Toyota Corolla E110, 8 generation 05.1997 - 12.2000

The eighth generation Toyota Corolla (E110) was produced in Japan until the middle of 2000, and in 1997 Corolla became the best-selling car in the world. And this despite the fact that in spirit (if you do not take into account the appearance), “one hundred and tenth” did not offer any outstanding technical solutions. Using figurative comparisons, she rested on her laurels, deserved by the previous generation, whose roots, in turn, go back to the late 80s. In fact: the model was built on the platform of its predecessor, and most of the units were almost the same engines and gearboxes, albeit modernized, which were used in the E90 series. In terms of equipment, there was no special progress either.
 The reason for this was the prolonged recession, when Toyota was forced to cut costs as much as possible and use the already developed technical solutions. However, this turned out to be its huge plus - customers already knew that they were offered essentially a time-tested, very reliable and practical car. Against this background, it is not surprising that Corolla has become a worldwide bestseller. In terms of name and option, many configurations almost completely coincided with those that were offered for the "hundredth" Corolla. In the luxury trim levels, one could count on the presence of aluminum disks, power accessories, an immobilizer, two airbags, and a wood-like interior trim. A number of small changes in the cabin contributed to greater convenience: a driver's seat with good lateral support, a more informative instrument panel, in some versions of the “twist” instead of “sliders” for controlling ventilation.

 For the first time, original solutions for the design of the body, especially its front and rear, were offered for different markets. However, in the domestic market, the car had a somewhat conservative appearance, echoing the previous generation. In Japan, four different engines were installed on the Toyota Corolla sedan in pre-styling versions (05.1995 - 03.1997). These are gasoline 4E-FE (1.3 liters, 88 hp), 5A-FE (1.5 liters, 100 hp), 4A-FE (1.6 liters, 115 hp) and diesel 2C-III (2.0 L, 73 HP). The GT version in this generation was revived only after restyling. In general, with regard to the transmission, either a 5-speed manual or a 3- or 4-speed “automatic” was offered. Particular attention is paid to environmental friendliness: reduced fuel consumption and the amount of harmful emissions.

 The suspension scheme remains the same - MacPherson struts front and rear. The behavior of the car on the road also has not changed much: it demonstrates quite acceptable stability and reliable handling. The dynamics of someone may disappoint, but do not forget that this is an ordinary compact family sedan. In the domestic market, some models with a 4A-FE gasoline engine and a 2C-III diesel engine were equipped with all-wheel drive (4WD FULLTIME).

 Developing the body of the new Corolla, Toyota tried to make it as safe as possible, to increase the content of high-strength steels. The car is equipped with protective bars in the doors; the driver's airbag and anti-lock braking system in the first cars of the Corolla E110 family were installed as an option for simple configurations, the more expensive ones had a driver's airbag by default. The car showed a good result in a crash test according to the methodology of NASVA (Japan) in 1995. Since May 1996, two airbags and ABS are standard for even the most affordable version of the DX.

 The Toyota Corolla of the E110 family cannot boast of the special refinements of an exterior design or interior. This is, first of all, a solid and strong car, during the creation of which reliability and durability were put at the forefront. The high prevalence, relative simplicity and reliability of units and designs, the availability of spare parts, and the possibility of repair in any workshop are all undoubted advantages. Used cars of this family are distinguished by rather high liquidity in the secondary market.