Publication: Motor Fan
Format: Road Test
Date: July 1968
Authors (Roundtable): Shiro Sasaki, Osamu Hirao, Kazuo Kumabe, Hiroshi Hoshijima, Kenji Higuchi, Kenjiro Okada, Kenzaburo Ishikawa, Kazuo Kubota, Yasuhei Oguchi, Taizo Tateishi, Akio Miyamoto, Toshihide Hirata, Minoru Onda, Junichi Okumura, Motor Fan Editorial Staff (uncredited)

Aiming for a Middle Ground Between Sedan and Sports Car

Magazine: First, could you tell us about the aims behind the Corolla Sprinter?

Publication: Motor Fan
Format: Test Drive Report
Date: May 1972
Author: Eizo Ikeda

Overwhelming Torque In Reserve

Toyota has introduced a pair of high-performance models powered by a 115ps 1600cc DOHC engine: the Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno. What proved most striking from behind the wheel, however, was the unexpected ease in everyday city driving.

Makes You Itch to Drive

Toyota has been on something of a sporting-car streak lately, and now another example has been added to the lineup. Strictly speaking, there are two of them: the Corolla Levin and the Sprinter Trueno. Sharing the same basic specification, they are, in effect, twins.

Publication: Car Graphic
Format: Road Test
Date: June 1972
Author: “C/G Test Group” (uncredited)

Summary: A “fun car” with the 1.6-liter DOHC engine from the Celica/Carina GT mounted in a Corolla body. It is powerful, flexible, and has an excellent gearbox, but is slightly low-geared overall. Ride and cabin usability are sufficient despite the reinforced suspension. Handling is excellent thanks to the 175-width tires, but fuel economy is poor and the noise level is high.

Publication: Motor Fan
Format: “Bubble Index” Road Test
Date: July 1972
Author: Osamu Mochizuki, Katsuzo Kageyama, Shigeki Asaoka, Yasuhei Oguchi, Reiko Ikuuchi, Kensuke Ishizu, Motor Fan Editorial Staff (uncredited)

Powerful at Full Throttle, Yet Mild Around Town

Though it may be designed with competition in mind, the Levin is still a production car, and practicality cannot simply be ignored. How successfully does the Levin reconcile these seemingly opposing demands?

Publication: Auto Sport
Format: Group Test
Date: June 1973
Author: Auto Test Editorial Staff (uncredited)

Editors’ Comprehensive (?) Test Drive: Corolla Levin and Levin J vs. Galant FTO 1600GSR and 1400SL-5

The car slides on at an angle, refusing to straighten. The guardrail closes in like an arrow…

The second editorial test session, held in the rain at Tsukuba, turned into something resembling a spin exhibition. Faces drained of color, sweat creeping in, legs trembling, we pressed on–telling ourselves that this, too, was valuable experience–as we fought to keep the cars under control.