Used Toyota Corolla Hatchback 1997 - 2002 review

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.