Toyota: reviews and tests of Toyota Corolla May 16, 2013
Let me start with a short background. By the age of 37, I managed to drive a variety of vehicles, including domestic auto-crafts. The operating experience of the VAZ-2106 1989, Nissan Maxima 1998 and Hyndai Accent 2006, respectively, was positive. “Six” and “Donkey” (Accent) are wonderful workhorses without embellishment or unnecessary frills, reliable and comparable in maintenance cost to a children’s bicycle or a Vyatka-automatic washing machine.
It so happened that I never had the opportunity to own cars in the premium segment. In 2009, I almost made a deposit for a Mazda CX7, but it didn’t work out - the notorious crisis and disagreements with a partner led to the untimely death of a quite successful engineering business, and I had to say goodbye to the white CX7 in complete “stuffing” as a child’s dream of space.
In other words, I am an ordinary, average car enthusiast who has not driven VAZ buckets for a long time, has tasted the delights of automobile comfort, but is not spoiled by sizes and trim levels. The predecessor of the current Corolla was none other than the Lancer X. Purchased at a Moscow car showroom in 2007, the two-liter dark blue samurai brought me a lot of joy. Tinted, on 16 skating rinks, shining and beautiful, one of the first in Rostov, it forced a considerable number of people to stretch their cervical vertebrae in an attempt to follow it for a long time. And the trip to Krasnodar completely plunged me into a state close to ecstatic.
But the happiness did not last long. A little time passed and the predatory shark “washed down” my device ceased to amaze me, and the performance characteristics became more and more depressing. Noisy, expensive and unreliable. Therefore, our separation from Lancer in 2011 passed quickly, easily and without strain or regret.
I was faced with a difficult task. I needed a car that was reliable, somewhat roomy (I have two children), somewhat comfortable and, highly desirable, inexpensive. I soon realized that I could forget about a new car, because there were simply no offers on the market within 500 thousand rupees that met my requirements.
Accordingly, the ordeal began, familiar to probably every car enthusiast - choosing a used one. But I, one might say, was lucky - one of my comrades is none other than a used car dealer (I decided to designate his occupation with a politically correct term instead of the usual “huckster”) and with his help I managed to solve the problem relatively painlessly. I immediately decided that it would be a “golf” - class, definitely “Japanese” (I was considering, however, a Sonata, but more to calm my soul) and definitely with an “automatic” (all my previous cars had an “agitator” and I it was extremely tiring).
Based on the results of extensive research, calls, viewings, test drives and diagnostics, taking into account the reputation of the brand in general and the model in particular, based on the price-quality ratio, the final and decisive choice was made in favor of the 2006 Toyota Corolla. Automatic, 1.6 l./110 hp, not broken, not painted, gray-blue color, climate control, steering wheel and shift lever in leather, radio control on the steering wheel, rain sensor, full power accessories, heated front seats , ABS, 6 airbags, with 6 speakers, standard anti-theft and gearbox lock. Also “inherited” were tinting and 15-inch alloy wheels.
Before me, this device was operated by two guys, both aged, both traveled along the “home-work-home” route every day and “home-Black Sea” once a year. So the mileage turned out to be quite acceptable - 89 thousand. To become the proud owner of this miracle, I had to part with 450 thousand.
First, general impressions. To be completely honest, this Corolla is a typical “gray mouse” with a boring appearance and a lethargic character, expressionless and completely ordinary. Absolutely not suitable for “show-off”, “picking” and aggressive driving. Doesn't make any impression on anyone. It doesn't stand out in the crowd and doesn't attract attention in any way. But, attention, this is not what I needed at all, is it?
I needed reliability, comfort, relatively low operating costs, safety and at least some roominess.
So, this car fully satisfies my requirements. Absolutely and unconditionally. In addition, in addition, I also received a very high-quality finished interior, which, in comparison with the same tenth Lancer, is generally “Air Force No. 1”, a presidential “suite” and a penthouse in Manhattan in one bottle.
Just recently my “chick” passed another exam - I went to the coast. You understand, I had a chance to enjoy the “quality” of the M4 in some sections, and the driving culture of my compatriots, and the inexpressible beauty of the adrenaline euphoria that accompanies overcoming the 100-kilometer section of the Black Sea “serpentine”. So what would you think? That's right, the exam was passed with honor. All tests were passed with brilliance and dignity. The only thing that confuses me a little is the fairly frequent need to drive in “kickdown” mode. I had to “depress” the pedal both when overtaking and on climbs. Otherwise it doesn't go very well.
Now a little more about some of the characteristics.
