Old Toyota Corolla - what to expect?
Content
Finding flaws in the most popular model in history is very difficult. Whether it's a new car or a used one, the Toyota Corolla continues to enjoy strong market demand. At the same time, Autoweek specialists focus on the tenth generation, which is produced from 2006 to 2013. It is only available as a sedan as the hatchback has been replaced by a separate Auris model.
In 2009, the Corolla received a facelift and was cosmetic on the outside, but brought major upgrades to the main units. Part of them is the appearance of an automatic transmission with a torque converter, which replaced the robotic transmission in the model.
See the strengths and weaknesses of the model:
Body
The tenth generation Corolla boasts good rust protection, which is one of the model's strong points. The most common scratches appear on the front of the vehicle, as well as on the fenders, sills and doors. If the owner responds in time and quickly removes them, the spread of corrosion will be stopped and the problem will be solved very easily.
Body
In older units of the model, that is, those manufactured before 2009, it often happens that door locks fail in cold weather. There is also a problem with the starter, as it appears at low temperatures and high humidity. However, these shortcomings were eliminated when the model was updated.
Suspension
This very important element in almost every car has almost no flaws in the Corolla. All suspension parts, with the exception of the front stabilizer bushings, serve quite a long time and do not need to be replaced. In general, plastic parts sometimes wear out quickly, especially if the vehicle is operated in areas with lower temperatures. Brake caliper discs need to be checked and serviced regularly so that there are no unpleasant surprises.
Engines
The main offer on the market is the 1.6 engine (1ZR-FE, 124 hp), which is often called the benchmark of the “iron engine”. However, older units often accumulate scale in cylinders between 100 and 000 miles, resulting in increased oil consumption. The bike was upgraded in 150, which affects its reliability, it easily covers a distance of up to 000 km. The timing belt runs smoothly up to 2009 km, but this does not apply to the cooling pump and thermostat.
Engines
Other engines available for the tenth generation Corolla are much rarer on the market. Gasoline 1.4 (4ZZ-FE), 1.33 (1NR-FE) and 1.8 (1ZZ-FE) as a whole do not differ significantly, and have similar problems - a tendency to scale on the cylinder walls and an increase in "appetite" for oil with higher mileage. The diesels are the 1.4 and 2.0 D4D, as well as the 2.2d, and they have low fuel consumption, but they have relatively little power, and this leads many to avoid them.
Gear boxes
Few people complain about manual transmissions, and this is mainly due to the relatively short life of the clutch. However, this largely depends on how you drive and the conditions in which the vehicle is used. However, this does not apply to the MMT (C50A) robotic transmission, which is rather fragile and unreliable. Sometimes it breaks down quite early - up to 100 km, and up to 000 km, earn very few pieces. The control unit, drives and disks “die”, so finding a used Corolla with such a transmission is not the best option if the box is not replaced.
Gear boxes
In 2009, the proven Aisin U340E torque converter automatic returns. The only complaint against him is that he has only 4 gears. Overall, this is a very reliable unit that, with proper and regular maintenance, travels up to 300000 km with few problems.
Interior
One of the few shortcomings of the tenth generation Corolla. They are associated not so much with the equipment of the car, but with its poor ergonomics, and this is a problem when traveling long distances. Among the main problems are uncomfortable seats. The salon is also relatively small, and most owners complain about poor soundproofing. However, the air conditioner and stove work at the level, and there are practically no complaints about them.
Security
The tenth generation Toyota Corolla passed EuroNCAP crash tests in 2007. Then the model received the maximum 5 stars to protect the driver and adult passengers. Child protection received 4 stars and pedestrian protection 3 stars.
To buy or not?
Despite some flaws, this Corolla remains one of the best deals on the used car market. The main advantages are that the car is not pretentious and therefore very reliable. That is why experts recommend it, provided that it should still be carefully studied, if possible in a specialized service.
