22
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Compact car; Built in USA, Canada, Japan
  • 4-door sedan
  • 4-door wagon
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,400 – $2,300*


1995 Toyota Corolla 4-door sedan


1993 Toyota Corolla DX 4-door sedan


1993 Toyota Corolla DX 4-door wagon


1993 Toyota Corolla DX interior


1993 Toyota Corolla DX 4-door wagon interior

Pros:
  • Antilock brakes (optional)
  • Fuel economy
  • Ride
Cons:
  • Acceleration (w/automatic transmission)
  • Rear-seat room

Corollas generally sold for more than comparable subcompact rivals, so expect preowned models to also be priced a bit more, given Toyota’s generally high resale value and strong reputation for reliability.

Overview

Corolla was all new for 1993. In the redesign it got larger, added a driver-side airbag and available antilock brakes. Corolla returned as both a 4-door sedan and a 4-door wagon. Geo offered its own version of the Corolla, called the Prizm. Corollas were offered in three trim levels; the Standard, DX, and LE. The Standard came with a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine, which made 105 horsepower. It came with a standard 5-speed manual, but could be paired with a 3-speed automatic. The other two Corolla models came with a 115-horsepower 1.8-liter 4-cylinder. A 5-speed manual transmission was standard; 4-speed automatic optional (standard on LE).

Yearly Updates

1994 Corolla
Corollas gain a new passenger-side airbag as its most notable change for ’94. In addition, the passengers’ seatbelts now have automatic-locking retractors that cinch the belts tight when they’re used with a child safety seat.
1995 Corolla
The mainstay 1.8-liter engine, which drops 10 horsepower (to 105) from new tuning is implemented to meet stricter emissions limits in all states. The only other change is new interior fabric for the DX 4-door notchback and 5-door wagon.
1996 Corolla
Toyota killed the LE model for pricing reasons. That leaves just the base and DX sedans and 5-door wagons, which carry on with only minor changes. The most obvious is a new smaller grille. Also, the base Corolla’s 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine has been revised to produce lower emissions. As a result, horsepower drops by five to 100, while torque actually increases by five pound-feet to 105.
1997 Corolla
The Corolla station wagon is dropped for 1997. Joining the base and DX sedan is a new Classic Edition package, or CE, which includes power windows and locks, air conditioning, and other features.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

Toyota’s most recent Corolla subcompact is offered in three trim levels; Standard, DX, and LE. Upon their introduction in 1993, the Standard gets an improved 1.6-liter 4-cylinder, which adds an extra three horsepower to the previous model’s base engine. The new output is 105 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 105 pound-feet of torque at 4800 rpm. It comes with a 5-speed manual, but can be paired with a 3-speed automatic. The other two Corolla models come with a new 1.8-liter 4-cylinder. It delivers 115 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 115 pound-feet of torque at 4800 rpm. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on all except the LE sedan, which comes with the 4-speed automatic that’s optional on the base and DX versions. For ’95, the uplevel 1.8-liter engine is retuned to meet stricter emissions standards, resulting in a drop of 10 horsepower to 105 at 5200 rpm and a small rise in torque to 117 pound-feet at 2800 rpm. Also, the base Corolla’s 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine has been revised to produce lower emissions. As a result, horsepower drops by five to 100 at 5600 rpm, while torque actually increases by five to 105 pound-feet at 4400 rpm.

dohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.6/97
Engine HP 100
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 105
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
3-speed automatic 		31/35
26/30 		26.4
dohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.6/97
Engine HP 105
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 105
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
3-speed automatic 		27/34
26/29
dohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.8/110
Engine HP 105
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 117
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		29/34
27/34 		30.1
dohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.8/110
Engine HP 115
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 115
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		27/33
26/33 		30.5

Road Test

The 1.8-liter gives the Corolla DX and LE (pre-1996) models quicker acceleration and stronger passing power than the base sedan’s 1.6-liter unit. We timed a Corolla with the 1.8-liter at 10.9 seconds to 60 mph, which is slower than a Honda Civic, but quicker than most other rivals. Though the automatic transmission generally works well with the 1.8-liter engine, it’s slow to downshift for passing, unless you floor the throttle. The optional 3-speed automatic provided with the 1.6-liter engine is not only slow to downshift, it can be harsh at times. However, fuel economy is good with either engine–generally averaging about 30 mpg.

Corolla’s suspension provides a stable highway ride and absorbs bumps better than some larger cars. Corolla is quieter than the similar Geo Prizm because Toyota includes more sound insulation in its cars. The car is roomier than most rivals, yet the rear seat is a tight fit for two adults, and more appropriate for children. Cargo space is adequate and can be expanded on DX models, thanks to the split folding rear seatback.

Ratings

Model Tested: 1995 Toyota Corolla LE 4-door

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 3
30%
Fuel Economy - 7
70%
Ride Quality - 4
40%
Steering/Handling - 4
40%
Quietness - 5
50%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Front - 4
40%
Room/Comfort Rear - 3
30%
Cargo Room - 3
30%

Other

Value - 6
60%

Total: 44

Specifications

4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
97.0 172.0 66.3 54.3
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
12.7 13.2 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.8 37.1 42.4 33.0
4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
97.0 172.0 66.3 56.1
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
64.8 13.2 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.8 39.7 42.4 33.0
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 1997 Corolla 4-door sedan

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 4
80%
Front Passenger Injury - 4
80%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - 3
60%
Rear Passenger Injury - 3
60%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision 117
Injury 150
Theft 114

Trouble Spots

Automatic transmission
Description: A-40 series automatic transmissions may eventually shift harshly because rubber check balls become smaller, blow through the plate, and get dislodged. (1993-96)
Rough idle
Description: Poor engine performance accompanied by a check-engine light is often due to failure of the vacuum-switching valve for the EGR system. (1994-07)
Steering noise
Description: Dry rubber bushing around steering shaft can cause squeaking from steering column. Lubrication may eliminate noise. (1993-97)
Water pump
Description: Water pumps leak due to a defective seal. (1993-94)
Windshield washer
Description: Windshield-washer bottles frequently break. (1993-95)

Recall History

1993-94
Description: Snow or water can penetrate carpet and result in short and possible fire.
1993-95
Description: If liquid is spilled in console-box area, airbag warning light can illuminate during normal driving conditions and cause airbag to malfunction, deploying inadvertently.
1994
Description: Anchor straps in certain seatbelt assemblies were improperly heat treated and can break.
1995
Description: Battery may have defective weld inside positive or negative terminal, which can result in a no-start condition or explosion.
1997
Description: If airbag computer experiences mechanical shock within very short time after engine is started, airbag can deploy inadvertently.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on July 30, 2014.
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