not quite right - I've had four Alfas in the last 12 years, still own two, and daily drive a 2002 156 GTA (now over 270,000km). I previously passed over buying a Giulietta QV 'cos it didn't feel "Alfa-enough" (it seemed like just any Euro hatch), but I am now actively thinking of something like a Corolla to use for the daily commute just to give the GTA a break. Have previously had a 1.5L Yaris which I completely abused and neglected for 5 years as my daily driver and I still see it tootling around the neighbourhood. Quite simply, if you want something that is nigh on impossible to kill it needs to come with a Toyota or Honda badge. Plus I wouldn't mind lugging the dogs to the beach in it (sorry Buddy and Shirley - you are never going to be allowed to scuff up the leather in the GTA...)
Ive had one of these for the last 8 years and its been the most reliable thing. I've replaced a rear window motor and coil packs, and they're the only things that have gone wrong with it. Its good on fuel and plenty zippy for every day. This generation of Corolla is probably one of the most reliable models, dont bother with anything else
Optitron Instrumentation sounds bad ass as hell. Here in South Africa, this shape Corolla is called a Run X. A customer of mine had one with over a million kilometers, and swapped his first engine out at around 650k km. Crazy car, barely rattled or squeaked.
Few Things missed: 1. heater core goes sometimes people just block off the hose in the engine back 2. Taking off the dash is easy on these I’ve done it 3 times 3. Gearbox 2nd gear crunch mainly and sometimes others follow. Synchros 4. No one wants to spend money fixing them properly
I worked in a Toyota dealership when the Sportivos were sold. It was about 50m from the driveway of the holding yard to the driveway of the pre-delivery yard. Many of the PD techs were determined to hit that 8200rpm redline in that short distance. The main issue I have read about from some owners is the belt tensioners failing prematurely. Mainly just Toyota designing the tensioner for the regular 6500rpm redline motor, and not for the higher revving 2zz.
there is a different belt tensioner for the 1zz, same with every pulley etc on the engine. only the pulley starts to wear out after about 150,000kms, but is cheap and easy to replace
Had an 03 model (Japanese built) from 2013 to 2022 when sadly an MG 4WD failed to stop on the freeway. T-boned it at 110kph walking away with a broken rib. It may not have safety features but they're tough and reliable. A week later I got an 05 model (Japanese built) and still love it. What they lack in personality they make up for in running costs. This model corolla has converted me into a Japanese car fan because compared to what Australia was offering at that time and even up to the death of our motor industry it's just so much better built and designed. Plus they make an absolute mess of MG 4WDs which has to be a good thing.
Been waiting for this video, mates! Bought a stock 2004 Ascent Hatch manual for $2K with 294,000 kms, just as a step up to be more comfortable and convenient than public transport, spent $1K for roadworthy, and it’s so fun to drive. Just a no-frills, gets me from point A to point B (just for work which is 6 kms away), and I just enjoy driving it! no one’s going to steal it too (a manual is like an anti-theft device nowadays) 😁
These are everywhere here in Mozambique, small, fun, reliable as hell (unless trully neglected), and very economical, paired with a 1NZ motor it CAN'T go wrong.
You're damn right those whitewalls will be mentioned in the comments. I hate them on anything post-70's, and they don't look good here either (which is a shame, because otherwise, I think these things look really stylish.)
I still have mine since new and its a joy to drive, especially with all the bolt on mods you could get back in the day. Over the twenty one years of ownership, things that I've had fail are: climate control servo motor, indicator/head light stalk, radiator leak, timing cover gasket oil leak, air bag module, climate control buttons unresponsive, center console flap, original factory stereo, front windscreen seal failing, pleather material on seats thins out and cracks. I've never had any gear change crunching issues nor needed an extended clutch push rod. This might be caused by drivers that try hard to land lift in 2nd gear with flat shifting.
2002 in blue, bought it for 25k in 2005, put 600000 of very fun klm on it in 2 years, traded it back for 22k. Great car lots of fun, 3rd gear front wheel spin type fun.
I just have a standard 05 model station wagon. Fantastic car, super reliable, economical with 310,000 on the clock and still drives like new. I had 1 coil go at 290,000. Didn’t stop the car from driving just ran a bit rough. Great car to camp in even if you’re over 6 foot!
To @Aussiedavid71 Yes you’re right about the back seats not going completely flat. What I do is remove the cushions, the part you sit on. It’s easy done as they are only hooked in place. If you pull them up and you just unhook them from their mounts. Being 6.4 I do also have to move front seats further forward, but it all works out fine.
Not much, we have a 17 year old Camry, family run about. We pay the rego and service it once a year. Nothing every goes wrong with it. It’s like a 1960s Westinghouse refrigerator.
My mum bought a pre face lift, base model, auto hatch brand new in 2003. It's just ticked over 80,000km. It's been absolutely amazing, just always ready to go. Most recently it was used to rescue them from the outback after my dad's Jeep died (again)
I’ve had all sorts of hot hatches. Golf Gti’s, R32’s, Ep3 Type R, Audi S3, Pulsar sss, Mazda Mps. I keep going back to the good old 2zz Sportivo/Runx (in NZ). I’m on my third and forever Sportivo, can’t beat the value for money. Smiles for dollars. How ever you want to put it.
If this is anything like my 2001 corolla levin hatch, the backseats DO fold completely flat if you pull up the base of the seat. They have a pivot point which positions them against the back of the front seat which makes the back rests fold down completely flat as well as offer a little bit of protection to the front seats
They Australia delivered 2005 model shown actually is rated at 141kw from the factory. I know i bought one brand new. Same engine and gearbox as the Aussie celica .
