Toyota Corolla Levin: technical specifications and photos

3696 Apr 20

In the 70–90s of the last century, there was almost more attention to cars than today. At that time, there were not as many manufacturers as there are now, and popular car concepts and first series began to develop during this period. During these years, the Japanese company Toyota began producing its legendary Corolla series, which has managed to grow to 11 generations. One of its most popular offshoots were the Levin and Sprinter Trueno, which are considered the manufacturer's most successful sports coupes.

Briefly about the series

The Levin-type Toyota Corolla appeared on Japanese roads for the first time in 1977. Initially, they did not gain much popularity, so the automaker’s engineers had to significantly modify the vehicle. A couple of years later, an updated car came out, which attracted the attention of fans of sports driving and, in particular, drifting.

The fact is that the modified TE71 model (can be seen in the photo on the Internet), produced from 1979 to 1982, due to its design features, became much better controlled by the driver, and its rear part was ideal for controlled skidding.

The series gained the greatest popularity thanks to the Levin AE85 and AE86, released in 1983. They were noticeably different from the 1979 model and visually. This was especially evident in the design of the front end and overhang. The next generation of Toyota Corolla AE91 and AE92 appeared in 1987 and received a number of interesting updates in terms of both visual and technical (in particular, a narrowed long radiator grille, a more powerful and at the same time economical engine). Then, in 1992, the third generation appeared - Toyota Corolla AE100 and AE101, with which the active penetration of Japanese sports cars into Russia began. Finally, the latest representatives of sports coupes today are the Toyota Corolla of the Levin AE110 and AE 111 types. The cars began to be produced in 1995, and since then they have been considered the most common representatives of the series.

Exterior and interior of the eighth generation Corolla

This generation of the Corolla E110 family retains most of the external features of the previous model, the E100. This is especially noticeable in the photos of the first models with round headlights.

After restyling in 1999, the appearance of representatives of this model range became more modern.

The interior equipment at the time of release was of a decent level; of course, it is now outdated. Even the basic configuration was equipped with power steering and electric windows, which were considered an unprecedented luxury by domestic car owners.

The interior was not particularly comfortable and spacious: small seats, modest trim, the dashboard of most trim levels did not have a tachometer.

The trunk volume is also small: the smallest for the hatchback and sedan is 280 liters, for the station wagon - 310 liters (665 liters with the rear row seats folded).

Toyota Corolla Levin TE71

Anyone who searched the Internet for a description of the Levin model came across the same cars that have a different series name. We are, naturally, talking about the Toyota Corolla Sprinter Trueno. This causes some confusion and confusion, since it is difficult to find the differences when comparing photos of both cars. The thing is that the series in question has a certain branch, which received this name. Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno are often considered exactly the same. This position is quite justified, since it is difficult to detect differences at first glance.

However, these cars are not identical: the Sprinter is an improved version of the Levin, as it has more elegant hood curves, sleek optics and a modified front bumper.

In fact, this is nothing more than a marketing ploy by the Japanese manufacturer.

First generation

The most common version on the used car market is the Toyota Corolla AE86 Trueno (classic Levin), while the AE85 version is much less common. The fact is that the differences between the cars are insignificant, but in the aggregate the first of these models seems more attractive. Technical characteristics play a decisive role in choosing between representatives of the first generation.

The Levin and Trueno AE86 versions were equipped with a 1.6-liter 4A-GEU DOHC engine, while the younger model received a 1.5-liter 3A-U SOHC engine, which is very similar to the installation of the 1979 TE71 series prototype.

The maximum power that the more efficient power plant could produce varied from 112 to 128 hp. s., while the torque ranged from 136 to 150 Nm depending on the modification (for example, weaker engines were supplied to the USA). Among street racing fans, the most popular version was the Toyota Corolla GTS AE86. The Toyota Corolla GT S featured better performance and a sportier and more aggressive design.

I don’t know why, but Toyota’s Levin/Trueno family always attracted and fascinated me, even when the fashion for them was just beginning, and distillers were bringing them from the east in batches and setting new sales records. I especially liked Levin. In the rounded body of the AE 101, with a technologically advanced 1.6-liter 4A-GE under the hood, and with manual transmission. Fast, maneuverable, lightweight, inexpensive to maintain. But fate decreed otherwise: in December 2004, I noticed an advertisement for the sale of a Toyota Corolla Levin in the new 111th body, produced in 1998. BZ-G configuration, 4A-GE blacktop engine, 165 hp, six-speed manual gearbox, sports suspension: Bilstein struts, TRD springs, Apex'I forward flow. What else can you dream of? Back then, it was simply unrealistic to buy such a car because of the high cost, but I couldn’t resist meeting the seller and having a good drive through the winter streets. From the very first kilometers, the car and I understood each other: I was surprised that the car did not require any getting used to - it was extremely easy to drive, obedient in turns, with a sensitive accelerator pedal that literally caught the slightest movements of my right foot. The forward flow mutters angrily, and as I roll up to the next traffic light, by the way passers-by turn and look after me and the neighbors downstream look at me, I understand that I am driving a stylish and unusual car.

I bought it six months later, in June 2005, when the owner urgently needed money, and he sold the car much cheaper than the original cost. The reason for the significant discount was also a slightly dented right front fender, a small dent on the rear fender, and struts that needed to be replaced quickly. But these are all little things, it’s all fixable, the main thing is that we found each other.

