Toyota Corolla
Every time I think of a Toyota Corolla, it reminds me of my high school days. Granted, this was back in the late 80s and early 90s, but the Corolla was a great starter car for high school kids. It was extremely inexpensive, so no matter who was footing the bill (parents or child), the cost wouldn’t be too overwhelming. Fast forward 25-30 years later and nothing has changed, except the Corolla itself. It’s still inexpensive when compared to thousands of other cars, and most of them are driven well beyond their initial manufacturing date.
The Toyota Corolla LE Sedan (similar to the 2016 Honda Civic) will cost under $19,000. Now, if you’re looking for something a sporty, purchasing this car will come down to what you classify as “sporty.” This vehicle still comes with the plastic hubcaps, which has never been appealing to the eye, but you do have the option of upgrading to something better than the standard.
However, I will say that it has been given a newer look with a little more edge. In fact, if your purchase between this and the Honda Civic Sedan were only about looks, the Toyota Corolla would win. There are 5 Corollas on the market in 2016, so make sure you check out each individual design and see what works best for you.
If you’re willing to go over the $20,000 threshold if it includes perks, I recommend looking at the Toyota Corolla LE Eco CVT. It has a ridiculous 30mpg in the city, and almost 43mpg on the highway. The LE Eco is also the Corolla model offering 140hp (the S model does as well, but its well over $20k), but all the rest of them are only 132hp.
The back seat seems to be a little “roomier” than normal, which wouldn’t make your kids or friends feel like a sardine during a road trip. It’s big enough to hold 4 people comfortably (the whole car, not just the back seat), and even 5 people comfortably, as long as the person sitting in the middle is a child.
If you decide to go with a 2016 Toyota Corolla LE Sedan with no additional features, you won’t really find any revisions. In fact, the only thing I discovered involved the Special Edition model (the “S” model). These come with alloy wheels, which definitely makes the car look sporty, but there are also additional color choices you won’t find on standard models. If you already own a Corolla from 2015 and were looking to update your model, it might be a good idea to wait until 2017, unless you want the Special Edition.
I could tell you all about everything else like the integrated technology, but it’s not going to matter. When it comes to inexpensive cars that already offer great fuel benefits and look good enough to call your own, the rest comes down to the test drive. Hopefully the 2016 Toyota Corolla is a perfect fit for you and your loved ones.