This generation is the last of the Corolla's with a hydraulic rack, sub 1150kg weight and somewhat go-kart feel. Everything after felt vague and nerfed out. Kind of regret selling my ZZE122 manual for a GRE156 Blade Master.
The Blade spanks these though. I have one of these and will be buying a blade to replace it with. That 2GR more than makes up for whatever this has going for it
@@wilydimayuga519 It's tricky, I like the Blade's power on long drives, and it's still good in the twisties. The Corolla had more of a go-kart feel around town and I miss the manual trans.
@@overnightpartsfromjapan01 should try the 7th gen celica, better steering and suspension front and rear, lighter, stiffer chassis, lower center of gravity, better seats etc etc
I've gt this one but in fabric model. It's done 286,xxx kms now but still goes very well. Been garaged its whole life. I knew it's only owner. Well maintained with records. No Crack on dash. Only mod is aftermarket headunit for sounds. Original speakers not crackling. Nice n clear. Paint no fading.
Interesting as a South African I didn't know they where built here,And Here they're called The RunX with the more higher performance version being called RunX Rsi.
It’s a JDM car. As soon as you throw any light mods its way, it loves it. Don’t drive em stock, put an intake and some decent tyres on it, drive the shit out of it, you’ll keep up with most things.
My 2003 corolla has 400,000km. Only replaced the starter motor myself and ignition coils. Have hit the alternator with a hammer to fix it. Apart from the peeling paint she's going OK.
My 3 older brothers and myself learnt to drive in a wagon version of the normal corolla. We went through 2 clutches but it never looked like it was ready to give up. Also, can confirm that door on the centre console was either broken or glued shut.
I had one. Upgraded the suspension with some Koni’s. Better tyres. Stiffened the chassis up and the fat TRD rear bar. It was so much fun in the twisties. Was great on fuel when needed too. Could get 800kms out of a tank. The original synchro design was flawed and you could get the new version to replace the old under warranty which is what happened to mine. I do miss its utter simplicity.
Had one of these beauties 10 yrs ago. Basically the same running gear in a celica of the time. Did the everyday stuff beautifully, but was heaps of fun when you got upit. By god, did you have to get up it to make progress. IThe motor was similiar to a V Tec that made you want to rev the hell out of it for reasonably rapid progress.
I own and run the owners club for the T Sport Compressor. They are very different to say the least and truly special. The drivers experience is very different to that of the standard T Sport or Run X RSI in other countries. - Ogura tx12 SC - Aluminium strut brace - Chassis bracing throughout the underside - 17inch lightweight wheels - Slightly different body kit ‘rear bumper’ - Only 250 made with 54 remaining in the UK
I had an 06 ascent manual sedan, brilliant work commuter. Cold ac, fuel efficient and completely reliable. Boring it was but would own another one in a heart beat. Your right so hard to find a decent sportivo, most of them flogged to the shit house and neglected.
In South Africa it's called the RunX Rsi, I sold mine after 8years, sometimes had 2nd gear lock out. Toyota Sa also gave us a Trd version of only 200 cars, it came with lightweight 17" rims, trd suspension, Trd strut brace and also a short shifter. These cars are until this day very popular in Cape Town. Oh after I sold my Rsi aka Sportivo I bought a 2014 Opel Astra Opc aka Holden Astra Vxr what a piece shit!
At the bottom corner of the rear seat for the hatchback model, there is a tab that you can tilt the seat backward slightly. This nice feature that also appears on the 03-08 lexus rx model
I own a 1.8 vvi 2010 Corolla that I bought brand new in 2010 now has nearly 300k klm on the clock , she has been a great reliable car , never missed a beat, I rarely service it , there has been times I have not serviced it for over 2 years and after the free services that came with buying it new it only had to see a mechanic once for a new set of coil packs , but even with dead coil packs it was able to drive to the mechanic. I can not fault the 2010 corolla.
16.13uk 14/10/24… I have a tte compressor , it’s one of the best cars I’ve owned. I’ve never had anything with red letters on the back pass me. It’s a joy to drive 😊
I own an early 2000s 9th generation corolla, but it's a conquest. I've always wondered what it would be like if they made a sportivo wagon for the Australian market
Have a 06 sedan. Only issue I've have had in it's 180k journey was the ecu going rogue. That needed changing, wasn't a very expensive fix. The console door does break and dashboard shows minor cracks if your region has too much heat. And it's underpowered but that's expected of a corolla.
As A Sportivo Owner These Car's Can Either Be A Blessing To Have Or A Curse That May Leave You Bankrupt . Love From South Africa 🎉❤ High Risk Car That You Could End Up Loosing Your Life For Having. They Like The Scattpacks In USA .Overall But Lovely Car's. Spot On Conclusion.
The seats do fold flat on the 2 door model (no idea if it is the same on the 4 door). You can tilt up the rear seats and fold the back rests down completely. You'll have to remove the headrests to do it.
Mine have crossed 240k. I'm the 2nd owner driven sensibly. Clutch,brakes,coil packs and spark plugs...that's it. Nothing else has gone wrong with it. Gearbox is still good. My Merc,HSV have both broken down on me and both have done less than 70k combined and being far newer too.
