It's a competent runabout, albeit one with pretty radical styling. The coupe market is weak, however, therefore traditionally slow sellers like this one are getting a boost. Sept. 30 Matched against other small cars such as the Honda Civic and the Ford Focus, the virtually identical Sunfire and Cavalier seem a bit old and unrefined. But they're cheap and plentiful and those who drive a really hard bargain are going to drive away in a new car sold for substantially below sticker. But the Corolla gets some stying and engineering improvements for the 2001 model year, so dealers and the manufacturer are anxious to move the current crop out on dealer lots.
Most cars receive a significant makeover, in styling and engineering, every four to five years.
In either case, a major makeover ushers in a new generation of the same model and with it usually comes a significant price increase. So smart shoppers stay on the lookout for cars and trucks soon to receive upgrades. That's usually where the best deals are to be found.