Topic: Day-by-Day Review: 2013 Toyota Corolla LE; Day 1

[johngenx]

I wonder why Mazda sucks wind so bad in the states?  They DO buy compact cars: 200,000 Civics and Corolla/Matrix alone.

[Solstice2006]

I wonder why Mazda sucks wind so bad in the states?  They DO buy compact cars: 200,000 Civics and Corolla/Matrix alone.

I didn't say they didn't buy compacts, I said we buy more compacts than mid-size sedans in Canada.  In the US, they buy more mid-size sedans, Accord & Camry over 250,000 in the US!

Mazda sales in the USA have always been an unknown issue to me.  The first generation Mazda6 did well here and in the USA, so when it comes to redesign it, they make it larger and less unique for our neighbours down south, and it did worse.  So apparently Mazda doesn't understand the American market, but I can relate neither do I!

[johngenx]

Toyota seems to have great success with non-polarizing products, but Mazda can't seem to crack the market in the US regardless of what they do.

Marketing?  Pricing?  Dealer network?

[Black Hatch]

Toyota seems to have great success with non-polarizing products, but Mazda can't seem to crack the market in the US regardless of what they do.

Marketing?  Pricing?  Dealer network?

Association with Ford for so many years.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Toyota seems to have great success with non-polarizing products, but Mazda can't seem to crack the market in the US regardless of what they do.

Marketing?  Pricing?  Dealer network?

Association with Ford for so many years.

Ford's the only reason Mazda still exists.

[Black Hatch]

Toyota seems to have great success with non-polarizing products, but Mazda can't seem to crack the market in the US regardless of what they do.

Marketing?  Pricing?  Dealer network?

Association with Ford for so many years.

Ford's the only reason Mazda still exists.

I never said the association was bad.
Moreso of the very very general reasoning of why get Mazda when you can get a cheaper priced Ford.
They are the same right? (when they shared the same platform)
Memories live long I guess.


Part I don't understand is that Renault bought shares in Nissan (similar like how Ford bought Mazda) yet the US market doesn't associate the two.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Toyota seems to have great success with non-polarizing products, but Mazda can't seem to crack the market in the US regardless of what they do.

Marketing?  Pricing?  Dealer network?

Association with Ford for so many years.

Ford's the only reason Mazda still exists.

I never said the association was bad.
Moreso of the very very general reasoning of why get Mazda when you can get a cheaper priced Ford.
They are the same right? (when they shared the same platform)
Memories live long I guess.


Part I don't understand is that Renault bought shares in Nissan (similar like how Ford bought Mazda) yet the US market doesn't associate the two.

Oh I gotcha.

The Mazda dealers we had in NB were on the flaky side compared to say the Toyota dealer. I'm not sure if it was widespread or not.

It's kind of funny how things evolved. Datsun was the dominant Japanese player in the 1970s, then seemed to lose their mojo and both Toyota and Honda blew past them. Mazda did tend to have quirkier products I think which might have limited their appeal.

[Solstice2006]

Gas here at $1.329/l (and climbing I'm sure) and $4.419/US gallon just across the border + 5.5l/100 km if they all get what John gets (or his wife gets) = who gives a ship how boring it is.  I doubt the Elantra gets 5.5...I doubt the Mazda 3 gets 5.5...I'm starting to stress about filling the cars, never mind the truck ($113 US!!  )...thank goodness we're not going anywhere this summer.  I think I might want a Corolla...they won the fuel economy challenge dang near every time, when they used to do them...cough cough...hello?  Time for another one??

The fuel economy challenge didn't have the Mazda3 Sky.  The compact comparo from Dec 2012, showed the Mazda3 Skyactiv, ahead of the Corolla....

"At the end of the day, it is a car that fulfills a mission we find hard to relate to. It is spacious in the front and rear seats, and cargo volume is also sufficient for basic needs. It is practical (easy to get in and out of and install a child seat), safe (IIHS Top Safety Pick), and lives up to its promise of fuel efficiency at 7.8 L/100 km observed, the second-best results in the test behind only the Mazda3"

When Ford and Mazda shared joint partnerships, some platforms and powertrains may have been the same, but still many things were different.  It's not like the Mazda6 and Ford Fusion were the same, the Mazda handled way better.  The 4 cylinder used in the Focus, was engineered by Mazda, still used in many Ford products today, without the partnership. 

Your probably right...marketing and lack of dealerships are probably the bigger issues with Mazda in the US..