A note on the 2ZZ... The lack of torque was a quirk of its mildly primitive VVT setup. Its competitor at the time, the Honda ITR, revved just as hard, but has great mid-level torque due to VTEC.
the vvt setup isn’t primative, it was better than anything Honda had at the time (until kseries). the 2zz also has VVL just like the Hondas, it makes very similar torque numbers if not better
Have a 2003 Altis (basically the sedan but with a redesigned exterior and more plush, also the basis for the USDM version), well... it consumes oil, left me stranded due to a broken VVTi cam gear and also a broken coolant rubber plug. Timing chain tensioners can leak, water pump pulleys goes noisy as well as the belt tensioner. Had to deal with rust in the windshield sills, and the trunk where the rubber goes. The headlights are prone to misting, the gauge cluster LEDs are prone to burning out (due to age mostly TBF).
I'm surprised how many of these Corollas I seen on the road around town including the Sportivo models. I'm guessing the language used for the safety features overview was either Xhosa, Zulu or Swati. Seems like if you service it regularly and keep age related maintenance up to it then they're a solid car. Good work as always guys and look forward to Sunday's video as per usual 👍
I would go for the Alfa. I would then get a two post hoist, new air tools, lots of electrical stuff to fix it and a 2nd car for when the Alfa didn't go.
A lot of people like to knock Toyotas like this gen Corolla but I know a lot of car enthiasts that have an old Toyota preiva in their fleet to either pick up parts. lend to family. Landcruisers for the farm and to pick up motorcycles from a few states away. Toyota also try to make all our other car brands more reliable as well.
You both forgot to mention that the Sportivo has the Yammaha tuning to that 1.8. The engine power stats is wrong. It's more like 140kw, not 110. It's just a shame that Toyota didn't drop the 4 speed auto from the Celica to avoid the gearbox issues found in the manual.
@@vichetkim5533 most markets got the 4 speed auto, and it is absolutely terrible especially with the 2zz. a 4 spd auto is not the solution, the c60 manual is not even that bad
@@arcanevoid9199 Then I'm stuck with a 100kw wagon with a 4 speed auto that while it might last another 20 years, it's stuck with lack lustre performance because performance oriented drivers demand only a manual transmission for this generally reliable car.
I owned one. Not for long. The seating position and weak handling made me dislike it that became apparent at higher speeds. Car was lowered on springs. Motor revved hard but to utilise the vvti-L (toyota vtec) your speeding too much.
I was in a 2021 Hybrid Camry a few days ago, the Avg fuel consumption was 8.8L/100km. My 2012 Aurion sits at 8.4L/100km, still on the original factory iridium plugs, had the alternator replaced, no transmission services, just normal 10k oil changes, is now at 389,000km. Apart from the alternator being replaced, the only other issue(s) is the front RHS parking sensor is defective. …and its larger V6 is still more efficient than the hybrid 4cyl!!!😂😂
The problem with these is the same problem with all these cars from this era. They were just not ‘all in’. They didn’t seem to know what they were making and it’s a mess. Seats are a good example of this that we’re mentioned. But the most egregious issue was the gearing. It’s something most people never talk about with cars, in a car like this it absolutely ruins it. Manufacturers in this time often made silly choices of ratios to artificially reduce 0-100 times by reducing the number of shifts. This means absolutely stuff all in reality, but makes that ‘all important’ metric seem better on paper. If this has not-crap ratios they actually would have been a blast. But you’ve got to be breaking the National speed limit in 2nd to actually be revving it out. Who wants a ‘revvy’ car that they can almost never wring out? It also makes it feel slow and gutless with ‘no torque’ all the rest of the time. Like no. Absolutely, no. This is somewhere where modern autos and DSGs shine. It’s not that they shift that much faster, no! It’s that they shift fast enough for that silly metric that it doesn’t matter that there is an extra shift or two in the 0-100 sprint. That means they optimise the ratios not to remove shifts, but actually to keep the engine in the appropriate power bands. Gearing makes SO much difference to the enjoyment and excitement of a car. Yet is so overlooked by the modders and ‘experts’, replaced by ‘more power’. Idiotic. This thing should be screaming and topping out 2nd at like 70kph. BTW - I’m always going on about the 130i, but gearing is one of the things that made that car special. Unlike the 125i (or yank 128i) it had a higher ratio diff unique to that model. They weren’t chasing absolute 0-100 times, they were making a driver focussed car.
the gear ratios are not the main issue, they are actually very similar to later 6 speed hondas which everyone raves about. its more the match between the gearing and the power band of the engine. having 2nd top out at 70kph would be completely unrealistic, the gears are already quite short especially for street use. assuming the same +36 kph gap as the stock 1st - 2nd gears this idea would put 1st gear at 34kph or 6:1. this would be horrendous to drive, and would just feel like having 2 useless gears
@@arcanevoid9199 have a think about that one mate, why would the gap be the same number of kph? Closer and higher ratios. This would mean it doesn’t drop out of the band when shifting. Even if you did *just* increase the final ratio, that would still make 1st and 2nd tops closer together, not the same. The difference is determined by the ratios used, not it’s not a fixed value. Also, how are the ratios NOT the main issue, given you state the main issue is the match between the ratios and the power band (or more what you mean is when the cam lift comes into play)? Given the engine is what it is, isn’t it therefore the poor choice of ratios to suit said engine?
@@GLxGL I think you are thinking of the Australian ‘Sportivo’ of the previous generation. The low boost turbo one. This one, AFAIK was a global product of the Corolla line up.