First love

The readability of the instruments is excellent, but the scales could be made white

Conversations about the purchase with familiar motorists almost always began with banal questions about how many seconds it takes this “bullet” to shoot up to a hundred and what is its maximum speed.
I always answered the first question evasively - somewhere around 7-8 seconds, I was never interested in the exact number, and do I really need it? I don’t take part in drag racing competitions, and these seconds somehow worry me a little. Much more important is that I always have time where I need to speed up, overtake, join the flow. As for the maximum speed, the answer is clear - 180 km/h, then the electronic limiter is activated. They ask about ground clearance. Here I am information savvy and I know that the ground clearance with factory struts and springs is 140 mm. But since this car is equipped with shortened TRD springs of increased rigidity, the clearance here is 30 mm less. The people writhe and sympathize - not enough. Not enough for whom? Why is it not enough? Yes, I agree, on the Levin I can’t jump onto the curb, I can’t go to hard-to-reach places in nature in the summer, I can’t storm the snowdrifts in the winter. But at the same time, a friend of mine managed to tear off the bumper of his RAV4 while trying to park near a high curb. Meanwhile, I only lightly touched the sinful ground a couple of times with the exhaust pipe, which is the lowest point of the bottom. Just driving a sports car with low ground clearance, you begin to treat road obstacles more carefully, more circumspectly.

In general, once I drove a car that was not in its element.
About half a month ago I drove the Levin out of town, to the river, and in order to get to the desired place, I had to overcome a rather steep slope with a gravel surface and ledges and potholes that were frightening in their size. I had to worry, “Levin” stubbornly climbed, snorting and creaking with displeasure, but everything worked out - the distance in both directions was covered without losses! There are no problems at all with speed bumps - both with rubber ones, of which there are many in Angarsk, and with asphalt hills, for which Irkutsk is famous. This is also thanks to the rather large tires measuring 185/65 R15, mounted on Enkei alloy wheels. In winter, I changed the car's shoes to wider tires with a lower profile - 195/60 R15. By the way, after a year of operation, all tires and wheels are safe and sound. I measured the average fuel consumption several times: after the first thousand km, then after another 5000 and the last time quite recently. It does not change - 10 liters. per 100 km with a calm driving style. I was preparing for the worst, and 4A-GE’s appetite pleasantly surprised me. But I repeat - this is only with a calm driving style. If it’s good to “let it burn”, and believe me, you want to do this very often - AI-95 gasoline is absorbed with the appetite of a real sports car! So, having filled the 50-liter fuel tank “under the neck”, you can drive a little less than five hundred kilometers. With such dynamics of the car, the result is worthy of respect.

After the purchase, the euphoria was interrupted by an almost dry oil dipstick! Yes, I remembered that the previous owner spoke about the need to change the oil soon, but where did what was in the crankcase go? When inspecting before purchasing, I noticed the low oil level, but I didn’t attach much importance to it, but in vain... The peculiarity of the 4A-GE engine is that even in fully working condition it uses a little more oil than other engines, and if it still and “twist” to the red zone... In general, I realized it just in time and literally flew to the service station to change the oil. They suggested replacing the existing Castrol RS synthetic in the engine with Shell semi-synthetics. I stupidly agreed. 4000 km after the replacement, the sound of the engine began to resemble a running diesel engine - the clutch of the VVT-I mechanism (variable valve timing system) began to rattle. The reason is that the oil turned out to be fake. And again, a replacement, but with the proven Castrol RS, since then I’ve only filled it with it - I don’t want to experiment anymore. But it was no longer possible to return the rattling clutch to its normal state: only replacing it with a new one will help. But you will have to wait with it due to the cost - $300. When I changed the oil in the gearbox, it seemed that the old one had been left over from the days of Japanese operation - the black viscous mixture did not inspire any confidence and had probably already lost all its protective properties.

The passenger capacity of the Toyota Corolla Levin in the catalogs is designated as 2+2, that is, two full seats and two not quite full seats.
Only children can fit more or less comfortably in the rear, while those who are older are forced to pull their knees to the sides and “meet” the top of their heads with the low arches of the roof at every unevenness. And in general, passengers in my car are annoyed by literally everything: the almost complete lack of sound insulation, especially in the area of ​​the rear wheel arches, the hum of forward flow pressing on the ears, the loud engine, shaking and, probably, my driving style. And I, of course, admit that a tough sports coupe is not even a car for two, but for one - for the driver. Because I’m the only one who feels comfortable in my car, despite the fact that the front passenger seat is just as comfortable as the driver’s. Only those who drive similar cars themselves understand me. The rest, getting out of the second row, cling to everything they can cling to, stumble, hit their heads on the doorway and wailing with good obscenities... And what I like most is to ride in Levin alone. Without music. Alone with the sound of the engine and the guttural roar of the direct-flow muffler. Alone with the squeal of tires tearing up in a high-speed turn. Alone with the car - a provocateur that constantly encourages you to drive faster, sharper, harder.

Wintering

We've been together with this car for over a year now, but I'm still interested in driving it - close or far, slow or fast, sometimes even very fast. And I admire and am proud of her as before, it’s a pleasure to drive her, it’s a pleasure to look after her.

So far, thank God, there have been no accidents. But minor troubles happened, because in the winter I began to forget: the Corolla Levin is not an all-wheel drive car and it is not shod with tires with one and a half centimeter studs, but only with all-season Velcro.

We were stopped by a high snowdrift when an out of control car flew onto the side of the road. At first, the road seemed very predictable and did not inspire fear. But when I came to my senses and saw an open ice skating rink on a gentle turn, it was already too late. There was no point in braking, and by trying to put the car into a controlled skid, I only softened our landing into a massive snow dump. Everything turned out to be a “little loss”, fortunately the snowdrift did not hide any stumps or bushes. Having independently climbed out of the snow barrier, to my great surprise, I discovered only slight damage to the bumper. Even the airbags didn’t deploy (let’s hope, not because they weren’t there at all).

