Toyota is a pretty buttoned-down car company. Most of its economy cars are designed to be user-friendly at the expense of fun, but there have been moments in its history when it let its hair down just a little. Today, we’re going to look at two such vehicles – even though one is disguised as a Pontiac.
Looking at yesterday’s results, as of this moment, we have a first – a legitimate 50-50 tie. Half of you prefer the rusty stoner van, and half of you want the funhouse Charger. I guess that means it falls to me to cast the tiebreaking vote.
I chose the Charger. I do appreciate a good old van, but if I were ever to get one, it would be older than this one and look less like an HVAC company’s cast-off. Besides, the smell of certain recreational substances turns my stomach, and I have a feeling such a smell would be unavoidable in that van. The Charger is very near my old stomping grounds, actually; I used to live just down the road in Little Canada. I’d stop in at my favorite hobby shop on the way.
When you think “Toyota Corolla,” you probably picture a four-door sedan, likely in silver or white or beige, with a sensible automatic transmission. They are excellent cars. They’re not much fun, though. You can get a fun Corolla, of course, and you could get one in days past as well. It’s just that most buyers didn’t go for them. Today, we’re going to look at a couple of older models that could be quite a bit more entertaining than the average rental-spec model.
1989 Toyota Corolla GT-S – $4,700
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Odometer reading: 214,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The seller of this car says he’s selling it for his daughter, “for safety reasons.” It took me a minute to understand that; it’s not that unsafe of a car – oh wait. He’s talking about Craigslist crazies. Yeah, that makes more sense. Then the question is, why is she selling it at all? It’s a pretty cool little car, and it appears to be in great shape. I guess people sell cars for all kinds of reasons. Oh well, her loss is someone else’s gain, even if it is a little pricey.
The AE92 Corolla GT-S is the sportiest version of the E90 era Corolla. It’s front-wheel-drive, unlike its famous predecessor, though it does have Toyota’s excellent 4A-GE twin-cam engine. This one has a five-speed manual, which is definitely a plus in my book. This car with an automatic is just another Corolla. It runs and drives “excellent,” the seller says, despite its advanced mileage. It also has four brand-new tires, so it should be ready to go.
Inside, the heavily-bolstered bucket seats and red stitching on the steering wheel and shift boot set it further apart from lesser Corollas. The round white shift knob isn’t stock, but it is cool. Everything looks to be in good condition, though I don’t know whether that dash cover is preventing sun damage or hiding it. The air conditioning works fine, which is a nice bonus on a car this old.
It’s pretty racy-looking outside for a Corolla, with its factory body kit and white decals. This is also the only way to get pop-up headlights on a Corolla this age, and pop-up headlights are still cool. It’s in good condition, but it looks like there’s a little red overspray around the headlights that might indicate some previous repairs. It’s worth asking about.
2003 Pontiac Vibe GT – $3,995
Engine/drivetrain: 1.8-liter DOHC inline 4, six-speed manual, FWD
Location: San Diego, CA
Odometer reading: 215,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. – NUMMI for short – was a former GM plant operated as a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota from 1984 to 2010. The site is now a Tesla factory, cranking out Model 3s and Ys in the same buildings that once churned out GTOs and Chevelles. In between, as NUMMI, the factory produced Toyota Corollas of several generations, and a bunch of GM-badged cars that were more or less Corollas, including the Chevy Nova, Geo Prizm, and this car, the Pontiac Vibe.
This is the sporty version of the Vibe, the GT model, which is powered by a Toyota 2ZZ-GE engine making 180 horsepower and sending it to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. The seller says it runs and drives great, and has all new brakes. It has a lot of miles on it, but that’s not uncommon for these cars – though I’ve never seen one with 300,000 miles on it. (Nor has anyone; the odometers of these famously stop at 299,999.)
The Vibe’s interior is pretty much identical to the Toyota Matrix, only with Pontiac logos on it. It’s in good condition, especially for the mileage, and the seller says the air conditioning compressor was just replaced, so it stays nice and cool in there. Everything else works just fine, too.
The Vibe has just enough differences from the Matrix outside to make it its own thing. It’s unmistakable for anything but a Pontiac, and personally, I’ve always liked the Vibe’s styling better than the Matrix’s. This one is in decent shape, with just a little faded paint to show its age. Black isn’t the best color for these, but it does wear it well.
Admittedly, the prices on both of these are a little steep for cars with more than 200,000 miles on them. But we all know used car prices aren’t what they once were, and the ‘Toyota Tax” is definitely a thing. On the plus side, these are both cars that thread that difficult needle of being reliable but also fun to drive. The choice is yours: Do you prefer the flashy two-door coupe, or the handy hatchback?
The old one is cooler, but the Vibe will be vastly more useful and those are such good cars. I’ll have that one.
I’ve looked into 2zz swapping my vibe but the consensus is just find a GT to save money. They’re great cars.
Mine also needs the compressor replaced.
Pop-up headlights. Accept no substitute.
As a purveyor of old 4AGE products, my initial gut feel was to go GT-S. It’s cool, and will probably appreciate from here on out without issues.
However, the Vibe GT with a six-speed is a quick car. It’ll blow the doors off the GT-S and is cool in its own right. I vote Vibe GT for my kid to take to college and the GT-S for me to 20v swap and blast around town.
VIAGRA – Vibe Is A GReat Answer.
It is, really. Toyota quality at Pontiac prices, pretty fun to drive especially with the stick and spicy engine. Cavernous volume out back for practicality. These things regularly outlast their odometers.
All you sophomoric jokers can save it for the replies…
For practicality, I would choose the Vibe, and I do really like those, but that Corolla presents really nicely in photos, and between the wheels, paint, and interior I think we have a winner.