@@GLxGL I’m not sure in what ways. I mean, trim etc possibly. Some markets got the more interesting 3 door (but also got those for the boggo ones). In JDM they often did higher spec models that we never got here where they shove an engine from other lines in. The original RAV4 got the 3S-GE for example, so did the previous few gens of Celica where we only got the povo engines. SR20DET in the OG X-Trail. Airtrek with 4G93T etc. These weren’t really special editions, just higher end specifications. Whereas we got the base engine and a few trim specs. The ‘Sportivo’ was just a higher spec Corolla. Whereas Honda Type R was a bit more deliberate. The Sportivo name AFAIK was an Australian thing. They didn’t really do anything suspension wise etc. On the other hand it was basically the same price new as the Levin which was their top trim. So it wasn’t like a Type R or in modern times a Golf R, GR Yaris. But the Toyota tax and rarity makes them seem a bit more ‘special’ than they actually were. It’s also pretty typical of having a unique badge vs normal badging with a hotter engine. A good example of this is the Audi A3 3.2 vs Golf R32. They’re the same car. But one has a desirable badge and the other is just a different engine in the range. Can get the Audi for a fraction of the price of the R32. The Audi is actually a better car. Celica is better than these in every way. But these are more expensive, more thrashed and have more mystique because of that dumb ‘sportivo’ badge.
Owned an 04 sportivo for 10 years (bought when i was early late teens) - Did legitimate mods - eg shocks, lowered springs, strut brace, upgraded rear sway and a underbrace, intake, exhaust, ported headers. Thing was a lil go-kart and handled like it was on rails. Miss the car but had to sell as started a family. Re gearbox issues - yes i had to install a longer push rod cylinder which appeared to help 50% of the time (and gearbox flush) but i agree its more just a rubbish gearbox and you had to treat them easily during shifts especially when driving them a bit hard as they tend to crunch between 1st-2nd. Especially when new, a lot of places had no idea what size exhaust to fit etc. Only things that failed that entire time - the centre console flap (as mentioned in the video). They are fun but seeing what most of them look like on the road now compared to when i owned one, they are basically the same as the nissan sss of old, usually thrashed by this stage in their life.
Good cars but their version of VTEC come on too late to have fun with it. Plus seating position is high! Also the pedals aren't positioned well for heel and toe
Pedals are great for heel toe. You must have tiny or very large feet.. Chip it, have lift come on nice and early. Change the seat. Problem solved and exactly to your taste.
There isn’t a single person in the world who is cross shopping an Alfa Romeo Giulietta and a Toyota Corolla
😅😅
Very true.
I am
not quite right - I've had four Alfas in the last 12 years, still own two, and daily drive a 2002 156 GTA (now over 270,000km). I previously passed over buying a Giulietta QV 'cos it didn't feel "Alfa-enough" (it seemed like just any Euro hatch), but I am now actively thinking of something like a Corolla to use for the daily commute just to give the GTA a break. Have previously had a 1.5L Yaris which I completely abused and neglected for 5 years as my daily driver and I still see it tootling around the neighbourhood. Quite simply, if you want something that is nigh on impossible to kill it needs to come with a Toyota or Honda badge. Plus I wouldn't mind lugging the dogs to the beach in it (sorry Buddy and Shirley - you are never going to be allowed to scuff up the leather in the GTA...)
I owned an Alfa 147 and Toyota Blade Master G at the same time
I have one of these but here in South Africa they're known as a Toyota Run-X, mine has been solid, I've had it for more than a decade now.
runx touer z
RUNX basically sounds like "Wanking off" in my language
@@kanggoo57 Today I Learned. What language do you speak,
@@SamTheMan666 Finnish lol.
@@kanggoo57 I hate you so much, now that I know this I can't look at my car the same way again.😂
Ive had one of these for the last 8 years and its been the most reliable thing. I've replaced a rear window motor and coil packs, and they're the only things that have gone wrong with it. Its good on fuel and plenty zippy for every day. This generation of Corolla is probably one of the most reliable models, dont bother with anything else
The sportivo had the 141kw version of the 2zz. Same as what was in the celica at the time.
And in the Lotus. NA form in the Elise and supercharged in the Exige.
And lotus 2 eleven. Very rare 👌
South Africa 🇿🇦🇿🇦 shout out
That generation of Toyota Corolla hatchback was called the RunX
They never stop at red lights at night ?😅
@@perpetualgrin5804correct, but so does every other car in this country
@@TheYORK21 Good comment.
Optitron Instrumentation sounds bad ass as hell.
Here in South Africa, this shape Corolla is called a Run X. A customer of mine had one with over a million kilometers, and swapped his first engine out at around 650k km. Crazy car, barely rattled or squeaked.
Few Things missed:
1. heater core goes sometimes people just block off the hose in the engine back
2. Taking off the dash is easy on these I’ve done it 3 times
3. Gearbox 2nd gear crunch mainly and sometimes others follow. Synchros
4. No one wants to spend money fixing them properly
I worked in a Toyota dealership when the Sportivos were sold. It was about 50m from the driveway of the holding yard to the driveway of the pre-delivery yard. Many of the PD techs were determined to hit that 8200rpm redline in that short distance.
The main issue I have read about from some owners is the belt tensioners failing prematurely. Mainly just Toyota designing the tensioner for the regular 6500rpm redline motor, and not for the higher revving 2zz.
there is a different belt tensioner for the 1zz, same with every pulley etc on the engine. only the pulley starts to wear out after about 150,000kms, but is cheap and easy to replace
Had an ‘89 SX and wanted the Sportivo as my next car but I just couldn’t imagine looking at that centre console every day.
Had an 03 model (Japanese built) from 2013 to 2022 when sadly an MG 4WD failed to stop on the freeway. T-boned it at 110kph walking away with a broken rib. It may not have safety features but they're tough and reliable. A week later I got an 05 model (Japanese built) and still love it.
