2004 TOYOTA Corolla Verso 1.8L VVT-i 5AT FWD (130 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The ninth generation of the Corolla saw the daylight in 2004. It was built as a sedan, a hatchback, station wagon, and minivan. Toyota used the Verso for the latter.

Corolla was already an important name on the compact market. Everybody knew it. It was like that pair of sneakers that everyone knows, and you can wear them either if you’re a billionaire or just a student. Except that not too many billionaires are driving a Corolla, or at all. Toyota built the Verso version as an MPV based on the same platform as its known compact-segment vehicle, and it used the well-known name to attract more buyers. The strategy worked.

On the outside, it looked like a Corolla with a higher roof and a raked hood. Its spacious greenhouse featured a high beltline to enhance passenger protection. The small window behind the rear doors resembled the one fitted on the regular, five-door hatchback version. A straight tailgate in the back was good to be used as an umbrella or a shelter. It was that big.

Inside, Toyota installed higher seats, and that led to more legroom for its occupants. For the driver, the carmaker installed the instrument cluster in the middle of the dashboard, slightly tilted toward the driver’s area. But the dials were easy to read even for those seated on the back-seat. Thus, they could have objections about the car’s speed.

Under the hood, Toyota installed almost the same engine lineup as those found in the regular Corolla. But the 1.33-liter unit was missing, and the smallest version featured a 1.6-liter unit. A 2.2-liter diesel unit was available.