[vickenp]

My 2 cents...its perfect for what it does

if not mistaken its the 2nd best selling car around the world of all time - vw bug being #1 --- don't quote me on this

if the car for me - no

boring to me - yes

what gets me, esp here in montreal....is seeing one of these in front of me, esp in that colour....why are the drivers so...nervous at the wheel, scared, or simply just lost?

I have noticed dumb last sec decisions, about to cause a major headache for other drivers, or left lane highway drivers whistling their tune on or about 80kms.

Next in line, same shades of colour - camry drivers.

Every now and then a darkly tinted corolla, u know wine colour with maybe 'fast' after market wheels, possibly last generation model with a dent here and there,  fly by owning the road, in their 4 speed autos, not realizing the car isn't designed for speed or handling

maybe its me, but they are the guys on our roads causing SO many problems for other drivers.

The old corolla's of the 80s, SRS with pop up lights, recall the fun ones...well those days r over

sell by numbers....sorry to say Honda has been heading this way too

[caretaker007]

  seen pictures of the NEW 2014 Corolla.They have done a nice job on it.

[Threader]

Reported: Entry level 2014 Corollas still saddled with ancient 4-speed auto. L L as a complimentary bonus they throw in a free cigarette lighter and ash tray with every 4-speed sold 

[Vanstar]

My 2 cents...its perfect for what it does

if not mistaken its the 2nd best selling car around the world of all time - vw bug being #1 --- don't quote me on this

if the car for me - no

boring to me - yes

what gets me, esp here in montreal....is seeing one of these in front of me, esp in that colour....why are the drivers so...nervous at the wheel, scared, or simply just lost?

I have noticed dumb last sec decisions, about to cause a major headache for other drivers, or left lane highway drivers whistling their tune on or about 80kms.

Next in line, same shades of colour - camry drivers.

Every now and then a darkly tinted corolla, u know wine colour with maybe 'fast' after market wheels, possibly last generation model with a dent here and there,  fly by owning the road, in their 4 speed autos, not realizing the car isn't designed for speed or handling

maybe its me, but they are the guys on our roads causing SO many problems for other drivers.

The old corolla's of the 80s, SRS with pop up lights, recall the fun ones...well those days r over

sell by numbers....sorry to say Honda has been heading this way too

The best selling car in history is the Corolla, at more than 39,000,000 units. The VW bug sold 21,500,000 units. The Corolla is still the best selling car in the world.

[bensonc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1997-2000_Toyota_Corolla_Levin_%28AE111%29_BZ-R_coupe_01.jpg

There is some nicer corolla around, it just not available outside of Japan.

[mixmanmash]

My 2 cents...its perfect for what it does

if not mistaken its the 2nd best selling car around the world of all time - vw bug being #1 --- don't quote me on this

if the car for me - no

boring to me - yes

what gets me, esp here in montreal....is seeing one of these in front of me, esp in that colour....why are the drivers so...nervous at the wheel, scared, or simply just lost?

I have noticed dumb last sec decisions, about to cause a major headache for other drivers, or left lane highway drivers whistling their tune on or about 80kms.

Next in line, same shades of colour - camry drivers.

Every now and then a darkly tinted corolla, u know wine colour with maybe 'fast' after market wheels, possibly last generation model with a dent here and there,  fly by owning the road, in their 4 speed autos, not realizing the car isn't designed for speed or handling

maybe its me, but they are the guys on our roads causing SO many problems for other drivers.

The old corolla's of the 80s, SRS with pop up lights, recall the fun ones...well those days r over

sell by numbers....sorry to say Honda has been heading this way too

The best selling car in history is the Corolla, at more than 39,000,000 units. The VW bug sold 21,500,000 units. The Corolla is still the best selling car in the world.

That's just a nameplate that sold.  There were earlier generations that were pretty sweet compared to what they did later to the nameplate.  AE86 comes to mind.

[Black Hatch]

Gas here at $1.329/l (and climbing I'm sure) and $4.419/US gallon just across the border + 5.5l/100 km if they all get what John gets (or his wife gets) = who gives a ship how boring it is.  I doubt the Elantra gets 5.5...I doubt the Mazda 3 gets 5.5...I'm starting to stress about filling the cars, never mind the truck ($113 US!!  )...thank goodness we're not going anywhere this summer.  I think I might want a Corolla...they won the fuel economy challenge dang near every time, when they used to do them...cough cough...hello?  Time for another one??