Previously, I kept postponing a visit to the tinsmiths due to the insignificance of the dents on the front and rear fenders. But after this incident there was no longer any time to hesitate. Scratching his head authoritatively, the master told me a price tag of 7,000 rubles for straightening, puttying and painting three body elements (front and rear fender, bumper). Wooden SPA Solutions: Wooden Hot Tub, Baths, Barrel Saunas and BBQ grill supplier in UK: www.woodenspasolutions.co.uk

A week later, after picking up the car from the service center, I was quite pleased with the result: the guys worked for the money as they should - anyone who doesn’t know will never guess that the car had been at the tinsmith’s.

And a new series of expenses began when I decided to take on suspension maintenance. I took the car to a mechanic I knew, and after conjuring about half an hour, he called me over and said with a bit of black humor: “Well, now bend your fingers and consider what you need to buy.” So, first of all, all the struts with all the cups, the lower tie rod ends, the left axle boot and one of the four engine mounts require replacement. I bought simpler stands than those that were installed earlier, although they also caused a significant hit to my pocket (8,000 rubles), the cups cost 1,600 rubles. for a couple — I decided not to change the rear ones. It was not possible to find tips for sale, so I had to order original ones from Japan - 2300 rubles. for a couple. I already had anthers in stock, but I decided to hold off on the engine mount.

After working on the suspension, the timing belt was replaced. It seems that it has never been changed, and the service life of the factory belt is 100,000 km, as evidenced by the plate on the protective casing. The odometer then showed 115,000 km. At this point, winter expenses are over, spring is behind us, the first month of summer and another 10,000 kilometers of Siberian roads. Levin requires only gasoline and high-quality oil, and in return, every day it pleases its owner more and more.

It's surprising that such an extraordinary car is just a continuation of the wide range of models of the Corolla family! To be honest, the BZ-G has little in common with the boring Corolla. Rather, it is reminiscent of Levin’s “vegetable” configurations - FZ and XZ with a 1.5-liter 5A and 1.6-liter 4A-FE. And the top-end BZ-G and BZ-R are small city badasses that have few equals in traffic light racing. More than once, finding myself in the front row at a traffic light with some BMW three-ruble car, I caught the disdainful glance of its driver - they say, don’t even try to burn rubber, you still have no chance. And a few seconds later I really wanted to look at his face when his Bavarian “shell” was getting smaller in the rearview mirror.

So, I've been driving this unusual Japanese coupe for over a year now. Multiple offers for sale are rejected outright. I don't want to change it to something else. I'm already used to it. He and I are one whole, and we will solve problems as they arise.

Recently, a mad cyclist ran into the bumper and left a deep scratch. The steering rack has also started to click and needs to be replaced...

But these are all little things, the main thing is that we are together.

Andrey RICHTER

Automarket+Sport No. 31

Second generation

The next generation of Toyota Corolla Levin, unfortunately, turned out to be not as popular as the previous one. Quite expectedly, the AE91 and AE92 versions received improved power plants, but many fans of high-speed driving did not like the mediocre efficiency of the engines and, surprisingly, the design of the vehicles. Trueno AE91 was equipped with 1.5-liter 5A-F DOHC engines, the power of which was 85–86 hp. s., and the torque reached 122–125 Nm.

Features of Toyota Corolla E110 cars

The eighth generation Corollas are distinguished by a wide variety of configuration options and have a number of advantages and disadvantages.

The undoubted advantages of this generation include:

• excellent driving performance;
• high-quality assembly;
• confident behavior on the road and good handling;
• reliable brakes;
• practical interior;
• the car body is covered with a layer of zinc, which significantly increases its durability and resistance to adverse operating conditions;
• inexpensive spare parts and maintenance;
• affordable car price.

Negative features of Toyota Corolla E110 representatives:

• low ground clearance, making driving on our roads uncomfortable;
• poor sound insulation.

Tuned Toyota Corolla AE92

Toyota Corolla Levin AE92 (pictured on the Internet) acquired an improved 1.6-liter 4A-GZE DOHC engine, the power of which was almost twice that of the 91st model - 164–166 hp. With. The torque of the units ranged from 207 to 210 Nm.

The car body is relatively massive - 1070 kg, while the AE91 weighs 120 kg less. Especially for fans of drifting and racing, this drawback is eliminated in the Toyota Corolla type GT S AE92.

The gearbox on all versions is a 5-speed manual, however, starting with this generation of Toyota Corolla GT S, the drive became front-wheel drive.

Third generation Toyota Corolla Levin

Toyota Corolla Levin begins its history back in 1979. It is worth saying that even today the appearance of this car can be called interesting, but at that time it was something. There were very few such sporty three-door coupes in the world. The Japanese manufacturer created the history of sports cars of that time.

Toyota Corolla Levin

That car had a 2T-GEU engine (1.6 liters and 115 horsepower) under the hood. The car itself was very light and with this internal combustion engine it had a very angry and sporty character. On average, this power unit consumed 9 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers in the combined cycle. In addition to this model, this internal combustion engine was also installed on such Toyota cars as:

• Toyota Celica 3rd generation (from 1981 to 1985);
• Toyota Carina 3rd generation (from 1981 to 1988).

The engine was an in-line four-cylinder and had electronic injection.

Third generation

Japanese engineers fully succeeded in correcting the mistakes made in the Toyota Corolla AE92 in the third generation in the AE100, AE101 models, as well as the unexpected third representative of the series, the AE104. The first of the listed cars was equipped with a 1.5-liter 5A-FE DOHC power unit, which produced up to 105 hp. With. power and up to 134 Nm of torque. The latter was distributed between the wheels of the front axle using the usual 5-speed manual transmission. Compared to its predecessor, the Corolla AE100 received an additional 10 kg of weight, but this did not in any way affect performance. As for the Toyota Corolla Levin AE101, it expectedly received a more powerful 1.6-liter 4A-GE DOHC unit with a power of 160 hp. With. and a torque of 161 Nm. The weight of the car was 1090 kg, so drifters liked other configurations more.

