CTC Review: 2009 Toyota Corolla S

[Honda Owner]

I have no hate for GM, either. It is just after having owned one for three, looooong years and watching the thing continually fall to pieces, in the face of a completely indifferent dealer, I will never buy one again.

The Civic and Corolla are in a totally different field. Have a look at the prices for one. Hondas command and get a premium price and it is for a reason. See any discounting at yer Honda dealer?

[johngenx]

Toyota has a tough job with the Corolla.  They are desperate to get younger customers, but they are also very aware that they own the 45+ compact car market, and that is pure gravy for them.  What to do?  Appeal to a young fickle crowd and possibly alienate your existing customer base?

"It's easier to sell to someone you already sold to, than aquire a new customer."  Smart, but also hurts growth.

A few years back, they fiqured the XRS would do the job, but it wasn't a pleasant car to drive.  This time they got smart and put the 2.4L torquey engine in the XRS, solving the "I need an eight speed trans!" issue and broadening the appeal of the XRS.  The S model might steal a few Civic customers, but you get the economy of the 1.8L.

Me, I don't see the appeal of the XRS.  At $24K-ish and sacrificing fuel economy, I'll get a 170hp Impreza with AWD and vastly superior chassis dynamics.  The Corolla is about economical driving.

[carcrazed]

I personally think the Corolla S looks quite nice on the outside with the skirt package.
Inside, however, is typically boring.

Also, I think the Matrix is more targeted for the younger market, and I see mostly younger people driving in the new Matrix, Corolla S/XRS and older people in Corolla CE & LE.

Looking forward to the rest of the blog wing!

[Cortina]

See I think looks a lot better without the mish mash around the headlight.

before After

Thats more like Toyota. No gaps or ill fitting panels. 

[Blueprint]

Also looking forward to this one.  The "S" looks less drab than the CE and still comes with the EcoAuto rebate.  XRS is 21 655 $ btw, not 24 k$ as posted above.  Wish Toyota had the sport seats and suspension from the XRS with the base engine.

I need to seat 3 kids in the back, so the extra width in the current Corolla is interesting.  What's strange with the numbers is the narrow hip width vs shoulder : 1115 / 1388 mm for the Corolla, and by comparison 1296 / 1332 mm for a Civic.

[drederick]

I have no hate for GM, either. It is just after having owned one for three, looooong years and watching the thing continually fall to pieces, in the face of a completely indifferent dealer, I will never buy one again.

The Civic and Corolla are in a totally different field. Have a look at the prices for one. Hondas command and get a premium price and it is for a reason. See any discounting at yer Honda dealer?

Both the Civic and Corolla are very nice and deserve the sales they are getting.

But, are you so sure Honda isn't discounting.......

The lease rate on our 2001 Civic Si was 7.3, the lease rate on our 2003 Accord Coupe was also 7.3 - both thru Honda Canada and both brand new first year models.

I just looked at the lease rate for a 2008 Accord Coupe and it is 3.9 for the same 4 years as my (wifes) 2 leases - that is a pretty big time reduction from the previous 2003 introductory lease rate - heck, you can get 1.9 for 4 years and 2.9 for 5 years on a purchase.

I GUARENTEE you that you couldn't have BEGGED or given enough blood to Honda Canada in 2003 or 2001 for a brand new model (or any model for that matter) for lease rates that low.

[Altima1]

I have no hate for GM, either. It is just after having owned one for three, looooong years and watching the thing continually fall to pieces, in the face of a completely indifferent dealer, I will never buy one again.

The Civic and Corolla are in a totally different field. Have a look at the prices for one. Hondas command and get a premium price and it is for a reason. See any discounting at yer Honda dealer?

Both the Civic and Corolla are very nice and deserve the sales they are getting.

But, are you so sure Honda isn't discounting.......

The lease rate on our 2001 Civic Si was 7.3, the lease rate on our 2003 Accord Coupe was also 7.3 - both thru Honda Canada and both brand new first year models.

I just looked at the lease rate for a 2008 Accord Coupe and it is 3.9 for the same 4 years as my (wifes) 2 leases - that is a pretty big time reduction from the previous 2003 introductory lease rate - heck, you can get 1.9 for 4 years and 2.9 for 5 years on a purchase.

I GUARENTEE you that you couldn't have BEGGED or given enough blood to Honda Canada in 2003 or 2001 for a brand new model (or any model for that matter) for lease rates that low.

Before we got the Sentra, the salesman say to me "what do I need to do to sit you in a Civic"  "please talk to me before deciding on something else".  Sounds to me he was going to discount, but the Civic did not appeal to us that much therefore.....

[johngenx]

Honda and Toyota have taken different approaches to pricing.  Honda does not want to lower the pricing, for fear they will look bad if they raise prices again.  So, they cut prices by subventing the financing.  This is presented as "special financing rates" tha can be taken away at any time.

Toyota lowered the MSRP's and stopped subventing the financing.  This makes it tougher on them if they want to raise prices, as they're not just "stopping a special deal" but actually changing the MSRP.  I prefer this approach as I am a cash buyer, so the Corolla ended up being about $4K less than the Civic.  The Civic salesperson wanted to show me how close the payments were, but I didn't care.

Now, the majority of car buyers are using financing, so it does matter to them.

[Honda Owner]

I drove the ('08) Corolla before I settled in my Honda Fit. The Corolla is indeed a very good car. I am sure it will be extremely reliable for a long time. However, the Honda had a better interior, was much more fun to drive and had a more versatile interior. Both companies make and extremely good product. It really comes down to personal taste, do you like plain vanilla or strawberry fudge zing.

