2005 Toyota Corolla Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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Toyota makes minor changes to one of the most popular cars on the planet.
New for 2003, the ninth-generation Toyota Corolla continued this compact sedan's fuel efficiency, cost, and steadfast reliability while improving quality and safety. The 2005 is a notable model year for two reasons: Side curtain airbags and stability control became options, as did an all-new XRS sport model with a high-revving engine straight out of the Celica.
5/10
Toyota made mild changes to the front end—notice how the "T" badge is positioned at the top of the grille instead of dead-center—and swapped in restyled taillights. Otherwise, the 2005 Corolla is the epitome of a boring little car, with or without the SE's trunk-lid spoiler and extra body cladding. Save for the Chevrolet Cobalt, no other mid-2000s competitor looks any better, but few can boast the same build quality. Toyota claims it used the same tolerance standards for panel fitments and body gaps as Lexus. Inside, everything but the LE's glossy fake wood will age well. That trim also offers leather seats and "Optitron" gauges that appeared sharper. The three-spoke steering wheel is wrapped in leather on all trims except the base CE, while the S has a unique tachometer. The XRS has its own cloth trim and accents.
6/10
A 1.8-liter inline 4-cylinder is standard with 130 horsepower, 125 pound-feet of torque, and a 5-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels. A 4-speed automatic is optional on all trims except the XRS, which is new for 2005 and comes with a rare gem: A 6-speed manual. The XRS is legit sporty. It comes with a stiffer suspension, a half-inch lower ride height, retuned steering, larger 16-inch wheels, and a 170-hp engine that revs to 8,200 rpm and uses variable intake valve timing that makes some wild sounds for a Corolla. Aside from the XRS, the Corolla drives with minimal verve. It's a docile machine with light steering, a quiet ride, and a soft brake pedal.
Fuel economy is estimated, using current EPA formulas, at 28 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined for the five-speed manual CE/S/LE trims. The automatic gets 26/35/29, while the performance XRS takes a hit at 22/31/25.
7/10
From a livability standpoint, the seating position is the worst thing about the 2005 Corolla. Test drivers can't seem to get comfortable. Else, the Corolla is easy to use, and it offers lots of cubby storage, large controls for the stereo and climate... and that's it. The trunk is spacious and the seats fold 60/40. Visibility from the driver's seat is excellent. A sunroof is optional.
6/10
New for 2005 is an optional JBL stereo with a six-disc CD changer. Power windows do not come standard. They're part of an option package that includes cruise control and keyless entry. An outside temperature gauge comes standard, along with air conditioning.
6/10
New for 2005 are head-curtain airbags and stability control, but they're optional safety features to go with optional front side airbags and anti-lock brakes. Most Corolla models won't have them unless it's the top LE trim. At the time, the 2005 Corolla was rated five out of five stars by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in driver and passenger frontal crashes, and four out of five for side-impact crashes for the driver and rear passenger. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Corolla its top Good rating in its frontal crash test but only Acceptable when equipped with head-curtain airbags. Without them, the Corolla rated the worst score of Poor.
8/10
The Corolla costs very little to maintain and is designed to last well past 150,000 miles without anything major happening. That, plus decent performance and a quiet, roomy interior, make the Corolla a good choice for 2005.
Published May 25, 2021 by Clifford Atiyeh
User reviews for 2005 Toyota Corolla
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by Anonymous
Jul 11, 2022
In great condition Brake pad and brake shoes change transmission service brand new Firestone tiresJul 11, 2022
by Anonymous
Sep 04, 2021
Bulletproof! Keeps on going !
Low mileage and low maintenance.Sep 04, 2021
by Vanessa D
May 10, 2021
Fantastic 4 cylinder engine.Great gas mileage. A great value.Cheap insurance. Overall a great buy!May 10, 2021
User rating:
by Anonymous
Jul 11, 2022
In great condition Brake pad and brake shoes change transmission service brand new Firestone tiresJul 11, 2022
by Anonymous
Sep 04, 2021
Bulletproof! Keeps on going !