What they lack in personality they make up for in running costs.
This model corolla has converted me into a Japanese car fan because compared to what Australia was offering at that time and even up to the death of our motor industry it's just so much better built and designed.
Plus they make an absolute mess of MG 4WDs which has to be a good thing.
MG drivers are the worst.
I'd have my old one back in a heartbeat. So fun to drive...... unless its in heavy traffic.
Been waiting for this video, mates! Bought a stock 2004 Ascent Hatch manual for $2K with 294,000 kms, just as a step up to be more comfortable and convenient than public transport, spent $1K for roadworthy, and it’s so fun to drive. Just a no-frills, gets me from point A to point B (just for work which is 6 kms away), and I just enjoy driving it! no one’s going to steal it too (a manual is like an anti-theft device nowadays) 😁
Haha! That’s what I tell my daughter, she has a manual Yarris 2006 model.
Yaris
These are everywhere here in Mozambique, small, fun, reliable as hell (unless trully neglected), and very economical, paired with a 1NZ motor it CAN'T go wrong.
That's not the same car, we are talking about the 2ZZ engine, completely different story.
You're damn right those whitewalls will be mentioned in the comments. I hate them on anything post-70's, and they don't look good here either (which is a shame, because otherwise, I think these things look really stylish.)
I still have mine since new and its a joy to drive, especially with all the bolt on mods you could get back in the day. Over the twenty one years of ownership, things that I've had fail are: climate control servo motor, indicator/head light stalk, radiator leak, timing cover gasket oil leak, air bag module, climate control buttons unresponsive, center console flap, original factory stereo, front windscreen seal failing, pleather material on seats thins out and cracks.
I've never had any gear change crunching issues nor needed an extended clutch push rod. This might be caused by drivers that try hard to land lift in 2nd gear with flat shifting.
2002 in blue, bought it for 25k in 2005, put 600000 of very fun klm on it in 2 years, traded it back for 22k. Great car lots of fun, 3rd gear front wheel spin type fun.
I just have a standard 05 model station wagon.
Fantastic car, super reliable, economical with 310,000 on the clock and still drives like new. I had 1 coil go at 290,000. Didn’t stop the car from driving just ran a bit rough.
Great car to camp in even if you’re over 6 foot!
Just wondering mate. I'm about 6.1, if you sleep in the back, I don't think the back seat goes completely flat. What do you do?
To @Aussiedavid71
Yes you’re right about the back seats not going completely flat. What I do is remove the cushions, the part you sit on. It’s easy done as they are only hooked in place. If you pull them up and you just unhook them from their mounts. Being 6.4 I do also have to move front seats further forward, but it all works out fine.
@@markstory9093 thanks for the reply Mark.
👍
Not much, we have a 17 year old Camry, family run about. We pay the rego and service it once a year.
Nothing every goes wrong with it. It’s like a 1960s Westinghouse refrigerator.
Still Drive my 2003 Runx RSI that's whats they're called in South Africa....love my car Still going strong 💪
So happy to see this review as these have been on my shortlist for some time. Thank you !
My mum bought a pre face lift, base model, auto hatch brand new in 2003. It's just ticked over 80,000km.
It's been absolutely amazing, just always ready to go. Most recently it was used to rescue them from the outback after my dad's Jeep died (again)
I’ve had all sorts of hot hatches. Golf Gti’s, R32’s, Ep3 Type R, Audi S3, Pulsar sss, Mazda Mps.
I keep going back to the good old 2zz Sportivo/Runx (in NZ). I’m on my third and forever Sportivo, can’t beat the value for money. Smiles for dollars. How ever you want to put it.
If this is anything like my 2001 corolla levin hatch, the backseats DO fold completely flat if you pull up the base of the seat. They have a pivot point which positions them against the back of the front seat which makes the back rests fold down completely flat as well as offer a little bit of protection to the front seats
You might have got hp and kw mixed up in the intro. They made 147kw/190hp from the 2ZZ.
....and 350NM. ?....I don't think so ....
141kw - 191hp
180Nm
That’s what I was thinking! They were pretty hot back in the day and that amount of hp is still pretty too!
i think they put the specs for the previous model with the turbo
They Australia delivered 2005 model shown actually is rated at 141kw from the factory. I know i bought one brand new.
Same engine and gearbox as the Aussie celica .
This generation is the last of the Corolla's with a hydraulic rack, sub 1150kg weight and somewhat go-kart feel. Everything after felt vague and nerfed out. Kind of regret selling my ZZE122 manual for a GRE156 Blade Master.
The Blade spanks these though. I have one of these and will be buying a blade to replace it with. That 2GR more than makes up for whatever this has going for it
How come you regret changing it to the Blade Master?
@@wilydimayuga519 It's tricky, I like the Blade's power on long drives, and it's still good in the twisties. The Corolla had more of a go-kart feel around town and I miss the manual trans.
@@overnightpartsfromjapan01 should try the 7th gen celica, better steering and suspension front and rear, lighter, stiffer chassis, lower center of gravity, better seats etc etc
I've gt this one but in fabric model. It's done 286,xxx kms now but still goes very well. Been garaged its whole life. I knew it's only owner. Well maintained with records. No Crack on dash. Only mod is aftermarket headunit for sounds. Original speakers not crackling. Nice n clear. Paint no fading.
Interesting as a South African I didn't know they where built here,And Here they're called The RunX with the more higher performance version being called RunX Rsi.
