Toyota Corolla Hatchback 2002-2004

The new generation Corolla is a good improvement over the previous generations thanks to the improved design and high-quality interior. It comes in four body types: a hatchback, saloon, estate or verso with all of them being offered with strong engines and sharp, accurate handling.

Pros and Cons:

• Solid build quality
  Spacious interiors
  Superior handling abilities

• Lack of refinement in smaller diesel engines

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Exterior and Interior

The Toyota Corolla is sold as Hatchback, Saloon, Estate or Verso. All four of them look very stylish and modern, which makes a nice change from the older generation Corolla’s. The interiors are also a vast improvement introducing higher-quality materials, a more ergonomic layout with the whole cabin felling well crafted. All cars have enough leg-room to seat adults comfortably at the back.

All models come with split-folding rear seats enabling you to increase the load space. The Verso, as the name suggests, is the most versatile and lets you tumble and slide the seats back and forth to find the perfect balance between luggage compartment space and the passenger comfort.

Of the three trim levels, the T3 is the one to go for as it offers enough kit for most people, including air-con, alloys, climate control and electric windows throughout. If you want a little more equipment then the T Spirit is the trim you should go for.

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Engines

There are seven engines available across the Toyota Corolla range, but none of the models receive all six units. The hatchback and saloon have a 95bhp 1.4-litre, 110bhp 1.6-litre petrol and a 89bhp 1.4-litre D-4D and 114bhp 2.0-litre D-4D diesel units. The hatchback comes with one additional engine that is not available with the saloon - a 1.8-litre petrol unit producing 190bhp.

The Verso receives the same 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre D-4D units as the hatchback and saloon, but also has a 130bhp 1.8-litre petrol and a 134bhp 2.2-litre D-4D diesel to choose from.

The estate, on the other hand, only comes with two engines: a 1.6-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre D-4D diesel units.

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Performance and Economy

The 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines have both proven to be very popular thanks to their good fuel efficiency. They can manage over 40mpgs and both engines feel energetic. The 1.6-litre just has the edge over the smaller engine, but there’s not that much to separate the two. For many, the 1.8-litre is the petrol engine to go for in the Toyota Corolla Verso model, as it doesn’t struggle under a full load like the 1.6 would. However, it still lacks the pulling power of the diesels. The 1.8-litre petrol engine, once mounted onto the hatchback, is a much more capable engine. It goes from 0-60mph in 8.7 seconds making it the fastest engine available, but it only returns 34mpg.

The 1.4-litre D-4D gives that extra torque that is lacking in the petrol units and is the most economical engine on offer achieving 58mpg. Unfortunately it isn’t a quick engine, reaching 60mph after painful 14 seconds. The 2.0-litre D-4D is a much better and more popular option, going from 0-60mph in 10.3 seconds. It is fairly economical too at 50mpg. The 2.2-litre D-4D is the best choice in the Verso range, being fairly quick whilst still managing a respectable 44mpg.

The insurance costs are fairly reasonable with the majority of the Corollas falling between groups 3 and 7. The 1.8-litre Sport hatchback goes into group 16.

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What it's like to Drive

All of the Corolla models are very good to drive with the steering being accurate and sharp. The suspension is soft, being able to soak up all the bumps in the road whilst still maintaining good body control through the corners. Even in the tall Verso doesn’t wallow too much. All of body variants handle motorway cruising just as well as country lanes in a safe and predictable manner.

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Faults and Repairs

As with most Toyotas, the Corolla has proven to be fairly reliable. There have been some problems with the passenger airbag and brakes, but the issues were sorted out fairly quickly with operative recalls. Other than that there should be nothing to worry about. Only make sure that everything works and that the Toyota Corolla you are looking at has a full service history.

As for service costs, they can prove more costly than on some of its rivals. On a positive side, the diesel units need servicing less often - only every 20,000 miles compared to the petrol engines’ 10,000 miles. Repair costs for the Corolla are also slightly higher than it’s rivals, but then you are less likely to need repairs provided the car is serviced regularly.

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