11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
Rodiem Writeoff!
Date of Review: Apr 17, 2001
The Bottom Line: If you're searching for an econocar, then by all means, pick up this little gem.
I decided to write this article for the Rodiem write-off on the 1994 Toyota Corolla. Why? Well, it was one of the few cars I have spent some time in that I haven't already written about. Cover your mouth when you yawn. I know it's a Toyota, but come on...
The car was an unusual color for a Toyota--gold. That's right--gold. I know what you're thinking, "I've never seen a gold Toyota before." Well, this car is the embodiment of boredom. It's like driving a square, only not as fun.
Perhaps it's not the car's fault. I mean, it was optionless. Seriously, folks. This car didn't even have a clock on the radio LCD. Here is a list of the features this car had:
Seats
Two Speakers
Trunk Light
Floor Mats
Blinkers
This is no joke boys and girls. I didn't know you could order cars like this. Enough about the features, or lack thereof, let's talk about the car.
THE INTERIOR:
*Yawn* Excuse me. What can I say? This interior design would have given Shakespeare writer's block. It would have sucked the creative juices right out of him. Had Toyota been around in Shakespeare's time, we would have no Hamlet, or Othello to speak of today. The dashboard had a speedometer and a fuel gauge. That's it. Two large circles. The AM/FM radio left much to be desired. There were only two speakers. I didn't know a car could come with only two speakers.
The steering wheel was hard, thin plastic, devoid of any personality save those annoying finger grooves which no one's fingers fit into. The geometry that went into designing this dashboard consisted of squares, and...squares. *Yawn*
Legroom was nonexistent--front or back. Of course, I'm 6'4". The seats felt like two slabs of granite rock slapped together. No wonder the dealership was throwing in 10 free sessions to Nick's Chiropractic with every purchase.
Trunk room was excellent for a car this size. Although, I almost slipped into a coma when I saw how plain the trunk looked. Cripes!
THE EXTERIOR:
Well, there's not much to say. This car is the epitome of lame. Have trouble sleeping? Take a gander at one of these cars. This is a dangerous car. It could put other drivers to sleep on the freeway. Can you imagine that? You're driving along, minding your own business, when bam! You spot this car and you're out cold.
THE HANDLING:
The handling is actually pretty good for this type of car. It's so small and lightweight that it is devoid of excessive roll. Still, that won't matter when your crashing into a poll because you fell asleep or your eyes are full of tears from excessive yawning.
The ride is smooth, like you'd expect from a Toyota. The bumps aren't too pronounced. Wind noise is kept to a minimum as well. You want power? Look elsewhere. This car has none. It's almost embarrassingly slow.
I was surprised at how slow this car was. I've seen some of these cars take off pretty decent. Now I realize that the pedal must have been to the metal. This car exemplifies the Japanese take on the automotive industry--function over form.
One thing I'll say about this car is that it will last. The reliability is incredible, but I'm sure we all know about that Toyota builds quality automobiles.
Well, all this thinking about the Corolla has fatigued me. I htink.. Il.. sleep. . .naw.....*ZZZZZZZZZ*
