Test Drive: 2003 Toyota Corolla S

If styling sold cars, the Toyota Corolla would be a just a footnote in automotive history.

But considering that the Corolla is possibly the best selling passenger car in the world – Toyota has sold some 30 million Corollas through eight generations since its introduction in 1966 – it is obvious buyers place a higher value on other attributes.

Such as its rock sold reputation for build quality, reliability and safety. As Jeremy Cato notes in his review of the 1998-2002 Toyota Corolla, there hasn’t been a safety recall of the Corolla since 1997. And the Corolla is perennially recommended by auto magazines, auto clubs and consumer groups.

All Toyota would need to do to stay on top of the sales charts would be to give consumers more of what they have come to expect in a Corolla. And with the newly re-designed 2003 Corolla, this is exactly what Toyota has done.

With one exception. They have also given consumers something missing in the Corolla line-up for the past decade – a bit of style.

No, the 2003 Corolla does not break any new styling barriers. It is not the new wave in automotive design. But it is contemporary and fresh looking. And it’s sport sedan model – the subject of this review – at least looks sporty, even if beneath the surface it is no different than either of the other two Corolla models.

But an updated look would be worth little to typical Corolla buyers if Toyota did not take care of the fundamentals. And in this respect the 2003 Corolla is ground breaking.

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The new Corolla raises the standard for interior room and ride comfort in a compact sedan. It is longer, wider and higher than the previous generation Corolla. It has a longer wheelbase and a softer, more compliant ride. It has a tall, roomy interior and offers more standard equipment at a lower price than the old Corolla. Just what anyone would want in a new car – more for less.

The 2003 Corolla is well-equipped for vehicles in this class. Standard equipment on the Corolla CE, with a base price of $15,290, $475 less than the 2002 model, includes 4-speaker, AM/FM stereo with single CD compact disc, tilt steering, digital dual-trip odometer with outside temperature gauge, 60/40 split folding rear seat, carpet floor mats, digital clock, power remote mirrors and intermittent wipers. Buyers can add air conditioning, interior air filter, keyless entry and power door locks for $2,010 and automatic transmission for $1,000.

The centre console, common to all Corolla models contains dual cup holders, a large storage bin and accessory power outlet. A small coin holder to the left of the steering wheel, small map pockets in the doors, and a non-locking glove box complete the interior storage.

Our test car was the mid-range S sport sedan which adds a higher level of comfort and convenience features, a unique to the S all-black interior and sporty exterior visual cues such as body coloured outside mirrors and body-side molding, rear spoiler, ground-effects package, aluminum alloy wheels and fog lamps. A 6-speaker AM/FM stereo, air conditioning, silhouette lighted gauges (black and red on white), tachometer, leather wrapped steering wheel, chrome trim, power door locks and remote keyless entry are standard for $19,650. For $1,695, buyers can add power windows, cruise control and power moon roof.

Completing the 2003 Corolla line-up, the LE loses the sporty exterior add-ons of the S, but gains premium fabric seats, cruise control, simulated wood-grain trim and anti-lock brakes for a base price of $19,865. Available options include a luxury option package that adds power windows, leather seats with side air bags, leather wrapped steering wheel, power moon roof, electrochromic rear view mirror with compass, theft deterrent system and fog lamps for $2,890. A four-speed automatic transmission adds an additional $1,000.

Despite its sporty looks – and the wheels, spoiler and side skirts do give the S a more aggressive look – the Corolla sport sedan rides on the same suspension as CE and LE models and is powered by the same 1.8 litre, 4-cylinder engine. With VVT-i (Toyota’s Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence), this 16-valve powerplant produces 130 horsepower at 6,000 rpm – 5 more than the previous generation Corolla – and 125 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm.

The extra five horsepower are needed because the 2003 Corolla S with manual transmission is 55 kg (147 lbs) heavier than the 2002 model. The Corolla could also have benefitted from more torque, but despite the use of a new, large plenum intake manifold, torque remains the same. Acceleration with the manual transmission is brisk, if not stellar. But it is certainly comparable to most other economy cars and more than adequate for most driving situations.

The clutch in the new Corolla is heavier than other manual-equipped compacts I’ve driven and some drivers may find this a bit tiring. But it permits better clutch control when shifting the Corolla’s gear box with its fairly long throws and wide gear spacing.

Fuel efficiency has improved slightly for manual transmission equipped cars, but declined for cars equipped with an automatic transmission. However, the 1.8 litre engine meets the stringent requirements for Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) rating.

Buyers should be aware that the Corolla S is a sport sedan in name and appearance only. Underneath, all models share the same suspension components – independent, MacPherson gas struts, coil springs and stabilizer bar up front and torsion beam, coil springs and stabilizer bar in the rear.

Perhaps its greatest asset, the Corolla provides excellent ride comfort for a compact car. It is more comfortable than many of its competitors and, with its longer wheel base, comparable to many larger sedans.

Typically ride comfort is earned at the expense of handling and road feel. Thanks to a relocated steering rack, Corolla comfort does not obscure steering feedback. The Corolla is agile in traffic and responsive to input at the wheel. The car is also stable in cornering, but will respond with predictable understeer and minimal body roll when pushed.

Standard safety features on the Corolla CE and S include dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags and three-point seatbelts for all occupants. Front seatbelts have pretensioners and force limiters as well as height-adjustable shoulder anchors. The back seat is equipped with ISO-FIX child restraint seat anchors and child protection locks for added security.

The Corolla S, like the CE, is equipped with power assisted front disc brakes and rear drums. Anti-lock brakes are not available, even as an option. To get ABS – or side air bags – one must move up the social scale to the Corolla LE.

Despite the many improvements, I had one serious gripe with the new Corolla – front seats that were not only uncomfortable, but tiring. Throughout my week with the Corolla S, I was never comfortable no matter how I adjusted the seat. With my legs at a comfortable distance from the pedals, I had to stretch (and I am well over six feet tall) to reach the steering wheel and radio controls. And a lack of support under the thighs left my legs feeling tired and sore after an hour or two behind the wheel of the manual transmission-equipped car.

How, I asked myself, is this possible? The 2003 Corolla has been stretched in almost every direction. It is 110 mm longer, 5 mm wider and 95 mm higher. The wheel base has been lengthened from 2,465 mm to 2,600 mm. Bigger should be better, right?

The biggest beneficiaries of this growth spurt are rear seat passengers and the trunk. There is more rear leg room (36 mm), more rear head room (6 mm) and more rear shoulder room (32 mm).

And trunk space grew from .343 cubic metres (12.1 cu.ft.) to a class leading .39 cubic metres (13.6 cu.ft.). Compared to other compact sedans, the Corolla’s trunk is a very large space indeed, and one the grows even larger with the rear seat backs folded. Although the seat backs do not fold flat, the head rests do not need to be removed.

But despite the growth in proportions, head room up front is the same (998 mm) while leg room actually shrunk by 33 mm.

What has really changed between 2002 and 2003 is the “hip point”. Driver and passengers sit higher in the vehicle than before, which should be a more comfortable seating position, but for some reason isn’t, at least in my case.

Shorter people will be able to take advantage of the driver’s seat height adjustment (not available on Corolla CE), which not only raises the seat, but moves it forward at the same time, bringing them a bit closer to the steering wheel and the radio controls. The higher seat position also makes it easier to get in and out of the car.

Rear seat passengers won’t complain either. Three adults can sit comfortably in the back seat of the 2003 Corolla. The higher front seat position also provides greater under-seat space for feet. My back seat critics, three relatively large children, gave the Corolla “six thumbs up” for rear seat comfort.