2008 Toyota Corolla Reviews, Pricing & Specs

2008 Toyota Corolla 1.6 Advanced (SA Spec) thumbnail

$14,405 to $15,615

6/10

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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 new car design arrives for the 2009 model year. As such, nothing changes, and the car continues in familiar CE, Sport, and LE trim levels.

out of 10 expert review

Look & feel

5/10

Ubiquitous on North American 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 colour, 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

6/10

Every 2008 Toyota Corolla is equipped with a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with power specs of 126 horsepower and 122 pound-feet of torque, sent to the front wheels. It is not exciting. Not even with the five-speed manual gearbox, and especially not with the common four-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.

Fuel economy for the four-cylinder is rated at 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving and 5.3 on the highway with the manual transmission and 7.8 L/100 km city, 5.6 highway with the automatic.

Form & function

7/10

Even in the compact car class, buyers expect features like power mirrors, a tiltable steering wheel, and an AM/FM stereo with a CD player. And all of those items are standard in the cheapest Corolla, the CE, along with 15-inch steel wheels.

In Canada, the 2008 Toyota Corolla CE comes with an optional 20th Anniversary Edition package to commemorate the company’s 20 years of building Corollas with a Canadian postal code. This package adds on special badges, air conditioning including a cabin air filter, power door locks with keyless entry (and auto-locking doors on automatic models), power windows with driver's side auto-down, aluminium alloy wheels, and a power moonroof. A simpler Convenience package is also available that adds only the power door locks, keyless entry, and air conditioning.

To move up 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 Sport. The Sport trim is mainly a styling exercise, adding ridiculous amounts of lower body-kit plastic that resembles stitched together overinflated balloons. Features are similar to the 20th Anniversary CE and include 15-inch aluminum wheels, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, variable-speed intermittent wipers, fog lamps, and a rear spoiler. Cruise control and a power sunroof are optional.

The Toyota 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, remote keyless entry, premium cloth seats, and cruise control. A power sunroof and front seat mounted side airbags, front and rear head/side curtain airbags, and an anti-theft system are available as part of the Moonroof package.

Toyota provides plenty of places in which you can stash your stuff. The glove compartment and the bin under the centre 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 385 litres. A 60/40 split-folding rear seat is standard, enhancing the Corolla’s ability to carry cargo.

Technology

4/10

Technophobes rejoice, for the 2008 Toyota Corolla is as simple as Forrest Gump. You get a CD player and an outside temperature display as standard equipment. Bluetooth hands-free calling is not offered for the Corolla.

Safety

6/10

Aside from dual front airbags, the Corolla includes no meaningful safety equipment. You can upgrade the car with side and side-curtain airbags and antilock brakes (ABS). 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

8/10

Dependable, efficient, and simple, a 2008 Toyota Corolla isn’t going to cost much to keep on the road. Plus, it’s likely to be worth more than competitors when the time comes to sell it as a used car. And that’s good because with prices ranging between $15,785 and above $22,000 with all of the upgrades, it commands a premium over other choices.

Note: Images show a US model.

by Christian Wardlaw

Published January 11, 2023

What owners say

AI Summary · 33 reviews

"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."

4.3

33 reviews

Write a review

by Joshua G

Great gas mileage, super easy to do your own work on and it gets the job done.

October 9, 2025

by Anonymous

The 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, 2011

by Gary O

I 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, 2023