It is worth noting that the Toyota Corolla type AE101 featured for the first time a 4-speed automatic transmission, which racers had been waiting for a long time. The drive remained front-wheel drive.

Review of Toyota Levin AE-111 XZ (1995)

I’ll warn you right away, I’ve written a lot, in some places it’s not relevant, in others it might be boring, so don’t blame me.

About choice.

At one time, Levin was a real dream for me. Not the ultimate dream, of course, but compared to all sorts of Ferraris and Porsches, the purchase of such a car for the owner of an old V8 (not a BMW, if that) seemed feasible, at least theoretically. I wanted Levin in the latest 111th body, and, of course, the most powerful, 165 horsepower, on a stick with 6 forward gears and a red zone after 8000 rpm. The Levin/Trueno model, having a long and storied history, was originally created for young people who wanted to drive faster, but did not have more money for it. Those. just my option. There are other cars in this class that deserve attention, but if you limit your search to a coupe body (I really like it), then only the Civic comes up. And considering that Levin was noticeably cheaper than the similar Sivka, and that I liked it better in appearance, there was no doubt - I wanted Levin. In general, “taste and color...”. But when the possibility of purchasing another (after the eight) vehicle loomed in the future, I decided to postpone the purchase of my dream until better times, for financial reasons. Firstly, there was clearly not enough money for a fresh, fast 111, and it was scary to take a heavily used one without operating experience. Secondly, the theoretical costs associated with the operation and repair of a sporty car were frightening in advance. Therefore, to begin with, I decided to take something simpler and fresher, preferably Japanese, right-hand drive, even despite the complete lack of experience in steering the steering wheel from the glove compartment. Here, whatever one may say, the ratio of price and quantity of the car was decisive. Those. You get more car for your money, as they say in Top Gear. Well, besides, at that time I sincerely believed in the legendary quality and indestructibility of Japanese cars. And even in million-dollar engines...

Dreams come true, almost...

While he was evaluating suitable options and saving money, a work colleague hinted that he was going to sell his Levin in the 111th body, with a 4A-FE engine, a 5-speed manual and black. Of course it’s not a dream, but why not, after all, this is “something simpler”, and even wrapped in my favorite body, I decided. In addition, it was not a complete stranger who sold the car - an argument at that time that was very significant for me, who was inexperienced and intimidated by stories about a “pig in a poke.” At that time, we worked together for about six months and I managed to take a closer look at the car. I was embarrassed by the year 95, but for his age Leva still looked very good, there was something to compare with. Once I rode with him, I noticed that the car was certainly good, but it needed a 4A-GE engine. “Well, she doesn’t drive badly even with that,” the colleague answered and pressed the gas to the floor in 2nd gear. Honestly, I didn’t expect such acceleration from 115 Japanese ponies, it wasn’t a hurricane, of course, but still I was impressed and became even more enamored with the car. In general, it caught fire, the last thing remaining was the right-hand drive. Because I had never gone to PR before, I had doubts whether I could do it. I took it for a ride and realized I can do it! I won’t lie, the first time it was very unusual and uncomfortable, but it wasn’t a matter of the steering wheel, it was a matter of habit. It's good that the Japanese didn't change the pedals. Therefore, as soon as I set off and drove off, I immediately decided that I could adapt if I had the desire, and of course there was the desire. Before buying the car, I didn’t look closely at it, I didn’t take it for diagnostics, I didn’t show it to a car guru, relying on my colleague’s decency. It all came down to a couple of questions “what and how” and monosyllabic answers “yes everything is fine.” Somehow it never occurred to me that a colleague with whom I see every working day could simply cheat and deceive, but in vain... Several significant and not so significant problems surfaced after the purchase, although everything turned out to be quite solvable, and, looking back, I nothing to regret.

About PR.

Often in reviews about right-hand drive cars, people write that they got used to the right-hand drive right away or within a day, etc. Well, I don’t know, it took me about a week to fully adapt. The first couple of days I actively fought the door with my right hand, trying to grab the non-existent gearshift lever. I confused the paddle shifters, could not always find 2nd gear with my left hand (gears are changed in the same way as on the left steering wheel, i.e., for example, 2nd - away from you, which is not very convenient at first), experienced difficulties with visibility when exiting the main road from a secondary road (for example, on the Moscow Ring Road). And when on the first day I drove away from the parking lot on Leningradka, I waited until the road behind me became so clear that it was probably possible to land the plane. And therefore, I cannot help but admit that a novice right-hand drive driver during the adaptation period is potentially dangerous, just like any other novice driver. A properly configured brain is crucial here, well, this is no secret to anyone. Everything worked out fine for me, and having gotten used to it, I really don’t see the difference between right- and left-hand drive. I only learned about the problem of overtaking on PR when I drove onto a narrow country highway with heavy traffic. There is no such problem in the city, there are simply practically no places where it is really possible, or there is a need, to drive into oncoming traffic. For those who drive in oncoming traffic with flashing lights, I certainly don’t recommend PR. But outside the city you have to adapt. Those. Overtaking on the right steering wheel is, of course, possible and with certain skills it is quite active and safe for yourself and others, but doing it on the left steering wheel is still easier and more convenient. Here, to justify right-hand drive, we can cite the well-known fact that PR disciplines. Firstly, you have to keep a larger, and therefore safer, distance. Secondly, there is a principle that can often be read on a well-known truck site - “If you’re not sure, don’t overtake.”

About indestructibility.

