.

Although the transmissions are carried over from '02 Corollas, the final-drive ratio is lower—3.94 versus 3.72 on manuals, 2.96 versus 2.66 on autos—promising equal acceleration despite a weight increase of about 200 pounds. As is the usual trend with these things, the 2003 Corolla is longer, taller, and wider, with more head and hip room, a 102.4-inch wheelbase, and higher seats for easier access.

Quality standards for panel alignment and gap widths are set the same as for Lexus models, and the levels of fit and finish are nothing short of remarkable. Considerable care also went into crash performance and impact energy distribution through the body structure, so owners can expect high levels of protection in the event of accidents.

Dual-stage airbags—which offer variable deployment rates dependent on seat position and crash severity—are standard for front-seat passengers, as are belt pretensioners. Side airbags are available as an option. In short, the Corolla now offers all the comforts of a bigger car. And its interior has a simple elegance befitting a car from another part of the price spectrum, with full instrumentation, multiple storage spaces, and a center console box that will hold 14 compact discs.