Low mileage and low maintenance.Sep 04, 2021
by Vanessa D
May 10, 2021
Fantastic 4 cylinder engine.Great gas mileage. A great value.Cheap insurance. Overall a great buy!May 10, 2021
by Anonymous
Feb 03, 2014
I love the car. I want to get another one, just a newer year. Car is good on gas only had to fill up once a week. Maintenance for this car is reasonable. Engine is very quiet and the body of the car is nice.Feb 03, 2014
by Tim S
Feb 16, 2013
This little car has been very reliable and drives nice. It get very good fuel economy and has cost very little to maintain. It has been wonderfully reliable and is comfortable to drive. We have make many trips to Chicago and have driven it on Vacation to Colorado. It has 130 K mile on it and acts like it has many miles left in it.Feb 16, 2013
by Diane W
Oct 05, 2012
I have loved this car for 7 years. In fact, I gave it to my teenage son to drive as he got his license last week. Its solid, still gets 34 - 37 miles per gallon. Ive had almost no major maintenance costs. New tires, oil changes and a few minor uppkeeps (lightbulbs in the dash, new battery, etc.) Shes got 168K miles on her and still looks and feels brand new.
Great little runner!Oct 05, 2012
by Kyle L
Nov 08, 2010
This is a car that can best be described as
a transportation tool. It is not exciting
in any way and has nothing redeeming about
it other than the fact that it is a
solidly-built, reliable car. Nothing else
can be said of the car. Get this car only
if you want to have a dependable and
affordable car (which basically means most
people). Nov 08, 2010
by Meaghan Z
Jul 30, 2010
My car runs like a charm , considering its age . Have had no engine problems or transmission problems to date ( knock on wood ) . It's a good little car .
Great on fuel , 1600 km to a full tank . Always go with Toyota !Jul 30, 2010
by Kristen G
Apr 08, 2010
I love our Toyota :) Great Car! Sporty & Great on Gas :) We have been so pleased with our car but the only thing that sucks is not enough room for all of us. 2 adults & 4 kiddos. Need more Room. But will go with another Toyota for sure.Apr 08, 2010
by Jean-François M
Apr 07, 2010
Well built car, looks great in its silver edition. Could do 800 kilometers with on full tank if driven reasonnably. Driving position is excellent and the seats offer good support without causing fatigue. Acceleration ? What is that ? This is definitely not a car for drag racing. It is even considered dull when it comes to driving fun. You can't have it all.Apr 07, 2010
by Kirstin H
Oct 14, 2009
Super fun to drive! Weaves in and out of traffic well. Acceleration is lacking on entrance ramps, but once it's going it goes! Not too comfortable for super long trips, but for zipping around town you can't beat it :DOct 14, 2009
by Randall Y
Aug 03, 2009
6 speed manual, 170 hp, great gas mileage, I average 27 mpg with a mixture of city and hwy driving. MPG is closer to 30 mpg if I drive alot of freeway. Definitely more fun to drive than a regular Corolla since it has a sports tuned suspension which is noticeably stiffer than the regular model.Aug 03, 2009
by Giulio M
Jul 29, 2009
It's a great car overall. Cheap on gas. Cheap on insurance. Great build quality. Peppy little motor. Ugly as sin but then again it's a Corolla. And last but certainly not least, it has Toyota Reliability. What more do you need?Jul 29, 2009
by Will K
Jul 11, 2009
I love this Toy since day 1. Solid car. Quick acceleration and very well made car. Very low maintenance, with the expections of oil changes. Smooth ride to zip into tight parking spots. Would recommend it to anyone. Thank you!Jul 11, 2009
by Anonymous
Dec 10, 2008
I love my car, it still looks brand new and rides great after 55,000 miles. It is very responsive while driving. The interior has a bit of wear, but it still cleans up great. The gas mileage is the greatest quality.Dec 10, 2008
