Several years after the less-than successful-Toyopet, Toyota was deep in the midst of a learning curve for doing business in the United States. Helped along by new offerings such as the Corona and the now-legendary Land Cruiser, Toyota went through years of trial and error, but finally gained a foothold in the market thanks in part to the ubiquitous Corolla.
For many of those Corolla buyers, an automobile has been treated as little more than an appliance. Does this “appliance†deserve the same respect accorded to the family refrigerator, or is it worthy of much more?
What is it?
The Corolla is a four-door sedan that fits four adults better than five but is all about reliable transportation. It’s the best-looking Corolla in what is the tenth generation of the line that has been manufactured since 1966.
What’s it up against?
It’s a crowded playing field for the Corolla. The very worthy opponents in this mid-size segment include the Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda Mazda3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, and Suzuki SX4. The same thing can be said of these cars: More often than not, their owners are not looking for something especially sexy: They want reliable transportation. In this case, virtually any one of the vehicles can fit the bill nicely.
Any breakthroughs?
Are you kidding me? While the higher end models of the line strut their stuff with the latest of high-tech goodies, cars like the Corolla are content to hit the ground running with proven technologies that supply great reliability and very good fuel economy, especially in this day and age of high-priced petrol. It’s kind of like Ronald Reagan’s trickle down theory, and the technology has crept downward from the Camry and Avalon, among others in the Toyota portfolio.
How does it look?
Looking like a Mini-Me version of the venerable Camry, the Corolla has gone through fits and starts that have at times looked awkward and other times handsome. We peg the current, tenth edition as belonging in the handsome club, although if “over-designed†with add-on spoilers and such, it could find itself at the head of the class in the awkward category. Think of the add-ons as the equivalent of putting refrigerator magnets all over your Frigidaire. Fortunately, the XLE tested keeps with the conservative Corolla theme.
Starting with the now common corporate grille with logo that lays over a black field, to the sloping cat-like eyes of the headlight lenses, the Corolla is absolutely brand-familiar in that it borrows many design cues from other members of the Toyota family.
A high waistline carries back and makes the greenhouse appear lower than it really is, while body colored mirrors give the appearance of a more refined vehicle than an entry level sedan that the Corolla really is. Moving around to the rear of the car is where the design of the XLE really falls down. It is a no-frills look that could have received a slight dressing up to add value. Our test vehicle was equipped with plastic wheel covers over 16-inch steel wheels, rather than alloy wheels, for example – and this in the range-topping model.
And inside?
A conservative but totally functional interior awaits the Corolla driver. From the thickly padded steering wheel to the faux maple wood trim on the doors and console, to the climate controls below the audio system, the Corolla reflects on years of design refinement to provide a car that does what it’s supposed to do, when it’s supposed to do it.
The gauge faces show that this is not a vehicle where you would expect to find the latest in high-performance VDO gauges. And the plastic has a few too-many shades of color going on, but overall, the Corolla provides transportation that will enable the riders to go all day and still feel refreshed upon arrival. Part of that is due to the telescoping steering wheel. Fabric-covered seats offer decent, if not highly bolstered support, and leather is available in higher trim level models (or as a dealer or port-installed option).
The Corolla XLE audio system is equipped to receive satellite radio as well as MP3 and WMA files. (As a clarification, this means that audio CDs containing MP3 or WMA files can be played on the system. The use of an iPod, or other type of player requires a patch cord, available from Radio Shack, or a signal modulator that sends a signal to an unused station on the FM band.)
The trunk, with fold down 60/40 rear seats is spacious, swallowing 16.6 cubic feet of cargo, or the equivalent of about three large golf bags.
But does it go?
Sure, it does! It goes as well as you would like it to, all the while getting 27 MPG city and 35 MPG highway. The 1.8-liter four-cylinder transverse mounted engine with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) pumps out 132 horsepower and 128 lb-ft. of torque. Off the line, it got up and went without too much racket. It does get out of its own way quite nicely.
The four-speed automatic transmission delivers power to the front drive transaxle, but with a fair amount of torque steer. Or perhaps that’s caused by the electrically assisted steering that, to us, seemed too twitchy. Regardless, the front end seemed as skittish as a dress shoe sliding on a banana peel!
Power from the four-banger is delivered to the ground by the MacPherson struts in front, with the Torsion Beam axle bringing up the rear. On the stopping end of things, a 10.8-inch ventilated discs in front and 9-inch drum brakes in the rear help to bring the 2,811 pounds back under control under spirited driving.
Ah, yes, spirited driving. On the plus side, the Corolla is as reliable as a buyer could hope for. On the down side, though, the Corolla does nothing to entertain or engage the driver, instead choosing to provide bullet-proof transportation to and from work, the commuter train station, the airport, or any other spot where the destination is more important than the ride.
Why you would buy it:
You want legendary Toyota reliability in a car that gets exceptional mileage in a decent looking package.
Why you wouldn’t:
Because, as an enthusiastic driver, you think the journey is just as important as the destination.
2009 Toyota Corolla XLE base price: $17,550.00, as tested: $18,609.00. Options as tested: In-dash 6 CD changer, $200; Floor and trunk mats, $199; Destiation: $850.00.