Now on my car, after taking a closer look, I found several small jambs on the body, and after a couple! days after the purchase, I decided to check the oil level, and without a second thought, I was just curious. The result, to put it mildly, surprised me, unpleasantly surprised me... I didn’t see any oil on the dipstick. I ran to the nearest spare parts store, bought a liter of oil, and topped it up. It became scary. The joy of owning an “unkillable” Japanese car has sharply diminished. Then came a very timely question to a colleague: “Is she eating butter?” “Well, 300-350 grams per thousand,” was the answer to me, in the tone of “don’t worry, everything is fine”... Later, my own observations showed consumption approaching the figure of 1 liter per 1000 km, and a liter canister was registered in the trunk for permanent residence oil for topping up. And if I hadn’t checked it right away and traveled like that for a week or two... I won’t write about my attitude towards my colleague. And his answer to my complaints: “Didn’t I let you look at the car before buying,” there was nothing to cover. Now this has become my problem. Otherwise, everything was really fine with Leva. At first, I was even sincerely surprised that nothing broke in this essentially old car. The only thing that haunted me was the problem outlined above, despite which Levin continued to run briskly, without showing any signs of fatigue, just add more oil. Mat. I didn’t have much control over some of it at the time, so I turned to the most accessible source of information – the Internet. I have read so much in various thematic forums about Toyota repair and maintenance. How aptly, but rather rudely, someone remarked on one of the forums: “They buy themselves old Japanese rubbish and then sit in the forums - they don’t spend so much time in prison.” As a result, faith in the legendary reliability and indestructibility of Japanese cars began to wane and the understanding came that a Japanese car is, in principle, the same car as a Russian one, for example, only better and a Japanese one.

About repairs and maintenance.

I won’t pedantically list everything I did to the car; I’ll limit myself to what really required replacement, except for consumables. So, for almost 3 years of operation of the old car, I changed: the timing belt and related things; silent blocks of front and rear trailing arms; tie rods with ends; front brake discs; It’s time to change the thermostatic valve for the air conditioner, a few light bulbs, and the windshield wiper trapezoid, but for now it’s tolerable, that’s probably all. Moreover, almost all of the above can also, in general, be classified as consumables. However, it is worth noting that the previous owner, shortly before the sale, shook up half of the suspension, including the struts, and changed the clutch. Oh, well, at 209 thousand there was still an engine overhaul. It was made by the well-known in certain circles V****, honor and praise to him! For more than 20 thousand now the flight has been normal (3 times ugh) and in terms of money it turned out to be unexpectedly budget-friendly. In the city there is no oil consumption at all, having driven more than 5000 km, mostly on the highway, I noticed that 300 grams were consumed, and that’s how it should be. Yes, and most importantly. Nothing has ever broken just like that, unexpectedly, on its own! Not once did the car stop “halfway”, refusing to go further! (again 3 times ugh). All possible breakdowns/malfunctions are predictable based on symptoms and service life. If you didn’t do/change it on time, it’s your own fault. This is where, in my opinion, the “legendary Japanese quality” hides. All cars break down, but in different ways...

Here I can’t help but remember my former eight. When one “beautiful” day, on the highway, 200 km from home, the radiator broke, the CV joint flew out and, after farting loudly for 50 kilometers, the engine stopped working (the damned distributor cap, as it turned out later, was replaced three times after that). Moreover, the radiator and CV joint were covered at the same time. Here is how it was. I’m driving, I feel something wrong with the engine, I’m already accustomed to looking at the temperature sensor, and the arrow is in the red zone. It turns out that this time the hose connections, temperature sensor, fan terminals, and the fan itself had nothing to do with it - the radiator was punctured. I was lucky to find an auto parts store nearby in the village and buy a new radiator. I changed it, I start the engine, put it in gear, release the clutch, but the car doesn’t move. That is, completely. That is, the engine howled, so to speak, and remained standing in place. To say that I was surprised is to say nothing. Having nervously poked at all the gears with the same result, I got out of the car and looked at her blankly for a while, as if she had told me: “Fuck off..., I’m not going anywhere!” Then I accidentally looked under the car, and there... the left CV joint was lying on the asphalt. After such surprises, you think about the relativity of the concept of “luck”. And if it jammed at speed... To be sure, I’ll note that before coming to a complete stop, I turned around, completely unscrewing the steering wheel, and then apparently the CV joint flew out. Okay, after obscene arguments on the topic: “they shoot such horses so that they don’t suffer,” I was again lucky to find a garage in the nearest village and negotiate with the men about repairing my problem. “Well, that’s definitely all now,” I thought joyfully, driving away from the local Kulibins. “But to hell with you, the Russians don’t give up,” my stubborn iron donkey made it clear, after a while he stood firmly in the forest again. Let me just say that by that time I had run out of money, the battery in my phone was dead, and it took me a while to figure out how to clean the contacts of the distributor cover. As a result, it took me 3 hours to go there and 12 hours back. Of course, you can find objective reasons for such a coincidence of circumstances, but they are unlikely to console anyone in such a situation. Hmm, I remembered a funny incident. After buying the eight, I went to a type service for diagnostics. The master, without seeing the car, asks: “What year is it?” and after the answer: “I can tell you without diagnostics that EVERYTHING on this corpse needs to be changed.” By the way, the “eight” at that time was noticeably younger than Levin is now, with a fully-powered 2-year-old engine (by the way, not a simple one, but a 1.6 in volume, on which the 90 l/s sticker was proudly displayed; this was not serially installed , the only thing good about this car). But apparently I managed to see a lot...

