2002 Toyota Corolla: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

With an all-new sedan due in February, Corolla is unchanged for 2002. Offered in base CE, sporty S, and top-line LE models, all share a 4-cyl engine with manual or automatic transmission. Front side airbags are optional, and ABS is available on S and LE. The S comes with standard fog lights, tachometer, and wider tires. Corolla lends its design and powertrains to the Chevrolet Prizm, which is built alongside it at a Toyota-General Motors plant in California. Prizm will be discontinued after the '02 model year.

COMPETITION

A perennial favorite, the Honda Civic, is as good as ever. We love the wide range of bodystyles, engines, and equipment. Civic is a solid car that has good performance, a nice ride, and a high degree of civility. We also love almost everything about the Ford Focus, but were reluctant to rank it a Best Buy because it was new from the ground up. After a year of living with a ZTS model, we can say that the reliability is good. Focus ranks a notch below Civic in some areas but costs less.

Topping the crowded Recommended list are the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta. They easily could be Best Buys. However, they are among the most expensive cars in this segment. Other Recommended choices include the no-frills Toyota Echo, the sporty Nissan Sentra, and the roomy Mazda Protege.