Toyota Corolla Hatchback (02-06) - Review

Review by Parkers on
The latest Corolla was an attempt to prove Toyota was the equal of Volkswagen in terms of build quality helped by a European look to car. This was further refined in 2004, although the Corolla still has the image of a dependable car rather than an exciting one, or one with badge appeal. Even the T Sport seems to have much of the fun taken out of it, while many find it tiresome working the engine to the 6200rpm point where its performance starts to kick in. The exception is the T Sport Compressor - a 250 unit limited edition fitted with a supercharger and with power boosted to 215bhp from 190bhp. It offers a relatively exclusive hot hatchback with smooth performance, good handling and a superb exhaust note.
4 out of 5

Other Toyota reviews

4 out of 5

Running costs

Major Services are 20,000 miles apart although Toyota still like to see the cars for a 'health check' at 10,000-mile intervals. Insurance is cheap insurance, fuel economy good (except on the 1.8). Toyota has worked to reduce the cost of replacement parts with this Corolla from the last one and labour times are also shorter than before.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,461 - £2,046 *

Diesel

£1,105 - £1,424 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

12 months or 10,000 miles.

Warranty

Mechanical three years, bodywork six years.

Road tax (12 months)

£100.00 - £270.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

3.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
    126
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
    211
  • L
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

Corolla scores well on the eco front. With an average of 163 g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are relatively low for a small family hatchback. However, it's worth noting that the line up has a high number of diesel models, bringing the average down and giving buyers more choices of low-emission versions. Diesels typically produce less CO2 than petrol engines with similar power outputs. Eco-conscious buyers should consider the 1.4-litre diesel, which is one of the greenest models in the range. The range is also fairly economical, averaging 43 mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2