A Personal Connection to the Corolla
Growing up in the 80s, my dad—a hardworking middle-income earner—was a Toyota man through and through. His pride and joy was a 1985 Toyota Corolla 1.8 GLS, a car that effortlessly balanced practicality and style. Before that, he owned a Toyota Corona, but the Corolla was always his go-to.
My first car followed suit: a 1988 Toyota Corolla I bought for R12,000 in 2001. Later, as I advanced in my career, I upgraded to a 1998 Corolla GLE for R80,000. Back then, the Corolla epitomised value for money. But after 2003, something changed.
The Price Shift
Today, the entry-level Toyota Corolla sedan starts at over R500,000. To put that into perspective, the Corolla, once a benchmark for middle-income earners, now competes in a price range historically dominated by luxury brands like BMW and Audi.
In the early 2000s, a R300,000 budget could comfortably secure a new Corolla, alongside other mid-range options like a BMW 3 Series. But fast forward to 2025, and the Corolla has transitioned from a middle-income staple to a higher-income luxury.
The Technology Justifies the Price
Toyota markets the Corolla with the slogan: “It Has It All”—and it truly does. Modern Corolla models come equipped with advanced safety and tech features, including:
- Lane departure warning
- Blind spot detection
- Crash warning systems
These innovations undoubtedly add value, but they also contribute to the car’s escalating price, distancing it from its roots as an affordable, practical choice.
Redefining the Middle-Income Car
A quick Google search for “middle-income cars” brings up surprising results. Cars like the Suzuki S-Presso—practical but basic—now dominate this category. The gap left by the Corolla has created an opening for brands like Chery, Haval, and other Chinese imports to thrive, offering value-packed vehicles for a fraction of the cost.
For those nostalgic for the Corolla’s affordability, Toyota offers the Corolla Quest, priced at R336,000. It retains the practicality and reliability of the classic Corolla while remaining within reach for middle-income earners.
What’s Next for the Middle-Income Car?
The Toyota Corolla’s journey from the “poor man’s Mercedes” to a premium option reflects broader changes in the automotive industry. Rising costs, advanced technologies, and shifting consumer expectations have reshaped what it means to offer “value for money.”
For middle-income families, options like the Corolla Quest or well-priced Chinese imports may be the new go-to. But for those of us who grew up with the iconic Corolla, it’s hard not to feel nostalgic for the days when it was a symbol of affordable excellence.
