[Beechnut]

I have a 2020 SE sedan, 6-sp. manual. Bought it used last March so I can say anything (yet) about reliability but so far so good. I can't say it if will have a quieter or more comfortable ride than a hatch. I can say that it has a noisier, and harsher, ride than my 2018 Golf Sportwagen. So I don't consider it particularly quiet especially with regards to road noise. But I'd be surprised if the hatch is significantly worse than the sedan.

I will pick a manual over a CVT in a heartbeat. Manuals have stood the test of time. Cheaper to buy, cheaper to service, and if you don't beat up on it, better longevity. The clutch will wear out over time but it's relatively easy to replace and by not abusing it, that can take a very long time. Plus they're just way more engaging to drive. FWIW I'm getting much better fuel consumption than the official Canadian government rating, in mostly rural and autoroute driving. I've been averaging about 42 mpg per tank but I do keep to the speed limits (max 100 km/h) except when overtaking.

I'm pretty sure that the hatch and sedan will be equally reliable.

Personally, between the hatch or the sedan, go with whichever you prefer/better meets your needs. Or is available. I was ready to buy either if I could find the right car at the right price. That ended up being a sedan. If you get a 2023 it will have to be CVT, no more manuals in 2023. And good luck finding a 2022.

 

[Beechnut]

We have an SE sedan and one of the things I like about it compared to my Golf Sportwagen is that I find the seats much more comfortable than the Golf. It's all relative I guess! Otherwise I find the Golf much more engaging to drive. However the Corolla does just fine at what we ask of it, being a reliable second car. It'll probably outlast the Golf!

 

[Beechnut]

No, mine's made in the US.

 

[Beechnut]

I have a white SE sedan and I really like the colour. My VW is "silk blue" which is a very pretty colour, but white is low maintenance and it's easy to make it look sharp. I live on a dirt road and if I come home in a downpour, I just hose it off afterwards. The VW always results in spots and a white film and needs a full wash.

 

[Beechnut]

Where I live there's a pothole pandemic, so yes, low profile tires are NOT desirable for me. Both my VW and Corolla have the same size tires, P205/55R16. However I bought my Corolla used this past March (it's a 2020 and had 34k km on it), so beggars can't be choosers! I probably would have taken the larger wheels if that's what was available but I lucked out on a non-upgrade SE with 16" wheels (standard in Canada) AND a manual transmission.

 

[Beechnut]

The manual turned out to be a blessing for me in more ways than just a more enjoyable drive. The car had been sitting on my VW dealer's used lot for 4 months, because nobody wants a manual Corolla. So even in this crazy market, I was able to negotiate the price down substantially. Since I plan to drive it until the wheels fall off, I don't have to worry about resale value.

 

[Beechnut]

True said - i learnt how to drive all together on a manual car 22 years ago & have only owned the odd auto since then (some of the cars did not have a manual option or the wife needed to drive as well)

I got my licence in 1974 when I was 16. That makes 48 years. I got my licence on an automatic, the driving school's Plymouth Satellite with neither power steering nor power brakes. When accelerating out a turn at an intersection, the spinning steering wheel would practically rip your arms off. Yikes! The driver's ed teacher would let his better students learn manual on his personal car, a 1972 Volvo 142E. I was one of them. Like you I've mostly owned manual cars, but have had a few automatics, most of which I ended up very quickly bored with and ended up either getting rid of, or transferring it to another family member.

I'm lucky in that my wife also prefers to drive manual. So all three of our current cars are manual (the third one is permanently posted at our second residence at the other end of the country). At our age we should probably have at least one automatic in case some injury or infirmity immobilizes one of us. But we don't, so we take our chances. We are avid cyclists and thus quite fit for our age, but the risk of injury to a left leg or foot, or right arm or hand, is quite real.

 

[Beechnut]

The problem is that today buyers don't want a car. They want a mobile infotainment device. We're going to hang on to our three manual cars until the wheels fall off. Fortunately I married a manual kind of gal too. She hates automatics as much as I do.

 

[Beechnut]

18 on Corolla SE sedan.

Only in the US. The "regular" SE in Canada gets 16". The SE upgrade gets 18".

 

[Beechnut]

I bought a set of 4 16" steelies with Blizzaks and Toyota OEM wheel covers for $1476.66 plus tax (Canadian). Got them from the dealer, probably not the most economical route.

 

[Beechnut]

Those are obviously new. Blizzaks are snow tires.

Yes, new. Snow tires are mandated by law here, from Dec. 1st 'till March 15th and I needed a set. I'm satisfied with the OEM 16" alloys that the cars came with. Less so with the Hankook tires but I'll wait 'till their done to replace them.

 

[Beechnut]

I had Hankooks on my Golf Wagon, and on a previous Golf TDI. Not great in the wet, and I have never had a tire brand give me so many flats, including on the TDI, a blowout at speed in the fast lane of the autoroute.