The fuel economy challenge didn't have the Mazda3 Sky.  The compact comparo from Dec 2012, showed the Mazda3 Skyactiv, ahead of the Corolla....

"At the end of the day, it is a car that fulfills a mission we find hard to relate to. It is spacious in the front and rear seats, and cargo volume is also sufficient for basic needs. It is practical (easy to get in and out of and install a child seat), safe (IIHS Top Safety Pick), and lives up to its promise of fuel efficiency at 7.8 L/100 km observed, the second-best results in the test behind only the Mazda3"

When Ford and Mazda shared joint partnerships, some platforms and powertrains may have been the same, but still many things were different.  It's not like the Mazda6 and Ford Fusion were the same, the Mazda handled way better.  The 4 cylinder used in the Focus, was engineered by Mazda, still used in many Ford products today, without the partnership. 

Your probably right...marketing and lack of dealerships are probably the bigger issues with Mazda in the US..

Or maybe the attitude is different in the USA than the rest of the world.
US public puts more of on large, spacious, comfy and cheap vehicles with emphasis on functionality.
whereas Mazda was producing smaller sporty vehicles with emphasis on fun.

But maybe Mazda will turn the corner with their Skyactiv engines....

[dboz]

Back in 2008 the matrix seemed like the best car I could get with the little money I had. I had two Mazda protégés before the matrix, although they were nice to drive, they were simply unreliable; both had a/c but they failed soon after I purchased them, last nail to the coffin was the $435 dealer only egr valve.. Never again...

The Matrix had a bit of issues as well, but they were minor, like sway bars/exhaust, etc. The car drives like new, gets suberb real world mpg, has enormous utility for its size, has no rust, and I'm pretty confident that it'll see the 400k mark with minor maintenance..

I just can't see any other car out there that can match the Matrix, any other same year car would be rusted out with engine/transmission issues by now. So if I were to buy a vehicle right now, I'd buy the very same thing..

It has 240k (80k in 3 yrs with me) and it's a winner, I'm keeping it

Imo a corolla /matrix is probably the best purchase out there, if you can live with it.

[Frontier1]

Commuting to Ottawa daily, I'm not a slow lane type driver, therefore I know the Corolla would not work for me and would not do better(mpg) than a Civic, Cruze, Elantra or Sentra  which all look way way better.

[quadzilla]

I just can't see any other car out there that can match the Matrix, any other same year car would be rusted out with engine/transmission issues by now. So if I were to buy a vehicle right now, I'd buy the very same thing..

It has 240k (80k in 3 yrs with me) and it's a winner, I'm keeping it

   WTF?  You might want to check out the mileage thread that shows many other people that have cars that are older and more mileage than yours.

[mixmanmash]

Back in 2008 the matrix seemed like the best car I could get with the little money I had. I had two Mazda protégés before the matrix, although they were nice to drive, they were simply unreliable; both had a/c but they failed soon after I purchased them, last nail to the coffin was the $435 dealer only egr valve.. Never again...

The Matrix had a bit of issues as well, but they were minor, like sway bars/exhaust, etc. The car drives like new, gets suberb real world mpg, has enormous utility for its size, has no rust, and I'm pretty confident that it'll see the 400k mark with minor maintenance..

I just can't see any other car out there that can match the Matrix, any other same year car would be rusted out with engine/transmission issues by now. So if I were to buy a vehicle right now, I'd buy the very same thing..

It has 240k (80k in 3 yrs with me) and it's a winner, I'm keeping it

Imo a corolla /matrix is probably the best purchase out there, if you can live with it.

You had some bad luck with Protégés.  I currently have 325000kms on mine which I have owned since new.  Aside from the rust problems and normal wear and tear, the car has been pretty damn stout considering my abusive driving style in my early 20s.  Only things I had go wrong were stabilizer bar end links and a couple of brake calipers that siezed up.  And those were around the 200000km mark.  At 300000km mark the front wheel bearings needed replacement.

[DBrown]

This car is obviously quite dated, but the quality of assembly is still impressive. Look inside the interior and the parts line up almost perfectly. And it's built in Canada. Well done, boys and girls

That said, the next-generation Corolla needs to be a big improvement in all areas or this great franchise will start to crumble. Even a car that isn't aimed at enthusiasts needs to maintain a minimum standard of competitiveness. The 2013 model is skating dangerously close to that line.