Corolla DX AWD wagon

[hberdan]

Anyone ever own one? Any thoughts on the way they run or special service needs?
Not thinking of jumping ship, so to speak, just wondering if they are an upgrade or an anomaly.

[Petros]

It is a great car. I own one, my wife drives it. I like it, it is a "nicer" car though not as "sporty" as the Turc. I think it is one of the best AWD cars ever built, much better than the same year Subarus and even Hondas.

It is larger than the Tercel with a little more room (and a lot more in the back area behind the seats), and heavier, so it rides better, and it is much quieter. The interior is nicer, better seats, tinted glass, etc. Better brakes (vented disks) and it has A/C. More attractive styling too.

The much improved EFI engine delivers about the same gas mileage. The engine has more power, 103 hp IIR. And it can be tweaked to a lot more since there are many more and better performance parts available for the 4AFE engine. And the engine is very reliable, but the extra weight of the car nullifies some of the extra power.

Also they appear to hold their value much better, good running examples are still quite expensive despite the high miles they are racking up. You have to hunt far and wide to get a deal on one, though at this age ones that need major engine work can found cheap.

The rear visibility is not quite as good, though not bad (the Terc rear visibility is exceptional). Also the cable shift linkage feels a bit different, mushier than the Terc.

I have mixed feelings about it however. Though I like the engine and the extra room, I actually like driving the Tercel better, more nimble and sporty (I tweaked the Terc engine to have more power) i.e. the Terc is more "fun" to drive. I suppose the All-Trac suspension could be up-graded with better springs and gas shocks, but that adds cost and labor to the package. I also do not like the AWD aspect of the Corolla, I would rather have the FWD/4WD "in and out" feature, simple, rugged and better in off-road/snow/mud performance. Also that darn transverse engine installation is a major pain to do major work on it, like pulling the head, or doing a clutch change, or getting to the starter (nearly impossible!).

They are less common I think than the Terc4wd so getting replacement transaxles might start becoming a problem.

It is a mixed bag, I am considering buying another Corolla All-trac I have found for a deal (it needs engine work) to see if as a daily driver I like it. And sell either it or the Terc when I am done tweaking it. My wife hates the Tercel so she is much happier with the Corolla All-trac, I am undecided.

I might move up to one if I get tired of the various problems with the Terc (trans, carb, etc.), but I have mixed feelings about it either way. If the Terc had the same engine and brakes as the Corolla, it would beat it hands down for all around driving.

It is too bad they discontinued the AWD Corolla, they came out with the RAV4 to replace it. A very harsh and uncomfortable little pseudo-SUV that does not deliver the economy, room nor comfort of either the Terc4wd or the Corolla All-Trac. They also made a Camry AWD which is even less common, it is roomier and heavier still, but I have never seen one in a station wagon though they supposedly made them. The 4 cyl version of the Camry should get fair economy, the V6 get poor economy.

[hberdan]

Thanks for the info!

[JOE]

I bought one back in August. I must say I do like having the extra power (and A/C) but do miss the shifting the Tercel has, and the selectable FWD/4WD. Although the Center diff lock is a nice feature on the Corolla AWD. Once that is engaged it handles just as well, if not better than the Tercel.

The Interior is also better in the corolla. I like the dash layout, and its nice having the CD player higher up at eye level, rather than in front of the shifter on the Tercel.

Here is a pic. I will be posting more later.

[Challenger]

I had a corolla AWD. It´s a reliable car but it does not have the selectable FWD/4WD or the extra low gear that the Tercel has. It is also a bit heavier and a lot thirstier than the Tercel. I quickly changed back to Tercel 4wd and have no regrets