Today’s next feature is an early 70s Corolla that has been shortened by over 14 inches, which means someone looked at an already small early Corolla and decided it had too many inches of wheelbase. The proportions are hilariously wrong in the best possible way. Shortened body, hood scoop, black paint, red interior, old-school wheels, […]
The AE92 Corolla GTS doesn’t get the same spotlight as its rear-drive predecessor, but it carries the same high-revving spirit into a more modern, front-wheel-drive package. Powered by Toyota’s 4A-GE twin-cam 16-valve engine, it’s all about light weight, sharp response, and making the most of every bit of momentum. What makes these interesting now is […]
The 1987-1988 Toyota Corolla FX16 was Toyota’s late 1980s answer to the GTI, a lightweight front wheel drive hatch built at the NUMMI plant in California and powered by the high revving 1.6 liter 4A GE twin cam engine. With 108 horsepower, a 5 speed manual, four wheel disc brakes, and available GTS trim with […]
Toyota built millions of Corollas in the 2000s, but only a few slipped out of the factory with a secret weapon under the hood: the 2ZZ-GE inline-4, co-developed with Yamaha. Normally found screaming away in the Celica GTS or Lotus Elise, here it’s hiding in plain sight inside a green four-door econobox. Paired with a […]
Head over to the Toyota.com website, where they’ve dubbed the soy-flavored Corolla with the tagline “Fun to drive. Styled to be seen.” It’s basically their way of saying, “Get ready for a ride as thrilling as waiting at the DMV.” The hip urban youth in the ads, decked out in yoga pants and multitasking with […]
I knew someone (well, still know her, truth be told) who an almost identical car and it was remarkable for being unremarkable aside from the happy yellow paint. The car was totally gutless, but reliable and got its passengers to/from destinations without fuss, fits, or air conditioning. Today’s example is technically the smaller Tercel subcompact […]
Toyota’s 3rd generation of Corolla (E30 in sedan form) won’t knock your socks off in any measurable sense…but it will give you some idea as to why the Japanese manufacturers started bearing American big-3 at the economy car market. These things are relatively cheap to operate, maintain, and own. Don’t expect it to be as […]
The third generation of Toyota’s Corolla was sold from 1974 through 1981 and is probably the vehicle you could credit with putting Toyota on the trajectory from a small Saab sized company in 1974 to the worlds biggest builder of horseless carriages in 2009. The Corolla Liftback wasn’t the fastest, sportiest, or most luxurious car […]
This next car comes as a tip from John who writes: ’81 Corolla. Checks all the boxes, 40 years old, one owner, factory AC. Yes, that about sums it up. Except for one last thing. This is cheap. You don’t need a trust fund or a median salary as a developer with thefacebook. All you […]
On the Toyota website, the soggy soybean oil favored Corolla is given the tag line “Refine your routine” — a not-so-subtle acknowledgement that the Corolla is about as much fun as a trip to the oral surgeon. The depicted urban youngsters dancing around in yoga pants, checking their credit report on their mobile phone, or […]