Controllability
Excellent. There were no extreme situations, but in normal operating mode - not a single complaint. Without blockages in turns and “yaw” on small irregularities. Returning to the straight line after a sharp turn - without bumpiness, quickly and clearly. The steering wheel is quite “informative”. There are no delays, when and how much you turn the steering wheel, then the car goes as far as it goes.
In winter - not a single skid, although I still don’t drive like a pensioner immersed in thought. Excellent work by ABS - on time and always to the point.
The seat has lateral support and entering and exiting corners is almost imperceptible even at a decent speed.
As already noted, the engine power is not enough, but this is not so critical when driving in normal urban conditions.
Review of Toyota Corolla 1.6 16v VVT-i (2006)
I don’t know what else to call this car. This was the first foreign car in the family, the first foreign car I ever owned. At one time, my mother took the car and chose, as far as I remember, among the Honda Jazz, something else and something else)))
Who would have imagined that after so many years it would still be in the family, it is rarely driven anymore, but no one wants to sell it)))
In 2007, I received my license, after which I began to gradually take this car for a ride...
In 2009, having saved up some money and taking advantage of good “purchase” conditions from my parents, it became my first car.
Can someone write a bad review about their first love?)) So I can’t.
For me this is still the ideal car. For 6 years, not a single breakdown. Yes, it was scratched in places, and somewhere the bumper had to be polished, but the car is still full of strength. The dynamics are still impressive, and they pick up at the low end (thanks to the VVT-i system). Sound insulation is excellent. The equipment is rustic, but the red arrows look so beautiful on a white background. Good ground clearance (I drove off the asphalt many times and never hit anything). Fuel consumption is moderate, and the automatic transmission and engine work just perfectly.
The appearance is certainly outdated, and even in 2006 it was not the height of design, but does anyone buy a Toyota for its design? This is a car with a soul. Soft steering wheel, excellent handling, and what a comfortable suspension...
The liquidity really surprised me, it’s already so many years old, and I’m constantly asked to sell it, isn’t this a sign of respect for the cars that were made 5-6 years ago.
Soft plastic (now I’m frankly angry at how cheap and rough they are installing on new cars), chrome parts, electric power steering.
I drove it and enjoyed it... Now I no longer use it, but when I come home, I often take it for a ride. Now my wife is learning to drive it around the city and beyond. This is truly a favorite car. And I can’t imagine the moment when I’ll be forced to sell it... so many memories are associated with it, I went to the South three times, traveled all over the Urals. I sit in it and feel like my own... They probably don’t make cars like this anymore, or maybe it’s just the “first car syndrome.” But if I had a budget of 400 thousand rubles, then I would take a Corolla with an automatic transmission, 2004 - 2006, because it is a really good, reliable and practical car that you get attached to.
After the warranty, I started using Castrol Magnatech 5w-30 oil, otherwise I use completely original spare parts. Maybe Uncle Vasya's service is cheaper, but I haven't tried it.
I didn’t even write a review, but expressed respect for the quality of the cars that were made then. A couple of years passed and service became the main source of income for dealers. It seems to me that people no longer wonder whether it is reliable or not, everyone understands that they will have to fix something, some kind of sensor or wiring. Everything was different then, at least for Toyota. And my friends also had Subaru Imprezas of the same years and couldn’t get enough of them either. Fill up with oil, change consumables and the car will reward you with comfort and reliability...
Suspension
Up front there is a shock absorber strut, a wishbone and a transverse stabilizer. At the rear there is a linked trailing arm and co-axial shock absorber. Disc brakes. The front ones are ventilated.
Compared to the Lancer X, it’s a feather bed. Very soft and quite energy-intensive. All unevenness in the road surface gets stuck in the suspension and is not transmitted to the body. No knocks, ringing, “blinks” or other sounds that cut the ear and heart.
At the same time, the suspension is configured in such a way that the sensation of “swimming” with the possibility of “sea sickness” never occurs; I always “ride” and have a fairly clear idea of what kind of surface I’m on.
Salon
As an experienced Internet user, I wanted to ask Yandex about “enthusiastic epithets,” but decided to do it on my own. So: wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, excellent, magnificent, stunning, delightful, mind-blowing and further according to Dahl.
Spacious. Everything is in its place. The front seats are adjustable in three planes. All window lifters are “auto-finishing”. Very convenient steering column switches. Information from the center console (from the on-board computer and radio) is perfectly readable. It is very convenient to control the climate. As noted above, the quality of finishing materials is impressive. Great review. The mirrors are selected and positioned in such a way that when “reversing” there is almost never a need to turn around - everything is perfectly visible in the mirrors. The instrument panel with two large “dials” is quite informative and practical. The backlight, however, is a bit pale, especially during the day, but this is a matter of adjustment.
