Item: Used Toyota Corolla Hatchback 1997 - 2002
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

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Hatchback

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

COROLLA

It'll get you from A to B reliably and reasonably safely

Used Toyota Corolla Hatchback 1997 - 2002

Like most Toyotas of this generation, the Corolla enjoys a reputation for being fairly easy on the pocket. For a start, insurance is very reasonable. The highest rating is admittedly group 11, but the base 1.3, 1.4, 1.6-litre petrol and the entry-level 2.0-litre diesel all have a group 5 insurance rating.

Fuel economy is reasonable right across the range, too, with the 2.0-litre D4-D returning an official 48mpg. With 20,000-mile service intervals, this engine doesn't need to see the inside of a garage too often.

Toyota dealers may not be quite as cheap to pay per hour as a Skoda franchise, but the Japanese company's hourly rate is on a par with Ford's, Vauxhall's and Peugeot's. However, setting servicing costs aside, average repair rates will work out more expensive for the Toyota driver if the car is involved in an accident.

It'll get you from A to B reliably and reasonably safely

Which hatch you choose depends on what you want from it. The three-door is arguably the most stylish, but the five-door offers more practicality than it or the four-door saloon. Early cars had single round headlamps, while post-February 2000 cars, with their restyled front ends, feature twin headlamps.

Avoid the original 2.0-litre 71bhp diesel engine; it's noisy and slow, and better diesels followed with a 68bhp 1.9-litre unit and a 109bhp 2.0 D-4D turbodiesel. Of the four petrol engines - 1.3, 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8-litre - our favourite is the punchy, variable-valve-timing-equipped 109bhp 1.6-litre.

Although far from quick, the six-speed 1.3 G6 boasts a body-kit, six-speed gearbox, sports seats a CD player and air-con, but was discontinued in February 2000.

From all the various combinations, the post-Feb 2000 1.6 GLS is our choice, and comes with twin airbags, anti-lock brakes, air-con, CD-multi-changer, alloy-wheels, electric windows and an electric sunroof.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.

The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;

Family

The Toyota Corolla enjoys a reputation for good, solid reliability and it's been well proven with strong results in the JD Power Reliability Survey. The Warranty Direct Reliability index paints a positive picture, too, with an exceptionally low fault rate.

Despite all this, there are still things to look out for, and also a number of recall issues that you need to make sure have been addressed.

Models built between November 2001 and April 2002 were recalled because of possible faults with the rear brakes. Cars built between March and May 2002 have had brake pedal problems, while cars built between February and October 2002 have suffered faulty automatic gearboxes.

If you are looking at a high-mileage car, make sure that the cambelt has been changed every 60,000 miles. Front wheel bearings can also give trouble as the miles mount and faulty engine electronic control units can lead to a drop-off in performance.

The Corolla has always sold in vast numbers around the world, but has had to endure something of a bland reputation. This model, introduced in 1997 and face-lifted in 2000, was designed to up the tempo a little, but neither version will go down in history as handsome.

The good, but not that good story continues on the road. Although the petrol engines are impressive, the Corolla's drive is not on the pace of the equivalent Ford Focus or VW Golf. The ride feels too hard and the light steering too lifeless for the Corolla to sit in that company.

Similarly, although they're durable and hardwearing, the shiny plastics in the cabin aren't quite up to the mark either.

However boot space is reasonable, and the Corolla's safety features are impressive for a car launched in 1997. With twin airbags as standard it merited a three-star Euro NCAP safety rating at a time when the maximum possible score was four.

Used Toyota Corolla Hatchback 1997 - 2002 review

Every 2021 Electric and Hybrid Car Awards winner

Advice for buyers

What should I look for in a used Toyota Corolla hatchback?