Buying a used Toyota Corolla: Ever since the first Toyota Corolla arrived in this country - complete with a previously unheard of built-in radio as standard - it has become a firm favourite with Irish buyers.
Indeed, over 30 years later the Corolla has become the Japanese equivalent of the Volkswagen Beetle or the Ford Escort. It has achieved its global popularity not by being the cheapest or the best looking car around but by being an extremely dependable and economical car ideally suited to family motoring.
Last week Toyota announced that it was tweaking the latest Corolla, which was launched in 2002, to give it a bit more market appeal. However, the changes are so minor there won't be any danger of not recognising the car.
The Corolla comes in many guises - petrol and diesel versions and three and five-door hatchback and four door saloons - and there is a variety of trim levels on the different models. It probably looks best, however, as a three-door hatchback. The basic 1.4 petrol engine is a good workhorse with variable valve timing and is quiet, economical and smooth but not overpowered by any means. The new diesel is a D4d unit, which is very impressive and a huge improvement over the earlier diesel used in the range.
There is also a Verso model that has rear folding seats and can be rearranged internally for family motoring. However, the new Verso is such an impressive improvement that it would be wiser to wait for one to come onto the market.
The Corolla driving experience is one of dull but very worthy performance. Smooth, capable and dependable about sums it up. This car can be described as being perfectly designed and engineered for average motoring needs. Inside, it features a lot of grey plastic, but the seats are hard wearing and reasonably comfortable and the same can be said of the space for passengers.
The newer model has a four out of a possible five-star rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests. The car is described as having performed well in most of the elements of the tests. Frontal impact did not breach the body and there was only minor deformation recorded. Side impact protection is described as "reasonable" but protection for children restrained in the back was described as "poor". Pedestrians would fare better in an accident with a Corolla than with most of its competitors.
The Corolla holds its value well. A four-year-old hatchback model with a 1.4 petrol engine and 28,000 miles on the clock is on offer at one garage at 13,300, while a similar two-year-old model with the newer body and engine and 36,000 on the clock has an asking price of 15,995. As always the Toyota name suggests trouble-free motoring and it would be unfair to burden the Corolla with a fault list. Of course, every car can have problems but the Corolla has a reputation for extreme reliability and any complaints have been minor.
- DONAL BYRNE