admindecision.
After so much pondering I thought let me help someone who wants to buy a vehicle which is legendary because of its durability, reliability and affordability . . . I am laughing right now because of these three words.
Anyway enough of that, lately the marketing types of the world have been calling it “brand equity,” but in the real world it’s always been plain old reputation. Car makers don’t get a good reputation just by showing up, they develop one over years by delivering either great or lousy products, treating customers right or like cattle and building cars people either want or ignore. Great word of mouth is a manufacturer’s best asset, while a lousy rep is almost impossible to overcome.
No manufacturer is better known for building reliable cars than Toyota. And the car that built that reputation was the Corolla.
Just about everyone seems to have a Corolla in their past. Maybe it was the beater you drove through when you started that first job, never once changing the oil, cleaning the interior or asking the rats to move from their houses they had built in the boot. Perhaps it was the first new car you bought with just all your salary plus that soft loan from your dad, or the car your father drove when he decided to simplify life in retirement. Corollas have been practically ubiquitous and never terribly exciting.
Except for the Land Cruiser, the Corolla name is the oldest in Toyota’s current inventory of the auto world. And with over 30 million Corollas sold worldwide, it’s the most popular car line in history.
Extreme simplicity was at the core of the first Corolla’s engineering. Introduced during 1966 in Japan, the first Corolla rode on a 90-inch wheelbase in two-door coupe, four-door sedan and two-door wagon body styles. A 60-horsepower, 1,1-litre overhead valve four-cylinder mounted longitudinally in the engine bay sent power to a four-speed manual transmission and then to a solid rear axle.
An automatic transmission wasn’t yet on the options list. So you see the stick shift goes way back.
The first Corolla’s unibody structure had a strut front suspension and mounted the rear axle on a pair of leaf springs. There was nothing sophisticated about the first Corolla and it wasn’t pretty, but it was so simple that there were almost no parts to break.
Toyota worked hard through the ‘60s to overcome the then common perception that Japanese products were shoddy.
As good a car as the first Corolla was, it was really too small and under-powered for North American tastes. The second Corolla showed up for the 1970 model year with a wheelbase stretched to 91.9 inches and power coming from a new 1,2-litre version of the OHV four making 73 horsepower. The strut front and leaf spring rear suspension carried forward.
Slight though the nearly two-inch wheelbase stretch may seem, and with minimal styling changes, the 1970 Corolla was a significantly more comfortable and confident machine than the ‘69 version, and an automatic transmission was now offered to widen its appeal. It quickly became the second best-selling car on the planet.
The Corolla got even better during the 1971 model year as the engine grew to 1.6 litres and output expanded to 102 horsepower. The grille was redesigned for the 1972 model year.
Rather bizarrely styled, the 1975 Corollas featured a raised centre section in the grille that carried back to more angular bodies. But then again, a lot of cars from the ‘70s were bizarrely styled.
A total of five Corolla models was available for 1975. The price leader, a two-door sedan powered by a 1,2-litre engine, was joined by a four-door sedan, a two-door hardtop, a sport-oriented SR5 hardtop and a five-door station wagon — all powered by the 1.6-litre four. The standard transmission in all models, except the SR5, was a four-speed manual. A five-speed manual was again standard in the SR5 and optional in the other Corollas. A three-speed automatic was also available.
A new three-door hatchback was added to the Corolla line for 1976. Called the “Liftback” by Toyota, it looked a bit like a sporty two-door station wagon instead of a traditional fastback or economy car like a Ford sedan.
Almost every year or two to date, new specifications were added and new models introduced. With demand increasing and orders coming from all continents including Africa Toyota Corollas became the most economical car to grace our African roads. Most of Southern Africa is duped Toyota country because almost every household which owns a car has owned a Toyota.
We have seen the introduction of a more elegant and mature interior which has over the years made it attractive to buyers of all ages. The current Toyota Corolla which, correct me if I’m wrong, is the 14th generation is available at Toyota Zimbabwe and I’m sure Carl Varga and his team will advise on pricing and more information.
Like every Corolla before it, it’s been built to provide years of trouble-free driving. It is more comfortable, powerful, and spacious and built to a higher quality than before.
Amazingly this vehicle from the entry model which is the 1.3 litre manual, 1.6 litre manual and auto, 1.8 litre six-speed manual and the 1.8 litre four-speed auto I test drove all under US$40 000 duties and taxes paid. At such a price and with stock on the floor of their showroom, this vehicle will be perfect for the middle managers, first-time buyers, for your wife to do the running around school run and all and as part of a fleet in a company which knows the clear meaning of reliable and economical.
The current Toyota Corolla small sedan comes standard with an in line-four cylinder engine that produces about 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and the four-speed automatic is optional. Acceleration is perfect for this economical saloon and the engine is relatively smooth as it labours to propel the car. Fuel economy is respectable and way lower than its competitors leaving the Toyota brand as a favourite when it comes to economy.
The vehicle’s feature highlights include 15-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, keyless entry, air-conditioning and a CD player. Having driven most of the vehicles in the Toyota family, it’s safe for me to say that the Toyota Corolla mostly aims to please the average consumer.
Till next week, buckle up and keep it pumping.
Ciao.
Fact D. Jeke is a motoring enthusiast who has attended auto shows, rallies and has written for various publications in the region for the last decade. She can be contacted via email on [email protected], Facebook: Torque with Fact Jeke
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