Toyota Corolla

The story

More Corollas have been sold around the world than any other car. From 1998 the ones sold in Britain were built here too. The first Burnaston version had round, bug-eyed headlamps that set it apart from its plain predecessors.

Inside

Simple, tough and logically laid out, built to last for decades.

In period colours

Tap a colour to respray the drawing.

Meanwhile, in 1998

The Good Friday Agreement was signed in Northern Ireland.

Best-selling single of 1998: Believe by Cher

Before you buy a 1990s car

• On petrol engines, check the cooling system and any sign of head gasket trouble.
• Ask when the timing belt was last changed, where fitted.
• Parts for mass-market cars are widely available; specialist and low-volume models can be hard to find.

General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.

Rivals of its day

Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.

See the real thing

These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.