2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Discussions about other vehicles other than the Vibe & Matrix.
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striker1211
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:05 am
Location: Mid Michigan

2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by striker1211 »

People on reddit are singing the praises of the Corolla Hatchback saying it is nothing like the crappy Corolla iM. Has anyone drove one yet? It looks just like an iM and is still missing half the practical features the matrix/vibe had. But since it has a 2.0L w/ CVT vs a 1.8L w/ AT the improved fuel economy on the highway might be able to justify an upgrade for me :) Discuss?
My Vehicle: 2008 Vibe Moon & Tunes 1.8L ATX
ehoff121
Posts: 756
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:19 am
Location: Conn.

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by ehoff121 »

How about a side by side comparison with a 2005 Vibe FWD Base?

https://www.kbb.com/compare-cars/overvi ... be-349135/
2005 Pontiac Vibe AWD - Platinum
Caretaker

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by Caretaker »

extremely low to the ground in order to achieve these gas mpgs. I'm done with "diving down" when getting into a car. That's why I've owned 2 Vibes. Next car is likely the 2019 Forester
tpollauf
Posts: 4027
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 11:37 am
Location: Toledo/Oregon, Port Clinton Ohio
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Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by tpollauf »

Interesting that both of these are classified under "small station wagons" and yet the Vibe is then categorized as a "sport wagon" yet the Corolla is a "hatchback". Excuse me, all of my Vibes are hatchbacks! Thanks you 8-)
Image
2009 Vibe GT (manual), 2009 G8Gt, 2009 Vibe GT (auto)
2014 Silverado, 2004 Vibe GT

"everything is modifiable"
jamsandwich
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:48 am

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by jamsandwich »

I've been watching it, but based on what I see in videos and on paper, I don't think it's different enough from the iM for my tastes.

We recently replaced my wife's car (Hyundai Elantra hatch) with a standard-issue, boring Corolla sedan. The iM never made our test-drive list, as she didn't like it.

Even if it were my decision (instead of just my "influence"), I don't know if we would've bothered driving the iM. I love having a hatchback, but I found the driver's seat area a bit snug/claustrophobic, even compared to its Corolla brother. Looking at the measurements of the new vehicle, I don't get the sense it'll feel much different.

For us, the deciding factors on our purchase were the expectation of Toyota reliability and the safety features, which were easily $1,500-2,000 add-ons with the competition.
jamsandwich
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:48 am

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by jamsandwich »

We had a service appointment recently and checked out the Corolla hatch. The cabin dimensions seemed nicer up front than the iM. But the room in back wasn't great. Ceiling was still kinda low for me. The room in the hatch was seriously disappointing. It won't be on my shopping list.

But I guess that's the trend. Hyundai reduced the cargo space in their Elantra Hatch when it went from the Touring to the GT. I don't like it. Some of my favorite Vibe memories are when I've been able to cram seemingly unlikely loads into it.
Caretaker

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by Caretaker »

Hyundai made a colossal mistake when they tried to "fix" the ugly Elantra Touring for the "cool" GT. Give us our wagons back. Stop listening to the in crowd. Us smart people want the versatility, visibility, and human leg/head/shoulder room that the Touring brought us. Today's go-carts, like the Corolla hatch, are ridiculous........... Now just months away from the '19 Forester.
Capt.Vibe
Posts: 160
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 7:18 am
Location: Montreal

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by Capt.Vibe »

Just checked this car out today. This car has nowhere near the room of a Matrix/Vibe. It is lower, the roof feels like it's dropping down on you. Ingress requires some maneuvering, it is tight. The Vibe I can slip in, just throw myself in the driver seat without banging anything, The back seats are tighter, legroom is tighter and the hatch area looks much smaller. Also, the SE upgrade with those very nice looking rims has an absurdly low profile tire. There is hardly any rubber, I suspect the ride will be brutal on our notorious Quebec roads. The base model's 15 inch with steelies will end up being the most comfortable ride. Left very disappointed.
2010 Red Hot Metallic 1SA
RRich89
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 2:12 pm

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by RRich89 »

I sat in the 2019 Corolla Hatchback XSE last week at the Philadelphia Auto Show. I test drove an IM two years ago and I like the interior of the Corolla Hatchback better than the IM. I'm pretty tall (6'3") and had to crane my neck to get into the Corolla Hatchback, I don't have that problem with my '06 Vibe and it has a sunroof. The Corolla Hatchback offers less room than our Vibes but I feel most new hatchbacks are all lower with swooping rooflines that cut into cargo room. I think I'm going to hold onto my Vibe for another 100,000 miles.
thatsthevibe
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2019 11:36 am
Location: Janesville, WI

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by thatsthevibe »

I feel like this new design looks good and has the right intentions but, having rode in one these I can say that it wasn't very well executed, the front passenger seat was quite uncomfortable, it felt like i was sitting on a plastic chair with no cushion. The rear seat has just about no headroom, It was just about as low as the rear seats of a 2017 Mustang GT Fastback. I had to tilt my head and the ride quality was worse than my 150k mile vibe with the original shocks from 2006!
I
None of this applies to me as I wont be buying anything other than an American made GM vehicle :lol:
2006 Pontiac Vibe - Sun & Sound (4/28/06)
2007 Chevy Silverado 6.0 - LTZ & Z71 (6/12/07)
2017 Chevy Equinox AWD 3.6 - LTZ
Caretaker

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by Caretaker »

None of this applies to me as I wont be buying anything other than an American made GM vehicle


Ha......good luck with that
Bookworm
Posts: 764
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Houston, TX

Re: 2019 Corolla Hatchback Thoughts? Opinions?

Post by Bookworm »

All of the cars have that lowering line, causing everything to be a 'crossover', because of congressional requirements for the vehicles. Mostly enacted by people who think that if they say it should be X, then it'll magically happen.

It's worsened by the number of idiots that buy vehicles they don't actually need - such as 4 door pickups when they mostly drive the kids to school, or Cadillac Excessives when they just commute to work every day.
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