Let's return to Levin. I try to repair the car myself whenever possible, fortunately I have a garage with the necessary set of tools and the desire. I like to sometimes turn the nuts and get the satisfaction of having done something on my own. I'm afraid to delve deep into the engine, gearbox and electrics, but fortunately there is no such need. Here I would like to note how well thought out, clear and logical Japanese cars are made, or rather this particular car. With the Kama Sutra (although in this case it is precisely a “repair manual”), car repair turns into an exciting “construction toy” game for adults. Spare parts are relatively inexpensive (although there was nothing to adequately compare with). For example, a set of gaskets, rings and liners for rebuilding an engine (original) cost ~ 3,500 rubles. A lot of things were unified with the usual Corolla of those years, incl. for the European market. You can save money by choosing a high-quality non-original. There are no problems with availability either, but some things have to wait. True, this only applies to Levin in my configuration. On more powerful versions with SSS suspension everything is more complicated. There are also some nuances, in case it comes in handy for someone. Brake discs are suitable only from Levin and exist only in the original. The struts (springs with shock absorbers) fit from a Corolla, but the car will become taller and possibly softer, i.e. the original ones from Levin are still different. There are no original silent blocks for the suspension arms; they are sold only assembled with the arm (this is especially infuriating), which is never budget-friendly. The alternative is non-original of dubious quality or polyurethane. I installed non-original ones in some places, it seems to be holding up so far, but I’m already thinking about the second option. As far as I know, many Levins have broken rear window heating buttons. I got it already broken. I took it apart and everything inside was melted. Perhaps this is the only “illness” of the Levins; I don’t remember any other typical breakdowns. To do it before you get around to it, you have to look for a used one, otherwise a new one somehow costs an inadequate amount, for just a button.

About services.

I would like to say a few words about services, respected and not so respected. I won’t point a finger, but in general terms it’s a bit negative.

Replacement of rear brake pads.

A young guy comes up, apparently he’s been working recently, and starts hammering on the brake drum with a mini-sledgehammer—he’s hooked. After several blows, a more experienced friend pulls him away and points to special threaded holes in the drum. By screwing two suitable bolts into these holes, the drum can be removed easily and effortlessly. By the way, at the same time my handbrake cable was broken, I had to buy a new one, the old one, according to the master, had rotted. Maybe so.

Wheel alignment.

I had the wheel alignment adjusted in one Japan service (the camber is not adjustable). At the stand, with the computer, everything is as it should be. At the same time I changed the tires from winter to summer. As I drive out, the steering wheel is crooked, the car is pulling to the right (not too much, but it’s annoying), something rumbles on the bumps behind me. I'm coming back. Again stand, adjustment. It turns out that the adjusting rods were rattling; the repairman had not fully tightened them. I try to drive it, the rattle stops, otherwise the same thing. The master throws up his hands, says he did everything on the computer, all the numbers are normal. I'm leaving. After a couple of days, realizing that I can’t drive like this, I come again. The stand, the adjustment – ​​nothing fundamentally changed. Let's scratch our turnips together. I suggest swapping the wheels, just as an option. They changed it and... the car drove smoothly, well, relatively smoothly, compared to what it was. I blame old alloy wheels, unrolled new tires and am confident that this is the problem. Thank you for not asking for money for two repeated requests. I would have gone that way, but, as they say, there was no happiness, but misfortune helped. After an unplanned repair, the need for wheel alignment again arose. I already went to another service. The same procedure, probably the same equipment, but... I left the service station and was surprised, this time pleasantly surprised. The steering wheel is absolutely straight in a straight line, rides perfectly “like on rails”, and doesn’t lead anywhere. And this is on the very wheels that I sinned on (I had to move them back). Somewhere on the Internet I read a phrase on the topic that was similar in meaning to: “after adjusting the wheel alignment, you won’t recognize your car,” which was meant in a good way. Now I know that it can be different...

Diagnostics.

During the winter, a metallic knocking sound from somewhere in the front began to bother me when shifting from first to second gear. It showed up when I didn’t release the clutch quite smoothly; if I did everything very carefully, there was no knocking, but I couldn’t drive like that all the time. I went for diagnostics to another reputable Japan service. He explained the reason for the visit, adding that there was also something tapping on the bumps, but I’m not sure if it’s the same thing. They lifted the car, gathered a consultation, circled around it for quite a long time, even listened to it with a phonendoscope, and generally diagnosed it. Verdict: (almost verbatim) “The sound is coming from the gearbox, some kind of bearing has probably fallen apart, we need to rebuild it,” and sympathetically, “yeah... you got yourself with the gearbox.” Well, the steering tip, rear bushings and stabilizer struts need to be changed. Will do? No, I say, let me collect my thoughts. He left upset. I decided to follow the path of least resistance. I didn’t want to believe in the demise of the box, despite the specialists’ diagnosis. But I wanted to believe that theoretically the steering tip could be knocking, the play of which was kindly suggested to me during diagnostics. I took the plunge and ordered a set along with steering rods. I went to another service center to change it (where they do wheel alignment normally), this time without saying anything about the knocking sound when switching. They changed it, drove out, stuck the second one in, dropped the clutch and... silence. The car jerked and drove off, no knocks, HURRAY! With the rebirth of you, the box, there is still gunpowder in the flasks and berries... well, it’s clear in general. Here is the diagnosis. No, of course, if, along with replacing the steering tip, you also rebuild the gearbox, then the car probably won’t get any worse, but...

Body and interior.

Excellent design of the classic “coupe”, I really like it, otherwise I would not have become a Levinovod. Still, you choose a car first of all, okay, secondly with your eyes (first with your wallet). I want to say that with all the positive qualities of the car, it should be pleasant to look at, otherwise everything comes to nothing. It’s like seeing a well-known inscription of three letters scrawled into half the body on one zhyp. At the same time, the quality of the car has not changed, “it does not affect the speed,” but the owner is unlikely to reassure himself with this. The only things I like more than Levin are the Silvia S15, RX-7, M3, the list goes on, but these are birds of a completely different plane. Design solutions are devoid of sophistication and any conspicuous details; everything looks harmonious and at the same time really sporty, largely due to the low silhouette of the body. Some passengers also “thank” this silhouette, groaning and quietly swearing during boarding and disembarking. I really like the taillights and the trunk lid without recesses a la Impreza. I can only find fault with the shape of the headlights; in my opinion, the rounding in the lower inner corner does not look very good, but this is a minor thing. Levin truly thrives in a body kit (for example, C-West or Bomex), on good 16-inch wheels and lowering springs. It looks a little boring in stock, but this applies to almost all cars.