There is no extraneous noise in the cabin when driving. You can hear the rumbling of the engine - and that’s all. The air conditioning system works great. In the summer heat, it cools the interior in about seven minutes, no more. It's warm in winter. Very comfortable two-section armrest. Quite a spacious glove compartment. Nothing creaks, rattles or falls off.
There are still a couple of minor drawbacks. Namely. After stopping, you have to turn off the low beam yourself (on the Lancer it went out automatically); after turning off the ignition, there is no way to close the windows, you have to turn it on again. It would be appropriate to have some period of time during which the lifts can be used after the ignition is turned off. The selected gear is not displayed on the instrument panel. If you want to check, look towards the shift lever. Sometimes the lowered one accidentally “sticks in” and you only notice it while driving.
Otherwise - perfect. Every trip is a pleasure.
2006 Toyota Corolla hatchbacks
The 9th generation Toyota Corolla cars were delivered to Russia in different body styles: sedan, station wagon, hatchback. But it was three- and five-door hatchbacks that gained the greatest popularity; even now they are in great demand in the secondary automotive market, which is due to their reliability, efficiency and decent performance.
The appearance and interior of the 2006 models, even at the time of release, were slightly outdated (see photo), but the level of equipment and performance remained high.
Representatives of the 9th generation of Toyota Corolla, both developed for Russia and the CIS countries, as well as European or American models, come to our country. Cars that were produced for the Russian market were distinguished by a small selection of power plants and a variety of technical equipment, but had increased ground clearance and more durable elements of the front and rear suspensions.
Officially, hatchbacks equipped with gasoline engines with displacements of 1.4 and 1.6 liters were produced for our country. The engine installed in the T-Sport modification had more powerful characteristics; its volume was 1.8 liters.
The power plants were supplied with the following transmission options: 5-speed manual transmission and 4-speed automatic transmission.
The front and rear suspension elements were adapted for the conditions of Russian roads and were reliable. Independent MacPherson struts with improved shock absorbers were installed at the front, and semi-independent torsion bar suspension at the rear.
Reliability and maintainability
After a year and a half of operation, one single problem arose: the contacts in the immobilizer relay rotted and it stopped starting. We quickly found the cause, removed the back seat, got to the fuel pump and replaced it. All the fun is two hours and 1800 rubles. There was nothing more.
So, it’s difficult for me to judge maintainability. The only thing I can note is that replacing consumables does not pose any difficulties. The cabin filter is easily accessible from the glove compartment; the air filter can be changed by snapping two clips under the hood.
Summary: this is not a car, but naturally a gift of fate. Just a set of advantages and benefits. The presence of some roughness only emphasizes its, Corolla's, positive qualities. By the way, these include the complete lack of interest in the car on the part of the valiant cops. I drive every day and have never been stopped once. In addition, I am ready to bet the daily earnings of a Rostov taxi driver against all the gold in Fort Knox, that after a year and a half, if necessary, I will sell it for the same money that I paid when buying it. Because she's worth it.
The conclusion is simple and suggests itself like an eighth-grader at the birthday party of a cute peer, that is, by itself - an ideal and, perhaps, one-of-a-kind golf class for a reliable, safe and comfortable ride.
Sergey
Reviews
Reviews and tests
Comments
0 MARKovod 05/29/2013 15:32 Excellent article.
I have said many times that Corollas are indestructible and now I have found a like-minded person. I would like to advise the author (if possible) to put a small body kit on it, it will look great. I just have a friend who also drives a car like this and he has a body kit. By the way, if you want to change your car, the Corolla in the next body is also very strong! Comment | Reply with quote | Quote | Complain
Update list of comments
Add a comment
Operating manuals
Toyota Corolla 2006 cars are still common in the secondary market, so their owners are faced with the need for repairs. The warranty service for these cars has already expired, so car owners are forced to fix the breakdowns themselves or contact car services.
In order to repair Toyota Corolla E120 cars and Verso minivans, you should definitely take into account the manuals for their maintenance and operation. Such manuals come with cars, but if they were not left over from the previous owner, they can be purchased or downloaded on the Internet.
Repair and operation manuals contain complete information about the design of the vehicle, its main systems and technical characteristics. Most of them contain detailed step-by-step repair recommendations and detailed illustrations of all processes. They also provide useful tips on maintenance and proper operation of the car, following which you can keep it in good condition for a long time.
2005 Toyota Corolla.
