Should I get the Corolla SE or LE… Need Advice

Hey everyone, I’m thinking of buying a car soon. I’ve had a great experience with my old Toyota Vitz, so I’m leaning towards another Toyota. I’m stuck deciding between the Corolla SE and LE. The SE looks cooler with more sporty features, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Change your transmission fluid every 60k miles and the oil every 5k. Don’t trust the intervals Toyota recommends. Fluids are cheap compared to engine or transmission repairs. I’ve got an ’09 Corolla with 318k miles.

I bought a 2024 Corolla last year. It’s at 87,000 miles now, and I haven’t had any issues at all.

If you’re open to it, check out a low-mileage Corolla iM 5-door hatchback. They’re pretty nice.

Don’t stress too much over trim levels. Start with what you want in terms of color and interior. If you hate tan interiors and want black, that will help narrow things down. Also, think about your budget and the year you’re looking at. If you go used, sometimes a Camry isn’t much more expensive than a Corolla, and you get a lot more car for the price.

From what I’ve seen, the differences between the LE and SE are mostly about looks. Both trims can have optional tech packages, but that depends on what the dealer has. I test-drove an LE with extra features and an SE without. I went with the LE and have been happy with it. Hybrids are worth considering too, depending on what’s available near you.

@Merrill
What extras did your LE have?

Bela said:
@Merrill
What extras did your LE have?

Mine had a wireless charging pad, blind spot monitoring, and alloy wheels instead of hubcaps. The SE I tried didn’t have those, and I didn’t think the differences were worth paying extra for the SE. It really depends on what your dealer has and what matters most to you in a car.

@Merrill
The SE has an independent rear suspension, which makes for a smoother ride, and sportier seats compared to the LE.

I just got the LE Hybrid. If you go up in price on the Corolla, you might start looking at a Camry instead. I think the best value is the LE Hybrid with as few extras as possible.

Elijah4 said:
I just got the LE Hybrid. If you go up in price on the Corolla, you might start looking at a Camry instead. I think the best value is the LE Hybrid with as few extras as possible.

If you’re getting a hybrid, I’d recommend the AWD version. You get more power and torque since it has dual motors.

@Cory
True, but you’ll lose some fuel efficiency.

Elijah4 said:
@Cory
True, but you’ll lose some fuel efficiency.

How much MPG do you lose?

Cory said:

Elijah4 said:
@Cory
True, but you’ll lose some fuel efficiency.

How much MPG do you lose?

I don’t remember exactly. You’d have to look it up.