FYI the seats do fold completely flat, there’s a pull tab in the back seat section and then they fold forward flat
i have one with over 390,000kms but looks like its done under 100k. love it
It’s a JDM car. As soon as you throw any light mods its way, it loves it. Don’t drive em stock, put an intake and some decent tyres on it, drive the shit out of it, you’ll keep up with most things.
My 2003 corolla has 400,000km. Only replaced the starter motor myself and ignition coils. Have hit the alternator with a hammer to fix it. Apart from the peeling paint she's going OK.
Please do a review on the Corolla Fielder(Wagon) of this generation...
Even better, review the 2zzge wagon version. The Fielder Z Aerotourer
My 3 older brothers and myself learnt to drive in a wagon version of the normal corolla. We went through 2 clutches but it never looked like it was ready to give up. Also, can confirm that door on the centre console was either broken or glued shut.
I had one. Upgraded the suspension with some Koni’s. Better tyres. Stiffened the chassis up and the fat TRD rear bar. It was so much fun in the twisties. Was great on fuel when needed too. Could get 800kms out of a tank. The original synchro design was flawed and you could get the new version to replace the old under warranty which is what happened to mine. I do miss its utter simplicity.
Had one of these beauties 10 yrs ago. Basically the same running gear in a celica of the time. Did the everyday stuff beautifully, but was heaps of fun when you got upit. By god, did you have to get up it to make progress. IThe motor was similiar to a V Tec that made you want to rev the hell out of it for reasonably rapid progress.
I own and run the owners club for the T Sport Compressor. They are very different to say the least and truly special.
The drivers experience is very different to that of the standard T Sport or Run X RSI in other countries.
- Ogura tx12 SC
- Aluminium strut brace
- Chassis bracing throughout the underside
- 17inch lightweight wheels
- Slightly different body kit ‘rear bumper’
- Only 250 made with 54 remaining in the UK
Adding to the reliability, the 2ZZ has a problem with the lift bolts breaking. it wont damage the engine but it wont allow it to change cam profiles.
toyota updated the design and its easy to swap them out if they havent broken, they are a wearable item
Basically only the very first of the Sportivos had this issue, Celicas on the other hand...
I had an 06 ascent manual sedan, brilliant work commuter. Cold ac, fuel efficient and completely reliable. Boring it was but would own another one in a heart beat. Your right so hard to find a decent sportivo, most of them flogged to the shit house and neglected.
My 250,800km Corolla is going strong. Pretty old (2003) but I love my old girl ❤
In South Africa it's called the RunX Rsi, I sold mine after 8years, sometimes had 2nd gear lock out. Toyota Sa also gave us a Trd version of only 200 cars, it came with lightweight 17" rims, trd suspension, Trd strut brace and also a short shifter. These cars are until this day very popular in Cape Town. Oh after I sold my Rsi aka Sportivo I bought a 2014 Opel Astra Opc aka Holden Astra Vxr what a piece shit!
Any chance on doing the last Holden Astra's?
"A Car" pecfect summarization of the 2005 corolla sedan
At the bottom corner of the rear seat for the hatchback model, there is a tab that you can tilt the seat backward slightly. This nice feature that also appears on the 03-08 lexus rx model
STAY away especially if buying in Sydney and Melbourne 95% of them have gone through multiple gearboxes and have been thrashed by p platers
We call it Run-X in SA, Still selles like hot cake
I own a 1.8 vvi 2010 Corolla that I bought brand new in 2010 now has nearly 300k klm on the clock , she has been a great reliable car , never missed a beat, I rarely service it , there has been times I have not serviced it for over 2 years and after the free services that came with buying it new it only had to see a mechanic once for a new set of coil packs , but even with dead coil packs it was able to drive to the mechanic. I can not fault the 2010 corolla.
really shouldn't treat your car like that though
Chop the springs, add oval muffler, then go valve bouncing around the streets of south west Sydney
I never heard of the TTE compressor version, that is siiiiiiick. I would love to have an engine with compressor whine, just once in my life
16.13uk 14/10/24… I have a tte compressor , it’s one of the best cars I’ve owned. I’ve never had anything with red letters on the back pass me. It’s a joy to drive 😊
I own an early 2000s 9th generation corolla, but it's a conquest. I've always wondered what it would be like if they made a sportivo wagon for the Australian market
Please do a honda civic 8th gen review in sport trim please🙏🏼
Bought a blade master g, and it hasn't let me down. It's basically a GT corolla, with gobs of torque down low.
just no manual - all auto
Have a 06 sedan. Only issue I've have had in it's 180k journey was the ecu going rogue. That needed changing, wasn't a very expensive fix. The console door does break and dashboard shows minor cracks if your region has too much heat. And it's underpowered but that's expected of a corolla.
As A Sportivo Owner These Car's Can Either Be A Blessing To Have Or A Curse That May Leave You Bankrupt . Love From South Africa 🎉❤ High Risk Car That You Could End Up Loosing Your Life For Having. They Like The Scattpacks In USA .Overall But Lovely Car's.
Spot On Conclusion.
It’s a reliable vehicle and fun car to have.
Hahaha the first time an ashtray hasn't been "disgusting" 😂😂😂
can you please do the ae112r sportivo, only 110 made and australian only, an absolute icon in my eyes and id love to see it here
The seats do fold flat on the 2 door model (no idea if it is the same on the 4 door). You can tilt up the rear seats and fold the back rests down completely. You'll have to remove the headrests to do it.
Yeah they got this wrong. I had one. They do fold flat. I know because I slept in the back of mine a few times.