There is not much space in the cabin, but the driver and front passenger can fit quite comfortably, depending on their body type, of course. For example, I saw a photo of Valuev, next to which his hundredth Cruiser looked, well... it would be more correct to say - lurking. By the way, I got the impression that there is more space in the driver's seat than in the passenger seat. It might seem, or maybe it was really done this way on purpose, after all, the car was made primarily for the driver. The front seats, with good lateral support, are sporty-style and tightly fit the body, but at first they do not seem comfortable for long trips. I won’t surprise anyone by saying that there is very little space in the back. People taller than 175 cm rest their heads on the floor and they have to sit either reclining on their elbows or in the middle of the seat with their heads forward (like a donkey in a cart, in the second cartoon about Shrek). You can fit tolerably well behind the passenger seat, slightly displacing the front passenger, so to speak, “in a cramped space, but no offense.” In general, as in most sporty coupes, there are no seats in the back, but if you really want it, then there are. The interior is simple, royal, but cozy. Soft plastic of the dashboard and partly of the doors. All controls, buttons and switches are at hand, everything is convenient (it would be strange if this were not so, given the size of the cabin). Crickets live in places, but you can successfully fight them. I almost defeated mine by partially gluing the dashboard and doing audio preparation - soundproofing the doors. By the way, there is almost no sound insulation as such. I was surprised when I saw a rather thick layer of noise on the engine shield when I was doing the air conditioning, I thought that it wasn’t there either. But overall, I wouldn't say that the cabin is very noisy. I think this is due to design solutions, which, as is known, have a stronger effect on the acoustic comfort in the cabin than soundproofing materials. In winter, you remember the annoying lack of heated seats and mirrors (solved). Otherwise, the interior equipment of the unspoiled one completely suits me. The air conditioner, by the way, has an automatic control mode, essentially the same as climate control. I recently changed the instrument panel lighting from green to red, painting the bulbs with tsapon lacquer. Now almost BZ-R!

How much he eats, how much he rushes.

Performance characteristics: engine capacity 1.6 l., max. power 115/6000, max. torque 150/4800, curb weight 990 kg, max. speed of 180 km/h (by the way, this is achieved quite easily). Max. speed in different gears: 1st – about 50; 2nd - 80; 3rd – 120; 4th – 160; Well, the 5th, it’s clear. This is when switching to 6000-6200 rpm, i.e. in front of the red zone. In principle, the engine can be revved up to 6500 (this is 130 km/h in 3rd gear, if that), there is no point in going further, a drop in torque is noticeable. The cut-off is triggered at 6800 rpm. Up to 2500 rpm, the traction is completely sluggish, from 2500 to 4000 a slight pick-up is felt, after 4000 and further the pick-up is already quite noticeable - the car moves (owners of turbo vehicles, etc., will probably find it funny after reading this).

Acceleration up to 100 km/h. This is where it’s still interesting. I tried to measure it once with a stopwatch on my mobile with the help of a friend. It turned out to be 11.6 seconds (just like the Priora…). This is in the spring, on wet asphalt, winter non-studded worn tires 195/55/15. From the extra weight: comrade - a hundredweight, half a tank of gasoline, a sub in the trunk, and little things. It started from 2000-2500 rpm, if more, it grinds to the red zone, and after switching to 2nd it doesn’t go. The speedometer doesn’t seem to lie, judging by the radars on the Third Transport Ring and the results of paid speed measuring services that were accidentally provided to me. I think that in ideal conditions (without excess weight, on dry asphalt, with summer tires 195/50/15, new filters, spark plugs, etc.), and skillfully, you can do it in 10 seconds. This is exactly how, judging by the catalogues, a left-hand drive Corolla (E10) with the same engine and a slightly larger mass accelerates (there is no official data on this indicator for Levin). By the way, the need to switch to 3rd gear at a speed of 80-90 km/h does not have the best effect on the result. Those. If on the 2nd it would have gone straight to 100, it would probably have worked out a little faster. In general, I am satisfied with the dynamics, but as always I want more. From what I drove myself, the A4 8D 1.8T MT is noticeably faster. By the way, the Celica T23 AT (143 hp) accelerates up to 100 km/h subjectively the same as my Levin; the automatic transmission really hinders it. When assessing the dynamic capabilities of Levin with the not-so-sporty FE engine, it is worth paying attention to the power-to-weight ratio. This results in 115 hp respectively. per ton of weight. For comparison, the A4 mentioned above has 120 hp. per ton (but there is turbo torque), the BMW 320i E46 (170 Hp) has 122 hp. per ton, etc. So even such a Levin, especially on the handle, allows you to feel quite competitive. But this statement is only true if you are traveling alone. Once you seat a couple of passengers, fill up the tank, load the trunk and turn on the air conditioning all the way, Levin gives up and doesn’t want to go anywhere, nor does he want to slow down.

Who did he do (I honestly wanted to, but I couldn’t ignore such an important point in the review about Levin). Somehow another Levin made it, white, lowered, with a body kit, apparently the same BZ-R. I just pulled out of the traffic jam a little earlier and when I already thought that I had left him far and for a long time, he rushed past with the screech of a circular saw, I already shuddered. Impressed! Recently, a timber truck made an expensive trip from the dacha, and almost got my license revoked for exceeding the limit. Seriously, I was sincerely surprised when the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Ford S-MAX frankly made me. Later I found out that the first one is turbocharged, and the second one has 220 horsepower. I think I've dealt with some of these. Consumption of 95 gasoline per 100 km is from 7 to 11 liters. depending on known conditions.

Controllability.

