First introduced in Japan in 1968, the Corolla began its life as a stylish coupe. Since then it has been a wagon, a hatchback, a sedan, a coupe once again and then back to the wagon. Constantly evolving to fit the needs of the small car buying market, the Corolla has stood the test of time to remain the top selling vehicle in automotive history.
For 2009, Toyota unveiled the tenth-generation Corolla. This one is a little broader across the beam, allowing for greater hip and shoulder room for occupants and a stouter, more aggressive driving stance. This year’s Corolla only comes in a sedan but no one be surprised if Toyota adds to the line-up again in the following years.
Models include the base, the LE, S, XLE and the sporty XRS. Although base models are well equipped, especially considering the $15,350 price tag for a stock model with the manual transmission. The base models are missing any power features however but the LE jumps in with the full accoutrement of power window and power locks at a still reasonable $16,750.
The base through XLE trim levels all come standard with the 1.8-Liter DOHC 16-valve dual independent VVT-i 4-cylinder engine that produces 132 hp at 6000 rpm and 128 lb.-ft. at 4400 rpm. Fuel consumption for both the five-speed manual and the four-speed automatic comes in at 26 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. The 9.9 seconds to travel from 0 to 60 mph is slow but capable and the handling is solid and responsive. The Electronic Power Steering (EPS), power-assisted rack-and-pinion with electronic power-assist, allows the driver a solid sense of the road at both highway speeds and parking lot crawling.
