This car is awesome. Will last for many years to come. It drives smooth. Looks good and The gas mileage is incredible. I love it…
4.0
Decent Little Car With Some Drivability Issues
by JB in MN | on 7/8/2023 5:03:57 AM
Bought my bronze-colored SE 6 speed manual new in June 2020. Made in Japan. Traded in a 2015 Ford Fiesta that was very nice to drive, but very poorly engineered and a mechanical and electrical nightmare. Had an issue with the Toyota at 6,000 miles with battery going completely dead after sitting in garage for 3 days. Found TSB (service bulletin) online, had dealer perform the fix, no more battery issues since. Also had a downstream AFR sensor throw a check engine light on at about 15,000 miles. Dealer installed a new one under warranty, no more issues there either. Stock tires are junk, had to replace all 4 at just under 20,000 miles (tread down to wear bars). Put Continentals on, little firmer ride, but much more confident handling at speed. Honestly, my Fiesta had a better ride/handling balance, but with the new tires, the Corolla is pretty close - more compliant ride, slightly "floatier" in the curves. I blame the 3000 lb curb weight (!). I'm an older guy, I'm used to compact cars weighing closer to 2000 lbs than 3000. But of course, all the safety equipment, rollover standards, and electronics in today's cars add weight. Speaking of safety, the IIHS rates this car as "good' pretty much across the board, with an updated side-impact rating of "acceptable".
My biggest complaint - I've had an annoying drivability issue pretty much since day 1. Sometimes when accelerating, I'll get some hesitation or "fish bite" going through the gears. It's only at very light to moderate acceleration: if I hammer it, no hesitation at all. It's worse with the a/c on, and exacerbated when it's hot out. I usually burn regular gas as per the owner's manual recommendation. I have noticed that when I fill up with non-ethanol 91 octane premium, the hesitation nearly goes away and is virtually unnoticeable. I'm curious if anyone else has had this issue. Dealer can't find anything wrong.
Interior is definitely tight (I'm 6' 1" and 240 pounds), but once you wiggle inside, it's fairly comfortable. Very little room in the back seats for adults. Not a ton of room in the hatch either, even with the "spare tire delete" package (which I unwittingly got, another minor annoyance). Fit and finish in and out is quite good, though I could do without the shiny black plastic inside that shows fingerprints and dust like crazy. Heat and A/C work excellent.
Despite the occasional drivability hiccup, the car is mostly fun to drive with the 6 speed manual. Not a barn-burner, but decent acceleration for what it is. The IMT (automatic rev-matched downshifts) is terrific and one of the best features of the car. Excellent fuel economy for a non-hybrid. I routinely get 30 mpg in spirited city driving without using the A/C. I've gotten well into the 40 mpg range on empty 2 lane roads at a steady 60 to 65 mph. My lifetime average from new after 3 years and 43,000 miles is 30.4 mpg.
In summary - this is a stylish, fuel-efficient, comfortable-for-two, practical little car. I do wish I could nail down the hesitation problem, and I just don't feel like this car will go 300,000 miles like some of my older Toyotas did without major issues. Still, if you're in the market for a relative simple smaller car, the Corolla Hatchback deserves your consideration.…
5.0
great reliable car
by Jack Hoban | on 3/14/2023 4:26:17 PM
not fast, kinda quick off the start. Looks nice, the 4 door Is kind of a lie you have backseats but they don't have much room, but overall this car was reliable and never gave me a single worry…
USED2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Hatchback SE
Exterior Color: Blue Flame
Interior Color: Black
Vin Number: JTNK4RBE7K3020687
Stock: 2608111
View this 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Hatchback SE for sale at Garcia Honda Albuquerque in Albuquerque, NM.
4.4