When buying a car, like a Toyota Corolla, is there much of a difference between a 4 & 5 speed

casey

automatic trans? I drive a 5 speed stick shift Kia Rio, cheapest import on the market, a 2001 model. It is time to buy a new car and I am considering a Toyota Corolla. I see a lot of 4 speed automatic transmissions. Is there much of a difference, when driving, between the 4 speed and the 5 speed automatic? Difference in performance?

-TG

I couldn't tell you from first hand experience. But going from a stick to an automatic is going to be a little different feeling anyway. Your best bet is to get out and test drive them both and see how they feel to you, specifically.































I think the '09 Corollas have a 5 speed auto-stick option. I'm guessing that might give you a 'best of both worlds' feel. The 5-speed in general might give a smoother ride (less high RPM running between gears? guess it depends on the gear ratios and how much you like acceleration).































I have an '05 Corolla automatic (4 speed I think) and it feels just fine to me. I was coming from a Mazda 626 v6 automatic, so I did notice the lower power, but the lower body weight from the smaller engine seemed to make up for it a little for perceived 'power'. It's a great car.































One tip for you.. if there's a Scion dealership near your local Toyota dealership... try talking to them. Around here, there happens to be a Scion dealership right next door to one of the major Toyota dealerships. Scion is the same company as Toyota, of course, but they're non-commission. I was able to take a few test drives and hammer out the details without getting sales-slime on me or feeling pressured at all. The Scion guys got their commission and I got my Corolla hassle-free.































Good luck! I think you'll enjoy the Corolla over the Kia big time!

CT

5 speeds are always better than 4s, the question is what do you need or want? Everything has its price.