2005 TOYOTA COROLLA NEW CAR BUYER'S GUIDE

What's New for the 2005 Toyota Corolla?
Originally scheduled to debut late last year, the sport-tuned 2005 Toyota Corolla XRS arrives with a slightly modified version of the 1.8-liter inline four engine and six-speed manual transmission found in both the Celica GT-S and Matrix XRS. The engine makes 170 horsepower but has a broader range of power than in the other two cars. A stiffer suspension, 16-inch alloy wheels and sharper steering complement the engine's performance intent. Sport seats and a liberal sprinkling of themed badging and trim lets you know that the 2005 Toyota Corolla XRS is no ordinary economy sedan. All 2005 Toyota Corollas receive a fresh face, with new bumper, grille and headlight treatments, along with restyled rear taillights. The uplevel Corolla LE gets Lexus-style Optitron gauges, fabric-covered sun visors and a center console lid. Base CE and premium LE Corollas get fresh wheel covers and the sporty S model receives a new front spoiler, fog lamps and smoked headlamp masking. Side curtain airbags and vehicle stability control are new options on all 2005 Toyota Corolla sedans.

Advantages of the 2005 Toyota Corolla:

• Quality construction
• Reputation for durability
• Peppy engine with great fuel mileage
• Roomy rear seat
• Fresh front styling

Objections to the 2005 Toyota Corolla:

• Lacks front legroom
• Poor front seat comfort for larger people
• High price tag when optioned up
• Several economy sedans offer more value for the money

Editor's Advice:
Taller folks will not enjoy driving the Corolla, as it lacks front seat legroom. But the rear seat is large, the trunk roomy, and the Corolla benefits from a long history of providing trouble free operation to its owners. The powerful new Toyota Corolla XRS competes squarely with such pocket rockets as the Ford Focus ZX4 ST, Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart and Nissan Sentra SE-R, providing Toyota with an entry in a market it underserved (the Dodge Neon SRT-4, however, will suck the headlamps off of any of these vehicles). In terms of a recommendation, the 2005 Toyota Corolla lands mid-pack in the compact sedan marketplace. You could do better, but you could also do worse. Be sure to try some of our favorites in the class, such as the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda 3 or Mitsubishi Lancer before settling on the Toyota Corolla.