2008 Toyota Corolla Reviews, Pricing & Specs
Expert review
Not everybody wants a car that goes fast and has fun. For them, there is the 2008 Toyota Corolla.
Now one of the oldest cars in its class, the 2008 Toyota Corolla enters its final year before a much-needed redesign arrives. As such, nothing changes, and the car continues in familiar CE, LE, and S trim levels.
out of 10 expert review
Look & feel
Ubiquitous on America’s highways and byways, the popular 2008 Corolla looks the same now as it did in 2003 when the car was last redesigned. It’s not particularly imaginative, but neither is the toaster sitting on your kitchen counter. Appliances are like that. And unless they’re painted a vibrant color, you don’t even notice them.
An introvert’s dream car, the Corolla has an equally dull interior. Especially in contrast to the Honda Civic’s futuristic cabin, the Corolla’s innards represent the automotive equivalent of pleated khakis. From a quality brand, of course.
You won’t need to open the owner’s manual to figure out how this car works. Everything is located right where you expect to find it, and clear markings, large buttons, practical knobs, and helpful switches make using the car an exercise in simplicity.
While the Corolla looks big inside, it lacks legroom. The front seats don’t slide back far enough to accommodate taller drivers, and the standard seat-height adjuster, as appreciated as it is, doesn’t help matters. Backseat leg space is tight, too. But the headroom isn’t a problem in this tall car.
Performance
Every 2008 Toyota Corolla is equipped with a 126-horsepower, 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine. It is not exciting. Not even with the 5-speed manual gearbox, and especially not with the common 4-speed automatic transmission.
However, Toyota’s engineering prowess is on full display in the simple yet refined Corolla. The engine runs smooth, acceleration is decent, and the ride is quiet and compliant. Plus, the car feels solid, like it's screwed together with care by people who care.
Form & function
Even in the compact car class, buyers expect features like air conditioning, power-adjustable mirrors, a tiltable steering wheel, and a CD player. And all of those items are standard in the cheapest Corolla, the CE.
From CE trim, you have two choices. You can go the upscale route and pick the Corolla LE, or you can go the sporty route and get the Corolla S. The S trim is mainly a styling exercise, adding ridiculous amounts of lower body-kit plastic that resembles stitched together overinflated balloons. Options include 15-inch aluminum wheels, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, cruise control, and a power sunroof.
The Corolla LE avoids the tragic body kit but goes overboard on the fake-wood interior trim. This model does have fancy electroluminescent gauges, though, along with power windows and door locks, and remote keyless entry. Options include cruise control, a JBL premium sound system with a CD changer, and a power sunroof.
Toyota provides plenty of places in which you can stash your stuff. The glove compartment and the bin under the center armrest are both a good size, and other items stow in the door panel slots and a dashboard tray with a cover.
Trunk space is generous, too, measuring 13.6 cubic feet. A 60/40 split-folding rear seat is standard, enhancing the Corolla’s ability to carry cargo.
Technology
Safety
Aside from dual front airbags, the Corolla includes no meaningful safety equipment. You can upgrade the car with side and side-curtain airbags, antilock brakes, and stability control. All are highly recommended.
In crash tests, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the 2008 Corolla a 5-star overall rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) isn’t as positive. In the moderate overlap, frontal-impact test, the Corolla earns a Good rating. In the side-impact test, though, the car gets a Poor rating unless it has the side airbags. Then, according to the IIHS, it rates Acceptable.
Cost-effectiveness
What owners say
"Overall, owners of the 2008 Toyota Corolla seem to appreciate its reliability, fuel efficiency, and overall build quality. Many drivers liked the comfortable ride and low maintenance costs, making it a practical choice for daily commuting and long drives. On the downside, some found the engine performance lacking, particularly those who were expecting quicker acceleration or a more engaging driving experience. Many reviewers also noted a desire for better interior quality and features."
Great gas mileage, super easy to do your own work on and it gets the job done.
October 9, 2025The car is very powerful and has a good braking system based on hydrolic the handling is perfect .It has never gotten a mojor accident the interior and exterior are still in good state i have never smoked inside.I bought the car new and it has been in good usage.
May 25, 2011I bought my 2008 Toyota Corolla LE in 2018 and am still thrilled with it in 2023. Gives great milage, is comfortable, I enjoy driving it, and has needed very few repairs. I drove it from Minnesota to California and back and had a wonderful time driving it. I expect it to last for a long, long time as I keep up with its scheduled maintenance. I love this car.
