The very first car I bought new was a Toyota Corolla 2003. Until then, we’d always bought used cars but we’d had an unexpected windfall in 2003. Since our retirement savings were doing well and our financial plan was in order, we decided to buy a new car. We bought a Toyota – model year 2003. I can honestly say we’ve never regretted it for a moment.
I’m the main driver of that car and an avid fan of Toyota Corollas. I’ve had other Toyota models before that one and I’ve test-driven newer models. But I haven’t bought another Toyota after buying the 2003 model because I simply haven’t needed to buy another. Mine is performing nearly as well as the day I bought it. Admittedly, I baby my car and I bought it new, not used. I use my husband’s car whenever I can and use the Toyota Corolla for trips to the grocery store or to drive a child to tutoring lessons or sports activities.
Because of this, my car only has about…..6500 miles on it. Yes, that is correct. It isn’t a typo. I expect it to last for years more, especially since I maintain it well. The interior and exterior still look very nice and with a little detailing it could look brand new again. The engine still purrs along nicely, in both hot and cold weather. I’m very fond of my Toyota. After all, we’ve had plenty of time to bond and no negatives to offset the positives.
Before I go into the details aobut the quality of my 2003 Toyota Corolla, I’d like to note my top reasons for loving Toyotas:
1. Safety and reliability have to top the list. If a car isn’t safe, I don’t want it. We haven’t had a major accident in our 2003 Toyota but one of our sons, driving an even older model Toyota (bought used) had a minor fender bender. He wasn’t hurt. The driver hit him pretty hard, too, and was driving at a high speed. Even so, our son didn’t even get whiplash.
2. Excellent resale value. Every Toyota we’ve owned has gotten plenty of attention and excellent prices when we’ve resold them. People like them and I know this because they are listed as one of the top seven most popular cars according to the Auto Channel at www.theautochannel.com If you check information there, you’ll see that the 2003 Toyota Corolla landed in the top seven spots for the most popular cars, not only in 2003 – but year after year.
3. Comfort and ease of use. This car and I get along perfectly. No matter what the weather, I find the ride to be smooth and comfortable. Bumps in the road don’t make me feel like I’m about to lose a filling, let alone rattle my bones. The seats are plush, the leg room is…roomy.
Okay, so those are the basics. Now for a more detailed look at the features of the 2003 Toyota Corolla:
The 2003 Toyota Corolla was a major advance over earlier models.
We’d bought another Corolla for a son. The performance of this car was one reason I considered having my own Corolla later on. When compared to earlier models, the 2003 Corolla had a stronger, more powerful engine and this was a noticeable improvement. It also had more interior space, better air conditioning and extra head space. All in all, a good car made even better in 2003. Nothing wrong with the earlier models but the 2003 was just that much better.
The 2003 Toyota Corolla has an attractive appearance, better than previous models.
How a driver feels about a car’s exterior appearance can be very subjective, true. Even so, not only did we like the larger car but it got comments from other drivers who liked its appearance. We got it in a black color and the sheen and lines of the car were very attractive. The windshield and rear window had a great angle, giving the 2003 Corolla a sporty look. No, it won’t substitute for a major sports car but it isn’t a van either, thank goodness. I’d sum it up as a contemporary, clean look for a family car with some modern appeal.
The 2003 Toyota Corolla has great fuel economy
See the part about how my car only has 6500 miles on it? Now figure out how many years I’ve been driving it and, yes, I do have to drive it fairly often, although I try to avoid long trips. Still, this car is used many times during the week. It doesn’t eat gas. I can fill up my tank and not have to fill it again for weeks, if I’m careful, which I am. Even so, I’ve spent my share of time stuck in rush hour traffic or behind a slow bus or creeping along during peak driving hours. Based on the best information on my driving habits and time between trips to the gas station, I think I’m getting about 30 miles per gallon and maybe as much as 34 miles per gallon, on average.
The 2003 Toyota Corolla is extremely comfortable
While the increased interior space of the 2003 Corolla may not seem all that much compared to previous years, I know that it makes a huge difference. My legs stretch further. When waiting for a child who is at sports practice or having a music lesson, I”ve been able to push my jacket under my head and actually stretch out on the back seat for a power nap. I sleep just fine, too. The cushioning is plush and comfortable. We have grey upholstery in our black Toyota and it is not leather but a soft material. I’d be happy to have a sofa made out of the cushioning material!
By the way, the back seat can easily seat three people
The 2003 Toyota Corolla has plenty of trunk space
We carry plenty of items around with us, whether it is portable camp chairs for watching soccer games or weight equipment for a workout with a personal trainer. We’ve used the car to help move various adult children to and from college or to transport meals to the homeless. I’ve loaded the trunk with heavy boxes of books and the car has handled it all, with plenty of trunk space in the 2003 Corolla. No complaints there.
The 2003 Toyota Corolla has plenty of safety features
There are dual stage front airbags as well as three-point safety belts. They have the standard automatic locking retractors. We got the antilock brakes as well. Because we have winters here, I can vouch for the fact that this car handles ice and snow very well and makes it up most hills, even steep ones, in rain and snow and ice.
The 2003 Toyota Corolla lasts for years
I’m still driving mine. How many repairs has it needed? None. Again, I’m careful with maintenance and I use a trust auto repair shop but it has had no defects, issues or any repairs needed. I’m happy about that. We are saving money on auto repairs because we don’t have to pay for any – yet.
The 2003 Toyota Corolla has features found in cars that usually cost more
The plush, cushy seats aren’t standard in many cars in this price range. While it is hard to say what the actual “price range'” of this car would be today, I bought mine for under $15K at the time and it came with standard locks, a stereo and CD player and air conditioning. I didn’t get fancy upgrades but I’m happy with what I got. The control panels are large and easy to see and the interior and exterior lights are easily visible and haven’t malfunctioned. Were there cheaper cars out there? Yes, but after seeing how a used Toyota behaved for our son, not one to baby cars, I decided the price was worth it for the reliability and endurance of the car.
The 2003 Toyota Corolla continues to get good reviews from drivers
Check out the information here to see over 67 comments, averaging 4 out of 5 stars: www.epinions.com/auto_Make-2003_Toyota_Corolla/display_~reviews
Clearly, this was a popular model year for the Toyota Corolla!