Interestingly, the euro E12 had 8 airbags, rain sensing wipers, heated seats, TCS and soft touch on top of the doors all round
Have one with 301k km, bought brand new 0km in 2005. The middle drawer is still working
Oh the seats do fold flat, you just have to pull the seating part of the seat up and then perfectly flat boot area
Hey Mate Im Selling My Sportivo In WA But It's Completely Stock So It's Solid Super Red 2 Is It's Color
Mine have crossed 240k. I'm the 2nd owner driven sensibly. Clutch,brakes,coil packs and spark plugs...that's it. Nothing else has gone wrong with it. Gearbox is still good. My Merc,HSV have both broken down on me and both have done less than 70k combined and being far newer too.
Toyota RunX Rsi. Great VVTLI car
❤loved the Afrikaans comment of features
A proper CAI, extractors and high flow cat these things are super fun to drive! Terrible stock suspension though
I still have a late 7th gen corolla from 1998 had for 10 years alternator and timing belt only major work still hasn't broken in yet at 244456km
The 2zzge was more than 147hp as indicated in your graphic in the intro?
190 hp
look up runx touer z in japan the same car ! they bid at 250000yen totaled with 300000km now
Wight wall tyres isn't really a thing in the UK, maybe on a few US imported classics! Great vid, ReDriven is one of my favoured used car channels 👍
ford fiesta xr4 isn't getting the recognition, very underrated in the hot hatch scene
It's a legend in South Africa 😂
A note on the 2ZZ...
The lack of torque was a quirk of its mildly primitive VVT setup.
Its competitor at the time, the Honda ITR, revved just as hard, but has great mid-level torque due to VTEC.
the vvt setup isn’t primative, it was better than anything Honda had at the time (until kseries). the 2zz also has VVL just like the Hondas, it makes very similar torque numbers if not better
Have a 2003 Altis (basically the sedan but with a redesigned exterior and more plush, also the basis for the USDM version), well... it consumes oil, left me stranded due to a broken VVTi cam gear and also a broken coolant rubber plug. Timing chain tensioners can leak, water pump pulleys goes noisy as well as the belt tensioner. Had to deal with rust in the windshield sills, and the trunk where the rubber goes. The headlights are prone to misting, the gauge cluster LEDs are prone to burning out (due to age mostly TBF).
Thanks for the great videos, would you please include the comfortability to you drive experience. i.s the seat, noise isolation ... on the highway.
I'm surprised how many of these Corollas I seen on the road around town including the Sportivo models.
I'm guessing the language used for the safety features overview was either Xhosa, Zulu or Swati.
Seems like if you service it regularly and keep age related maintenance up to it then they're a solid car.
Good work as always guys and look forward to Sunday's video as per usual 👍
The language was Afrikaans.
@@skilgour44 thought it might of been but then thought it'd be too obvious lol
It’s basically a Lotus 💁♂️
Zze122 corolla would easily be the best corolla made, period
Would love to see a video from you guys about an Aurion (might be because I just got one haha), keep up the good work
I love my 2008 Aurion Sportivo SX6. Shame hubby thinks it’s his!
I love my ‘06 Corolla wagon but I’ve worn out the carpet on the driver side. 😢
I would go for the Alfa. I would then get a two post hoist, new air tools, lots of electrical stuff to fix it and a 2nd car for when the Alfa didn't go.
You guys should do a review of an ol reliable early 2000s magna
Luv it ...........Cape Town South Africa
So close to a 7th Gen Celica! Love the 2zz
A lot of people like to knock Toyotas like this gen Corolla but I know a lot of car enthiasts that have an old Toyota preiva in their fleet to either pick up parts. lend to family. Landcruisers for the farm and to pick up motorcycles from a few states away.
Toyota also try to make all our other car brands more reliable as well.
You both forgot to mention that the Sportivo has the Yammaha tuning to that 1.8. The engine power stats is wrong. It's more like 140kw, not 110. It's just a shame that Toyota didn't drop the 4 speed auto from the Celica to avoid the gearbox issues found in the manual.
how would dropping the 4 speed auto avoid issues with the manual?
@@arcanevoid9199 You'd have a 4 speed auto that doesn't possess issues with a manual.
@@vichetkim5533 most markets got the 4 speed auto, and it is absolutely terrible especially with the 2zz. a 4 spd auto is not the solution, the c60 manual is not even that bad
@@arcanevoid9199 Then I'm stuck with a 100kw wagon with a 4 speed auto that while it might last another 20 years, it's stuck with lack lustre performance because performance oriented drivers demand only a manual transmission for this generally reliable car.
Give it a revin Kevin, hold it flat Mat.
I owned one. Not for long. The seating position and weak handling made me dislike it that became apparent at higher speeds. Car was lowered on springs. Motor revved hard but to utilise the vvti-L (toyota vtec) your speeding too much.
Love your Reviews! Could you please do an EK1 civic with a D series motor sometime soon if possible?
Hahahaha that Afrikaans is perfect, well done.
Hahaha 😂 as I South-African I approve.
You guys should review a Hilux Surf!
I bought mine with alcantara suede seats, I couldn’t believe my luck 😂
I was in a 2021 Hybrid Camry a few days ago, the Avg fuel consumption was 8.8L/100km.
My 2012 Aurion sits at 8.4L/100km, still on the original factory iridium plugs, had the alternator replaced, no transmission services, just normal 10k oil changes, is now at 389,000km.
Apart from the alternator being replaced, the only other issue(s) is the front RHS parking sensor is defective.
…and its larger V6 is still more efficient than the hybrid 4cyl!!!😂😂
Big engines love country driving.
