Exactly why the 130 hp 1.8 VVT with the 5 spd in the 2004 Corolla CE was a great balance, a nicely optioned car as well. I believe it ran around 1800 rpm at 60 mph. The Sport version had the same 1.8 with 11.5 to 1 compression and hotter cams for 173 hp and steeper final gear ratio. They ran the 1/4 decently quick, around 15 flat, I believe. It weighed 2500 pounds, that helps a lot for mpg. It actually bettered or matched the rated 53 Imperial mpg, not babying it. I got 54 mpg at best, I believe, it might have been 55 of 56 Imperial even. We tested Ford's at the Dealership in the late 90's with the Next Generation Star Tester, MPG on the fly, only one got the rated mileage at 60 mph. The rated sticker MPG was at 80 km/hr, it pissed people off when their vehicles fell short. Unlike the Datsun, it was not slow, easily could pass at any speed and could bury the 180 km/hr speedo. We would still have it if hail wouldn't have wrote it off. I should have kept if for my Daughters and not bought my Dakota. The Corolla only needed a front wheel bearing and the seat belt under warranty in its 250,000 km life. The one bad thing about the car, tires. Good tires would not last beyond 50,000 km. It had 2 wheel alignments at two different places. It also needed studded Winter tires, night and day difference. We test drove Kia's at the time and I drove a similar year Nissan Sentra when I hit a Deer with it. Neither car was as refined or got as good of MPG.