by Andrew W
Oct 03, 2008
It preforms very well on the Street and the Track! it's a well rounded car it has a great suspension set up soft and able to absorb all the shocks of the road and yet limber enough to hit the track. Gas milage is great with that 6 speed transmission bolted to that motor!Oct 03, 2008
by Debbie M
Sep 18, 2008
fantastic all round family car.very economical. Strurdy and looked pretty sporty for a 1.4. held its price to. It cost 14.995 brand new and i have to say it must have been the best and most reliable car i have ever owned. Unfortunately we just out grew it.In the 3 years i had it it only went in for a minor repair. Brill car Sep 18, 2008
by Kari S
Sep 14, 2008
It can get you anywhere you need to go, have the d4-d so it's no fast car, yet not slow, a reliable little car. The braking is very good. No repairs needed. Inside and outside is OK, a bit dull. Diesel mileage is cheep, and so are maintenance. Not specially fun to drive, to conservative. I would recommend this car, because it's good, safe and cheep.Sep 14, 2008
by Pragyan M
Aug 22, 2008
gear ratio-1st-62km/hr 2nd-108km/hr 3rd-155km/hr thats the max gear i have touched,
speed-193km/hr is what i have gone,
suspension-very loose hence doesn't pull on rough roads,
acceleration-pretty good,
perfect shift point-around 7500rpm,
aerodynamics-good,
braking-bad at high speeds(goes on and off on and off due to ABS)
Aug 22, 2008
by Anonymous
Aug 06, 2008
Good acceleration, braking and handling for city driving...
Enough to leave a Honda Civic in dust...
Great fun to drive
Expensive accidental repairs, otherwise cheap to maintain...
Not gorgeous but smart looking
Build quality is quite decent, better than most Japanese cars, but half as good as a German carAug 06, 2008
by Celina H
Jul 25, 2008
I love my little corolla! It's great for a first car. It could use a little more power, but again, for a first car it does it's job. It's reliable and get's great gas mileage. It also has a decent stereo system when compared to other cars in it's price range.Jul 25, 2008
by Eddie C
Jul 09, 2008
THis is a fun little car. Not to mention kinda rare it
was a limited production model. It's handling is
very predictable, the 6-speed Manual shifts
smoothly. Thanks to the 2ZZ-GE it has under the
hood, which by the way is the same engine as the
Celica. This car can get up and go pretty darn
quick. And it can slow down just as quick with the
4-wheel Anti-lock Discs Brakes. Of course it has
the bullet-proof reliability of any Toyota. It is a
little sportier looking then just any Corolla. The only
down side I have found is the need for Premium
Fuel. Jul 09, 2008
by Jesse W
Jun 24, 2008
Needs more power. handling can be better, even with upgraded rims and tires it still doesn't like bumps in the roadJun 24, 2008
by Carson W
Jun 17, 2008
Wonderful car. Reliable. Great MPG rating.Jun 17, 2008
by Kaylin S
May 16, 2008
I love this car! Ive never had any problems with it...gas mileage is great and the car handles amazingly! May 16, 2008
by Matt B
May 09, 2008
overall it has good look, ok on power, GREAT gas milageMay 09, 2008
by Max B
Mar 09, 2008
comfort, good handling, it's got power, 4 doors, 6 speed, 6 speakers, sunroof is awesomeMar 09, 2008
by Anonymous
Feb 22, 2008
for people looking for a car with good gas miles easy maintenance
the toyota corolla is a good car to go with it also a good price
an you get you value for money.Feb 22, 2008
by Tom C
Dec 27, 2007
brilliant had this car 8 months and never want to sell it Dec 27, 2007
by Jufri J
Nov 03, 2007
A reliable car and spacious for a family saloon carNov 03, 2007
2005 Toyota Corolla Pricing
Original MSRP
N/APrice range
$5,418 to $6,010Average price on CG
$5,588YoY price change
$5,883 to $5,588Trims & specs
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