Hub Hobby is a fun store! I worked for a summer at Wendy’s when I was 14 and blew all my money on a Traxxas nitro RC car, that thing taught me a lot about patience and cemented my interest in engines.
Both. Definitely both. But since both isn’t an option, I went with the Corolla because I just never see those around anymore, though the Vibe is still an excellent car.
You’re right about that. I saw a white AE92 Corolla sedan yesterday and was like “Wow, there’s a rare beast.” (I live in Michigan and most of these turned to dust 15+ years ago). The GT-S version turns that up to 11.
Nobody is going to mention the square Thunderbird in the background of the Corolla? Corolla wins, Toyota, pop up headlights, manual, red. It’s damn near perfect.
Matrix, err, Vibe.
Small hatchback with manual. I have my type, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
I’ve been looking around for a Vibe as a commuter, so I was ready to vote for that. The Corolla is really minty, and pop up headlights are sweet. I would love to have both, but I guess since what I need is to a car I won’t be too sad about destroying in PA salt winter driving, so Vibe it is. The Corolla is definitely the more fun choice, but I would be sad if I was responsible for killing it with rust.
Both?
Both.
But since “There can be only ONE!!!” I went with the Vibe. I bought one for my daughter as her first car, and it was absolutely the best possible first car. It was just a really good car period.
Too bad she wrecked it.
No losers here.
But the high-strung screamer in the Vibe has limited appeal for me; it’s not a Celica. There’s also enough rust on the underhood clamps that I’d want to look underneath.
I’m going for the Corolla. Lightweight stick shift red sleek 2-door with those bucket seats and 90s Toyota build quality? Not many of these types of cars left, I’ll take one before they’re gone.
The polls seem to be broken but if I had only one to choose I am obviously going the 80s wedge mobile but if there is a both option that would work two and the vibe could be the fiance to learn stick shift in.
The Corolla had me at the popup headlights and the great access to the front cooling stuff with the hood is open. That Vibe deserves to win and I’d love to have it too…
Yeah, I have no idea what’s going on with the poll. It seems to be registering votes OK, though. I’ll see if someone can attack it with some WD-40 and a pipe wrench and get it working right again.
The Vibe is 100% a great choice for a cheap daily.
But who can say no to POPUPANDDOWNHEADLIIIIGHTS
Found my granddaughters a Vibe with 60,000 miles. Fits right in at the hs parking lot with all 20 year newer CUVs and SUVs. Pontiac died the year they were born but they think it’s cool enough.
Honestly, this is a hard BOTH day for me.
Builds:
Corolla gets all the love from me, anything that might be needed will get done, and I’ll pay a high-end detailer to give it a full paint correction and interior deep clean, even though it doesn’t need doing. For daily comforts, I’d add a stealth Bluetooth input to the radio, and refresh all the other audio gear with component speakers and amplifiers.
The Vibe gets the same treatment, and given to my significant other who loves them and used to own one.
These will be fun cars used sparingly so eclipsing 300K miles will take quite a while.
The Vibe is obviously a more practical choice, but I’ve already got a practical cargo hauler in the stable – the fun factor of the Toyota cannot be denied. Also, I’m flabbergasted at the condition of the upholstery – did anyone actually sit in that thing and drive it over 200k, or was that done on a dyno with a brick on the pedal? Exaggeration, I know…there’s a telltale elbow dent on the door armrest. I guess it’s possible that Dad had it reupholstered, but that looks pretty stock and it matches the rear seats…would he have sprung to have the entire interior done? Seems to be another classic sitting in the yard, so resto is possible. Who knew I could go down this kind of rabbit hole over an interior shot?
I want both I need both can I have both?
If no, I’ll just go with the Nine-Two, and chuckle when I take it to the Cars& as kids who don’t know any better call it an Eight-Six. Maybe I’ll add some Cibie foglamps under the bumper to sell it more.
Vibe’s a great car but you still see them. The Corolla is not only awesomely cool, but quite minty as well. Both good options today.
1) The vote is doing weird things this morning.
2) Give me the Corolla all day every day and twice on weekends. Holy balls. I have a fair amount of seat time piloting the 4A engine around and the transmission screwed to it is a telepathic joy. Stomp flick stomp vroom. It rewards enthusiasm with matching spirit, and unlike the FX-16 that I usually drove, this one has trunk room. Less than five grand for analog daily brilliance? Easy sale.
I’m afraid you weirdos are gonna go all old-school TTAC and pick the Vibe. “It’s so practical.”
Have some passion. Look, I’ve been reusing the same paper coffee filter since Saturday, but there is room in life for the joy of a red coupe. And that’s a good ine.
AE86 gets all the attention, but the AE92 was basically a Toyota Prelude.
That one looks great – prive may be high if you thought they’re just old cars that nobody values, but you are also not the keeper of every slice of secret knowledge. People know. Price is reasonable if it’s as good as it appears.
Poll is being weird today
“Toyota Prelude,” goddammit that is exactly the right phrase. Le mot juste, precisely what I would have said if I could have ignited the right neurons.
COTD. No kidding.
De rien. Mais, ma Francais es merdique.
La caffe sur la tete pour le langue parfait.
Hot damn, now I can add merdique to my French vocabulary. I studied enough to get through the intensive semester and could probably find food, lodging and a bathroom in French if I had to – the basics. Adjectives, not so much.
SO SO hard. A fun flip up headlights sporty car or a manual wagon. both?
That 89 was dead in the middle of my college years and I wished I could have afforded one when they were new.
I almost skipped to the end to vote, but read the text just in case.
Gimme that Corolla all day long! The interior is even in great shape. I’m kinda glad it’s too far away.
Yeah that Corollas interior looks great for a almost 40 year old vehicle with 200k+ miles on it. I have seen much newer cars with much less miles with worse interiors someone really liked keeping their car clean.