And another poster is correct; Honda has to compete more these days, especially with the Mazda 3.

[Altima1]

Honda and Toyota have taken different approaches to pricing.  Honda does not want to lower the pricing, for fear they will look bad if they raise prices again.  So, they cut prices by subventing the financing.  This is presented as "special financing rates" tha can be taken away at any time.

Toyota lowered the MSRP's and stopped subventing the financing.  This makes it tougher on them if they want to raise prices, as they're not just "stopping a special deal" but actually changing the MSRP.  I prefer this approach as I am a cash buyer, so the Corolla ended up being about $4K less than the Civic.  The Civic salesperson wanted to show me how close the payments were, but I didn't care.

Now, the majority of car buyers are using financing, so it does matter to them.

Lower prices are indeed very good for the cash buyer, no science here.  At .9% vs 5.9% a Sentra is as good of a buy as a Corolla, as for depreciation well the starting point of a Corolla is less therefore....

If our dollar dips in the next few years, Toyota will find itself jacking the prices of their cars considerably, what will be the impact then I wonder? 

[rrocket]

I'm sorry for coming off as a jerk.

No need for apology...or anything like it.  Your point of view allowed us to have a good discussion with some good points from both sides.  It's good to have dissenting opinions....  

[Altima1]

I'm sorry for coming off as a jerk.

No need for apology...or anything like it.  Your point of view allowed us to have a good discussion with some good points from both sides.  It's good to have dissenting opinions....  

Yes, I'm ok with that, until brand a,b,c,d,e,f,g are all POS compared to brand ?

[Demosthenes X]

Toyota has a tough job with the Corolla.  They are desperate to get younger customers, but they are also very aware that they own the 45+ compact car market, and that is pure gravy for them.  What to do?  Appeal to a young fickle crowd and possibly alienate your existing customer base?

Isn't this what Toyota tried to do in the US with Scion?  Incidentally, I have no idea how well Scion has done so I've no idea if it worked, but the tC coupe was always kind of neat (if bland looking), and with the TRD accessories, I thought Scion was a very good way of introducing Toyota to the younger crowd...

Hm, now I'll have to go look up how it's done, since I find myself interested.

[Mitlov]

I personally think the Corolla S looks quite nice on the outside with the skirt package.
Inside, however, is typically boring.

Really?  I think the interior is nice, but the exterior?  Worst.  Stock.  Bodykit.  Ever.

[Mitlov]

Toyota has a tough job with the Corolla.  They are desperate to get younger customers, but they are also very aware that they own the 45+ compact car market, and that is pure gravy for them.  What to do?  Appeal to a young fickle crowd and possibly alienate your existing customer base?

Isn't this what Toyota tried to do in the US with Scion?  Incidentally, I have no idea how well Scion has done so I've no idea if it worked, but the tC coupe was always kind of neat (if bland looking), and with the TRD accessories, I thought Scion was a very good way of introducing Toyota to the younger crowd...

Hm, now I'll have to go look up how it's done, since I find myself interested.

The tC was pretty successful with youth.  The success of the xA and xB with youth has been greatly exaggerated.  In my experience, the xA mainly sold to people who just want a cheap five-door subcompact, and the xB was a small-business-owner special.  The new, larger xB (500 lbs heavier and 60% more powerful) seems most popular with suburban moms, and the new xD?  Well my 60-year-old mother just bought one.

Sales were pretty decent at first, but they've tanked with the second-generation xB and xD.  I think they made a killing on parts, though, because everything you might want was a (pricey) dealer-installed accessory instead of a factory-installed option.

[johngenx]

Also looking forward to this one.  The "S" looks less drab than the CE and still comes with the EcoAuto rebate.  XRS is 21 655 $ btw, not 24 k$ as posted above.  Wish Toyota had the sport seats and suspension from the XRS with the base engine.

I need to seat 3 kids in the back, so the extra width in the current Corolla is interesting.  What's strange with the numbers is the narrow hip width vs shoulder : 1115 / 1388 mm for the Corolla, and by comparison 1296 / 1332 mm for a Civic.

Sorry, 2009's don't get Eco Rebate.  

The 2009 XRS with a stick and PDI and GST (no PST) is $24,285.  Trying buying an XRS for much under $24K...

[initial_D]

I like S bodykit on the 'Rolla,it does show some difference than the regular sedan.

[johngenx]

...but the exterior?  Worst.  Stock.  Bodykit.  Ever.

I think the previous gen XRS took that crown.

[initial_D]

That title should belong to the Kia WRC kit.

[Blueprint]

Also looking forward to this one.  The "S" looks less drab than the CE and still comes with the EcoAuto rebate.  XRS is 21 655 $ btw, not 24 k$ as posted above.  Wish Toyota had the sport seats and suspension from the XRS with the base engine.

I need to seat 3 kids in the back, so the extra width in the current Corolla is interesting.  What's strange with the numbers is the narrow hip width vs shoulder : 1115 / 1388 mm for the Corolla, and by comparison 1296 / 1332 mm for a Civic.

Sorry, 2009's don't get Eco Rebate.  

The 2009 XRS with a stick and PDI and GST (no PST) is $24,285.  Trying buying an XRS for much under $24K...

You're right on EcoAuto ... the 2008 was the previous gen car; Civic stills has it, though  .  For the XRS, I'm comparing msrps, not out-the-door prices.