The 'spot for life's filth' is where I keep my garage clicker
What the 3 series compact a 325ti or even the 318ti same age car
The problem with these is the same problem with all these cars from this era. They were just not ‘all in’. They didn’t seem to know what they were making and it’s a mess. Seats are a good example of this that we’re mentioned. But the most egregious issue was the gearing. It’s something most people never talk about with cars, in a car like this it absolutely ruins it. Manufacturers in this time often made silly choices of ratios to artificially reduce 0-100 times by reducing the number of shifts. This means absolutely stuff all in reality, but makes that ‘all important’ metric seem better on paper. If this has not-crap ratios they actually would have been a blast. But you’ve got to be breaking the National speed limit in 2nd to actually be revving it out. Who wants a ‘revvy’ car that they can almost never wring out? It also makes it feel slow and gutless with ‘no torque’ all the rest of the time. Like no. Absolutely, no. This is somewhere where modern autos and DSGs shine. It’s not that they shift that much faster, no! It’s that they shift fast enough for that silly metric that it doesn’t matter that there is an extra shift or two in the 0-100 sprint. That means they optimise the ratios not to remove shifts, but actually to keep the engine in the appropriate power bands. Gearing makes SO much difference to the enjoyment and excitement of a car. Yet is so overlooked by the modders and ‘experts’, replaced by ‘more power’. Idiotic. This thing should be screaming and topping out 2nd at like 70kph.
BTW - I’m always going on about the 130i, but gearing is one of the things that made that car special. Unlike the 125i (or yank 128i) it had a higher ratio diff unique to that model. They weren’t chasing absolute 0-100 times, they were making a driver focussed car.
the gear ratios are not the main issue, they are actually very similar to later 6 speed hondas which everyone raves about. its more the match between the gearing and the power band of the engine. having 2nd top out at 70kph would be completely unrealistic, the gears are already quite short especially for street use. assuming the same +36 kph gap as the stock 1st - 2nd gears this idea would put 1st gear at 34kph or 6:1. this would be horrendous to drive, and would just feel like having 2 useless gears
@@arcanevoid9199 have a think about that one mate, why would the gap be the same number of kph? Closer and higher ratios. This would mean it doesn’t drop out of the band when shifting. Even if you did *just* increase the final ratio, that would still make 1st and 2nd tops closer together, not the same. The difference is determined by the ratios used, not it’s not a fixed value. Also, how are the ratios NOT the main issue, given you state the main issue is the match between the ratios and the power band (or more what you mean is when the cam lift comes into play)? Given the engine is what it is, isn’t it therefore the poor choice of ratios to suit said engine?
@@GLxGL I think you are thinking of the Australian ‘Sportivo’ of the previous generation. The low boost turbo one. This one, AFAIK was a global product of the Corolla line up.
@@GLxGL I’m not sure in what ways. I mean, trim etc possibly. Some markets got the more interesting 3 door (but also got those for the boggo ones). In JDM they often did higher spec models that we never got here where they shove an engine from other lines in. The original RAV4 got the 3S-GE for example, so did the previous few gens of Celica where we only got the povo engines. SR20DET in the OG X-Trail. Airtrek with 4G93T etc. These weren’t really special editions, just higher end specifications. Whereas we got the base engine and a few trim specs. The ‘Sportivo’ was just a higher spec Corolla. Whereas Honda Type R was a bit more deliberate. The Sportivo name AFAIK was an Australian thing. They didn’t really do anything suspension wise etc. On the other hand it was basically the same price new as the Levin which was their top trim. So it wasn’t like a Type R or in modern times a Golf R, GR Yaris. But the Toyota tax and rarity makes them seem a bit more ‘special’ than they actually were. It’s also pretty typical of having a unique badge vs normal badging with a hotter engine. A good example of this is the Audi A3 3.2 vs Golf R32. They’re the same car. But one has a desirable badge and the other is just a different engine in the range. Can get the Audi for a fraction of the price of the R32. The Audi is actually a better car. Celica is better than these in every way. But these are more expensive, more thrashed and have more mystique because of that dumb ‘sportivo’ badge.
the 2zzge kw/torque figures in the video are horrendously wrong. makes more than 110kw (about 141kw) and 188 N⋅m not 350nm like in the video.
Owned an 04 sportivo for 10 years (bought when i was early late teens) - Did legitimate mods - eg shocks, lowered springs, strut brace, upgraded rear sway and a underbrace, intake, exhaust, ported headers. Thing was a lil go-kart and handled like it was on rails. Miss the car but had to sell as started a family.
Re gearbox issues - yes i had to install a longer push rod cylinder which appeared to help 50% of the time (and gearbox flush) but i agree its more just a rubbish gearbox and you had to treat them easily during shifts especially when driving them a bit hard as they tend to crunch between 1st-2nd.
Especially when new, a lot of places had no idea what size exhaust to fit etc.
Only things that failed that entire time - the centre console flap (as mentioned in the video).
They are fun but seeing what most of them look like on the road now compared to when i owned one, they are basically the same as the nissan sss of old, usually thrashed by this stage in their life.
In South Africa it’s called a Run X
The Corolla was also known as the Auris in Europe.
1:32 Ey I'm no expert but I know a 1.8 NA will never produce 350nm... Idk about Australia, but in South Africa the 2ZZ pushes around the 140s kw
Good cars but their version of VTEC come on too late to have fun with it. Plus seating position is high! Also the pedals aren't positioned well for heel and toe
Pedals are great for heel toe. You must have tiny or very large feet..
Chip it, have lift come on nice and early. Change the seat. Problem solved and exactly to your taste.