July 16, 2023What owners say
Great gas mileage, super easy to do your own work on and it gets the job done.
October 9, 2025The car is very powerful and has a good braking system based on hydrolic the handling is perfect .It has never gotten a mojor accident the interior and exterior are still in good state i have never smoked inside.I bought the car new and it has been in good usage.
May 25, 2011I bought my 2008 Toyota Corolla LE in 2018 and am still thrilled with it in 2023. Gives great milage, is comfortable, I enjoy driving it, and has needed very few repairs. I drove it from Minnesota to California and back and had a wonderful time driving it. I expect it to last for a long, long time as I keep up with its scheduled maintenance. I love this car.
July 16, 2023I love this car!! I even got 45 miles to the gallon once. The color is great and the wood grain is soothing. I've taken it camping, and even I can carry all I need.
July 15, 2008The Toyota Corolla is normally billed as the most boring car you could buy. In some ways that is true, its never been an outstanding car and whatever it does well will be defeated next year since it only does well in categories like fuel economy, reliability, etc. Now this version of the Corolla, the 2003-2008 version, has been largely ignored by most auto enthusiasts. I don't feel that this particular car is deserving of the most boring title, I believe that's better suited to the Corolla that replaced this one. To drive, this Corolla made do with only 128 hp so it wasn't exactly that fast. Handling...it wasn't too good since the Corolla had quite a lot of body roll due to its soft suspension. However this Corolla does have proper steering feel something Toyota has not done well with lately especially with the new one. There are moments where you could have some mild fun, although the XRS is the one to get if this is your thing. The interior in this car is nicely coloured and styled modestly. The plastics on this car range from quite cheap to decent, I don't think they're as bad as certain cars. Although the lack of much metal is one thing this Corolla doesn't address. Build quality from Cambridge Ontario has been very good. Despite seeing several trashed Corollas with 60,000 kms, none have fallen apart or lost any pieces. I actually consider this car a better car than the one that replaces it. Its a shame this version has to live with the most boring exterior designs in the auto industry.
October 19, 2008Performance - Above average, not exactly meant for spirited driving though. Build Quality - Poor material quality, average workmanship. Appearance - Looks good overall but slightly dated, detailing better is better on the latest model. Cost Of Ownership - Good gas mileage, cheap to maintain. Fun Factor - This car isn't meant for outright performance driving, but its quite a good drive.
August 28, 2011Performance - small engines, everything's good Build Quality - excellent Appearance - front - excellent, back - mediocre Cost of ownership - especially great Fun factor - It's more for relaxed driving than fast&furious but anyway you can drive it on daily basis without any difficulty..
December 15, 2008The 2008 Toyota Corolla is a great older car that is capable of running for several hundred thousand miles if it’s well maintained (change the oil twice as often as recommended, which you should do with ANY car). It has the proven 1.8L 1ZZ-FE engine that just keeps going and going. With a timing chain, you don’t have to worry about changing a timing belt at a specific mileage. These cars aren’t real easy to find because people tend to hang onto them, but if you do, they can be an excellent daily driver.
June 27, 2024Great milage/per gallon. While lacking various luxuries, in reliability/functionality it cant be beat.
June 23, 2021Manual everything. Mileage great and maintenance costs low. Clean look - certainly not fancy. Not a fast car by any means, but with standard you can accelerate as quickly as necessary in traffic. Controls are positive and not crazy - making it fun to drive.
October 21, 2009Trims & specs
Base MSRP $15,450 | Seating 5 |
Engine 1.8L 126 hp I4 | Cargo Capacity 13.6 cu ft |
Combined MPG 30 | Drivetrain FWD |
Base MSRP $15,615 | Seating 5 |
Engine 1.8L 126 hp I4 | Cargo Capacity 13.6 cu ft |
Combined MPG 32 | Drivetrain FWD |
Base MSRP $14,405 | Seating 5 |
Engine 1.8L 126 hp I4 | Cargo Capacity 13.6 cu ft |
Combined MPG 30 | Drivetrain FWD |
Pricing trends
MSRP range
$14,405 - $15,615
Current avg. market price
$6,692
Trending up by 1.2% this month
May 2026 - October 2026