I'm quite happy with it. Again, there was nothing to adequately compare with, meaning similarly sharpened devices. I can say for sure that it’s better than FF1; compared to Levin, it’s just a clumsy vein. The suspension is moderately stiff and relatively comfortable. That's what I thought until I had to go to a dacha in the Ryazan region. If roads are made there, it is according to the principle: there was a hole - there is a bump. Overall terrible. This car is only for good roads. The steering is sharp and precise, sharp turns and lane changes are easy and natural. When cornering, it maintains its trajectory “as if on rails,” but rolls a little; after all, the suspension on my Levin is civilian, Corolla. In order for the car to start drifting on dry asphalt, you still have to try, I admit I don’t have the courage. On wet asphalt and more slippery surfaces, drift is easily predictable and controllable, although this largely depends on the tires. At high speeds (150-180), if the road allows it, of course, Levin seems to press himself against the asphalt, creating the illusion of confidence in himself and the car. But at this speed you should be wary of wave dips, which are often found on roads near Moscow; they are handled very harshly. On one such hole, at a speed of 150, I was thrown so that, I apologize, my butt “teared off” from the seat, it’s good that I was fastened. Ingoda, at a very active pace of movement, I would like the suspension to be even stiffer, but in general the suspension settings are quite consistent with the capabilities of the engine and brakes.

Flaws.

Not without it. In addition, having owned probably any car for a long time, you begin to see and notice things that you had not paid attention to before.

Crickets. This is what has been bothering me for a long time. This has already become some kind of cricket phobia. As already noted, I almost defeated them, but that’s it, ALMOST! Those. you eliminate some creaks and begin to hear others. Moreover, for the first year and a half I didn’t notice them at all, I don’t think they weren’t there, it’s just that after eight the salon seemed almost perfectly quiet to me. And then I started listening and away I went... In fact, it’s enough to turn on the music, and not necessarily louder, but just turn it on, or even open the window (in the summer) and you can’t hear anything. But we are not looking for easy ways... A trip in a Russian car, for contrast, so to speak, or a week-long break in operation also helps, but, unfortunately, not for long. In general, this is not a problem with the car, but with the owner. As they say, a person cannot live without problems; if there are no problems, he creates them for himself.

Black color. This, of course, is not a problem specifically for this machine, but I can’t ignore it. To keep your car relatively clean, you need to spend almost less money on washing than on gasoline. This is in the summer, I’m generally silent about winter. Plus, any small scratches and chips immediately catch the eye and poison the soul.

In general, the disadvantages of this machine follow from its advantages and vice versa, for example: poor sound insulation, thin iron - low weight; gets very dirty (in winter on the Moscow Ring Road it instantly becomes covered in mud, only the embrasures from the windshield wipers remain, almost nothing is visible in the mirrors) - good aerodynamics; a bit harsh - but also handles well; small - but maneuverable, etc. Well, it also has poor cross-country ability, carrying capacity, and cannot fly, swim or drive without gasoline. In short, everything is relative, depending on what you expect from the car. But it is about Levin that one can say: “If you love to ride, love and ride!” And of course, most of those who have not driven on the right hand drive consider it its main drawback. A hackneyed topic, I don’t want to touch on it.

What's next?

Of course, I thought about changing the car, after all, it’s already old, and here lies another problem for Levin: “I won’t give my cow to anyone, I need such a cow myself.” I really like my car, it's MY car. Assessing the possible options, I just don’t want to change Lev, even though he’s old. I'll try to explain. I haven’t gained much money and in reality I can afford a car that is about 1.5 times more expensive than the current one, taking into account its sale, obviously. At the same time, I want a relatively new car, no older than 7, and preferably 5 years old, because I already have one old car, I made it, I don’t want to take another old one and make it again - I don’t want to and don’t see the point. And within these frameworks, I can’t choose anything fundamentally better. Now even more thanks to our government! I really want and can still have the Levin, but in the maximum BZ-R configuration. So what would seem to be the problem. But my other interested half doesn’t understand why, after paying a certain significant amount of money, buy Levin again. Unfortunately, arguments like “it’s more powerful” don’t work here. So I’m in no hurry to part with my iron friend. I'll save money and then we'll see. Besides, it seems to me that if you take good care of this machine, it will then be possible to pass it on by inheritance (theoretically).

Thanks to everyone who read! I apologize to those whom I tired with my opus, or whose time I wasted, I warned.

Toyota Corolla AE101

An interesting new product is the AE104 model. This is the only representative of the series with all-wheel drive, which was not in demand among connoisseurs of sports cars due to poor efficiency and low performance. Under the hood of the AE104 there was a 1.6-liter 4A-FE DOHC engine with a power of 111–115 hp. With. and torque from 150 to 160 Nm. The transmission was offered both automatic and manual.

Perhaps the car would have been more popular in Russia if it weren’t for right-hand drive, since a sports car with all-wheel drive is an excellent option for domestic roads.

However, the AE104 was not produced specifically for the Russian market.

Fourth generation

The AE 110 and AE111 cars became the best-selling cars in the series, but this situation arose only because the generation turned out to be the last. The classic Toyota Corolla AE110 JDM is a great candidate for the role of the best drift car of the late 90s - early 00s. According to tradition, under the hood of the AE110 there is a 1.5-liter 5A-FE DOHC engine with a production of 101 hp. With. and 138 Nm. Such technical characteristics, coupled with a weight of only 980 kg, allowed the driver of the AE 110 to fully control the skid and make it as smooth as possible.

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Tuned Toyota Corolla Levin AE110

The Toyota Corolla Levin AE111, interestingly, left its performance unchanged compared to the AE101, completely repeating its engine and configuration. According to the majority of car owners, the AE 110 is the most balanced representative of the series along with the first generation. Toyota Corolla AE111 and AE110 are equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission (the AE111 in some trim levels, unlike the AE 110, offers a 4-speed automatic) and the usual front-wheel drive. However, the designers did not dare experiment with all-wheel drive versions like the AE104.