2005 Toyota Corolla

Toyota has taken some flak for giving the current Corolla too long a life. New for 2003 and untouched every year since, its replacement has been delayed until model year 2009 while every competitor has been given a fresh face in the interim.

It’s true that in some ways, the Corolla has gotten a little long in the tooth. Its clunky torsion beam rear suspension is from the Cro-Magnon era, and it only offers one engine (size small). There’s almost no variation between its trim levels, and the absence of a coupe body style lets the Honda Civic swoop down and snatch all those youthful buyers out from under Toyota’s arm.

But if the Corolla is an old man’s econobox, it sure does a fine job of fulfilling old man needs. It’s consistently reliable, and its engine serves up top-of-the-class fuel economy (bordering on 30 MPG) along with peppy pickup. The ride can get a little jerky sometimes, but mostly, the Corolla feels refined enough when in motion. Anyone drawn to these qualities might also favor the Corolla’s clean, classically handsome interior, which is a dying breed in this day when screwy shapes and chaotic color schemes so often clutter the dashboard.

Best of all, this whole maturity theme leads to one big payoff: a back seat habitable for adults. Simply put, the Corolla’s rear quarters are as nice a place as any, with padding in the right places and a high, firm bench that should be an industry standard. In fact, the overall comfort levels might be high enough to make buyers think twice about stepping up to a bigger, costlier car.

When the 2009 Corolla gets here, it will bring the new option of a more powerful 2.4-liter engine, but otherwise, it will drive and look pretty close to the current model. Put another way, there’s no danger in buying one now.

What’s new for the 2005 Toyota Corolla: A high-performance XRS sedan joins the existing CE, LE, and S models, featuring an exclusive high-revving 170-horsepower version of the Corolla’s 1.8-liter engine, rear disc brakes, bigger 16-inch wheels, a stiffer suspension, and a mandatory 6-speed manual transmission. Stability control is a new option, and the optional front seat side airbags now come with side-curtain airbags protecting both rows. All Corollas get a new grille and taillights.