Sorta depends on use case. For the record, you never need an alignment after swapping tires (an alignment alters the suspension geometry, not wheel geometry).

If you drive your Corolla around at 45MPH in the city and never get on the freeway - sure, get the cheap tires.

If you drive in very cold weather, very hot weather, very fast, or in rougher conditions, get the better tires. Every tire made in the US has a speed rating (which is set under ideal conditions); if you (for example) buy an 81MPH-rated-tire for your 4000-pound Echo and then pack the whole family and cargo into it and go zipping around Arizona or Nevada at 100MPH in the heat of summer, you're going to have a bad time.